EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE EURO 2020
After a year-long delay, it's finally here! One of the biggest and most exciting sporting events will kick off in 11 major cities across Europe from June 26 until July 11, 2021. Twenty-four European national teams are ready to do battle this summer. Whether you're new to the game or an experienced fan, we have all the details you need to know about Euro 2020.
Who's Hosting The Tournament?
Unlike in the past where the UEFA European Football Championship was hosted by one or two countries, this year the anticipated event will be taking place in 11 different cities in 11 countries across Europe. Believe it or not but initially, UEFA proposed 13 host cities, but after much deliberation, they came to the conclusion that all the matches will split between the following cities, Amsterdam, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Glasgow, London, Seville, in Baku, Munich, Rome, and Saint Petersburg. London's Wembley Stadium will stage both semifinals and the final.
Will Fans Be Allowed To Watch?
The tournament was meant to be one of the most incredible events of the decades as it was going to mark the 60th anniversary of the first European Nations' Cup. However, due to the global pandemic that has been going on for nearly 2 years, Euro 2020 was postponed. This meant that die-hard soccer fans were devasted as they assumed they would not get to support their country in person. Fortunately, as rules and regulations have somewhat improved, the good news was that fans will be allowed to watch the matches at the stadiums across Europe. Although not all stadiums will be at full capacity, either way, teams will be playing in front of fans at Euro 2020. In addition, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has been bullish, insisting Euro 2020 will be safe.
Which Countries Will Be Taking Part?
Twenty-four countries from Europe will take part in the Euro 2020. They all divided up into 6 groups, they are as follows;
Group A: Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, and Wales
Group B: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, and Russia
Group C: Austria, Netherlands, North Macedonia, and Ukraine
Group D: Croatia, Czech Republic, England, and Scotland
Group E: Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, and Spain
Group F: France, Germany, Hungary, and Portugal
How Does The Tournament Work?
For those who do not understand how exactly the tournament works, don't worry, we're here to help you out. The UEFA European Football Championship is commonly known as the UEFA European Championship and informally as the Euros is the main football competition that is played by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Union of European Football. In the initial group stage, the four teams in each group play each other four teams play each other. Next, the winners and runners-up of each group, as well as the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the last 16 countries left in the tournament. This is the knockout stage. The winner advances to the quarter-finals or the last eight teams. And lastly, the semi and quarterfinals take place before the major final match occurs.