Euros preview: Everything you need to know about Euro 2024

Euro 2024 – the 17th edition of the tournament to decide the best international team in Europe – starts tomorrow, with hosts Germany taking on Scotland to kick off what is sure to be an exciting month of soccer with the sport’s second-most prestigious trophy on the line.

From Italy attempting to defend their crown, to England’s best team in recent memory looking to “bring it home,” to war-afflicted Ukraine proudly representing their nation on the pitch, this year’s Euros are ripe with storylines, and promise to captivate audiences around the world as Europe’s top teams converge on the global stage.

Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament.

When is it?

Euro 2024 starts tomorrow, with the group stage running until June 26. The knockout rounds start on June 29, and culminate with the final on July 14 in Berlin.

• June 14: Opening game

• June 29: Round of 16

• July 5-6: Quarterfinals

• July 9-10: Semifinals

• July 14: Final

Where is it?

The tournament will be held in Germany, with ten cities hosting matches at the following venues:

• Berlin: Olympiastadion Berlin (71,000 capacity)

• Cologne: Cologne Stadium (43,000)

• Dortmund: BVB Stadion Dortmund (62,000)

• Düsseldorf: Düsseldorf Arena (47,000)

• Frankfurt: Frankfurt Arena (47,000)

• Gelsenkirchen: Arena AufSchalke (50,000)

• Hamburg: Volksparkstadion Hamburg (49,000)

• Leipzig: Leipzig Stadium (40,000)

• Munich: Munich Football Arena (66,000)

• Stuttgart: Stuttgart Arena (51,000)

How to watch on TV

The full tournament will be broadcast on the FOX family of networks in the United States, with tomorrow’s opener airing on FOX at 3 PM ET. Click here for the complete programming schedule.

Who is playing?

A total of 24 teams will be competing (detailed below), with Poland, Ukraine and Georgia being the last teams to punch their spots via playoff wins. Wales and Norway were the top-ranked teams to not make the cut.

What is the tournament format?

The top two teams from each of the six groups of four will qualify for the round of 16, along with the four best third-place teams. The tournament will then be a single-leg knockout format.

Who are the favorites to win?

England are the favorites to win their first major European trophy since 1966 according to the good folks at Draft Kings. A $100 bet on the Three Lions could win you $300.

Euro 2024 ball

The official match ball is the Fussballliebe, which is German for “the love of soccer.”

Manufactured by Adidas, the ball “balances abstract simplicity with black wing shapes and solid colors,” representing each flag of UEFA’s 55 member associations. The Fussballliebe is made from more sustainable bio-based materials than any previous Adidas official match ball, and even features “Connected Ball Technology,” which sends data to officials in real time to help them make faster offside and handball decisions.

Euro 2024 song

Italian producers Meduza, American pop-rock group OneRepublic, and German singer-songwriter Leony have teamed up to create the tournament’s official song, “FIRE.” According to tournament organizers, the track merges several distinct sounds “into a track that embodies the fervor and spirit of football and music fans alike.”

It’s no Shakira, but it’ll do.

Euro 2024 mascot

The tournament’s official mascot is a teddy bear named Albärt (“bär” is “bear” in German), who bears an uncanny resemblance to the demons I see in my nightmares.

Albärt was chosen as the mascot’s name following a vote among schoolchildren in Europe, 32% of whom favored the name to other equally face palm-worthy ursine appelations. 🤦‍♂️

That’s enough housekeeping for now; let’s get into some team previews.

Group A

Between generations, the hosts are in an interesting place for this tournament, equally capable of winning it all as they are of crashing out of the round of 16. 38-year-old Manuel Neuer, and 34-year-olds Toni Kroos and Thomas Müller are mainstays for Die Manschaft, whose attacking load will be carried primarily by Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, both 21 years old. Look for them to create plenty of chances for the resurgent Kai Havertz and Niclas Füllkrug, who’ll likely split time up top. 🇩🇪 

With an average age of 28.4 years, Scotland are the oldest team at the tournament, but just because they’re nearly half their nation’s average life expectancy don’t count out the Tartan Army. Manager Steve Clarke has recently tinkered with his side’s formation, placing Scott McTominay in a deeper midfield role. The Man United star leads a midfield trio that also includes John McGinn and Billy Gilmour – as industrious an energetic as they come. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 

Hungary will fare as does their captain, Dominik Szoboszlai, who had a less than stellar first season at Liverpool after making a big-money move last summer. The 23-year-old will be the Magyars’ primary creative outlet, and if he finds his top form then Hungary could make a quarterfinal run with their experienced back-line led by Willi Orbán and goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi. 🇭🇺 

Side note: Do Leipzig exclusively scout in Budapest or something?

With Granit Xhaka pulling the strings in the midfield, a pair of top-tier keepers in Yann Sommer and Gregor Kobel, and a trio of center backs that would make even Pep Guardiola jealous in Manuel Akanji, Nico Elvedi, and Fabian Schär, Switzerland’s spine is as good as any team’s in the tournament. The problem lies with their inability to create chances. Zeki Amdouni – whose name hardly strikes fear into the minds of opponents – led the Swiss with six goals in qualifying, so expect the Burnley striker to lead the lines. 🇨🇭 

Group B

The 2008 and 2012 champions have bounced back from their poor World Cup under new head coach Luis de la Fuente, and one man deserves all the credit: Rodri. The Man City midfielder cemented his status as the most influential and perhaps the best player in the world last season, and will lead a Spain side that are just as capable as any of winning it all. Look for him to create plenty of chances for Nico Williams and 16-year-old Lamine Yamal on the wings, who De la Fuente favors over more experienced players for their direct, relentless nature. 🇪🇸 

Luka Modric is both the Croats’ greatest strength and perhaps their biggest weakness. The 38-year-old has certainly lost or step or two, but showed at Real Madrid last season that he’s still capable of creating a game-changing moment out of thin air – whether that be with a perfectly-weighted outside-of-the-boot pass or a savvy, driven finish that catches the keeper wrong-footed. Still boasting the same core squad that was on the brink of winning the past two World Cups, don’t be shocked if Croatia make a similar run in what is likely their best-ever player’s last hurrah. 🇭🇷 

No champion should be ruled out, but Italy will be hard pressed to defend their Euro 2020 title. The veteran presence of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonnucci will be sorely missed, and for what feels like the first time in ages the Azzurri lack a true superstar in their ranks. Nicolò Barella and Jorginho will form a tidy midfield partnership, and Federico Chiesa will lead the lines in attack, but Italy – who have the second-fewest total caps of any team in the tournament – will need other players to step up big time in order to even escape the Group of Death, let alone contend for the title. 🇮🇹 

Albania conceded just four goals through ten games to qualify for their second-ever Euros, but don’t let the numbers fool you. The second-lowest ranked team in this tournament have a better chance of finishing with no points than they do escaping this group. Tough draw, but such is life when you hang with Europe’s top dogs. 🇦🇱 

Group C

All eyes will be on Benjamin Sesko, who has been linked with seemingly every top club in Europe, especially Arsenal. While latest reports indicate the 21-year-old striker will stay with Leipzig for another season, this is a great opportunity for Gooners (and other fans) to get some enjoyment out of an otherwise underwhelming Slovenia team. Sesko, who scored five goals in qualifying, will need to play out of his mind should the Slovenians have any shot of making it out of the group stage for the first time ever. 🇸🇮 

The Danes are seemingly everyone’s dark horse come every major tournament, and Euro 2024 is no exception. Their defense is loaded with stout veterans like Andreas Christensen, Simon Kjær, and Joachim Andersen, and their midfield – highlighted by Christian Eriksen and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – ain’t too shabby either. It’ll all fall on the shoulders of Rasmus Højlund, who’ll be starting up top at just 21-years-old. The Man United striker showed he’s a big-game player with a string of impressive performances in the Champions League last season, so he should be in contention for the Golden Boot if Denmark make it out of the group. 🇩🇰 

Speaking of the Golden Boot, Al-Hilal striker Aleksandar Mitrović will be in contention himself, having scored 39 goals in 43 matches for club and country this season. Should Mitrović struggle to find the back of the net, then Dragan Stojković will have no shortage of options to turn to in attack, with Dusan Vlahovic, Luka Jović, Dušan Tadić, and Filip Kostić all making Serbia’s 26-man roster. There may only be one ball, but if there were two nets then striker-rich Serbia would be my pick. 🇷🇸 

England are tournament favorites and for good reason: they’re utterly stacked with talent. Between Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Kyle Walker, and Declan Rice (I could go on), the Three Lions have world-class players in damn near every position, many of whom are in or entering their prime. Harry Maguire, who has shed his error-prone Man United skin while playing for England, is a big miss for the defense, but I think there’s enough talent and stability elsewhere to cover up for a few defensive mishaps. This is soccer…err..football’s best shot at coming home since 1966, and Gareth Southgate is the only man on planet Earth capable of fucking this up. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 

Group D

At 35 years old, Robert Lewandowski is past his peak, and will miss at least Poland’s opener against Netherlands with a thigh injury. Given their star talisman’s fitness and the fact that they just squeaked by Wales in the playoffs to qualify, Poland should count themselves lucky and simply enjoy the time they have in Germany. It’ll take a near miracle for them to make it out of this group. 🇵🇱 

Like Germany, the Dutch are another country in between generations whose tournament could go either one of two ways. Attacking talent is somewhat limited, with breakout Milan star Tijjani Reijnders and 21-year-old Xavi Simons expected to be the Oranje’s primary creative outlets in the midfield. The Netherlands’ defense, however, is like many tourists visiting Amsterdam: loaded. Between Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Aké, Daley Blind, Denzel Dumfries, Jeremie Frimpong, Matthijs de Ligt, and Micky van de Ven, manager Ronald Koeman has his work cut out for him picking a starting back-line for his preferred 4-2-3-1. 🇳🇱 

Icon David Alaba will make the trip to Germany, but only in spirit. The do-it-all center back, whom Das Team have heavily relied upon during the past decade, will be joining the team as a “non-playing captain” after suffering an ACL tear in December. In other words, Austria have little-to-no shot of making a deep run at this tournament, but have a chance to advance to the knockout stages if Marcel Sabitzer and co. take care of business against Poland. 🇦🇹 

Les Bleus enter the tournament as second-favorites following a strong runner-up performance at the World Cup in Qatar. If France win their first European Championship since 2000, then Kylian Mbappé will be the reason. At 25, he is the best player in the world in the moment, Real Madrid’s newest Galactico, and a big-game player who has shown time and time again that he’s at his best when the moment is brightest. He’ll need to be at his best to get past England, who’ll await France should both teams make it out at the top of their respective groups. 🇫🇷 

Group E

Perhaps the best-dressed side in the tournament, Belgium will give it one last go with their golden generation. Despite missing half the season with a hamstring injury at 32 years old, Kevin De Bruyne is as potent as ever, boasting a passing range and goal-scoring ability that still make him the Red Devils’ main man. His club teammate Jérémy Doku has the pace and trickery that make him a breakout candidate, but an aging back-line is a concern for manager Domenico Tedesco. Belgium should benefit from being on the “easy” side of the draw. 🇧🇪 

PSG center back Milan Škriniar is the captain and best player for this Slovakia team, which is all about the collective. Their defensive solidity makes a second-place finish probable in what is perhaps the tournament’s weakest group. A lack of attacking firepower, however, will likely inhibit them from progressing further than the round of 16. The Falcons are a hard-working unit, but simply lack the X-factor(s) in their team to make much of an impact. 🇸🇰 

The fact that Ukraine, who beat Iceland 2-1 in a qualifying playoff final, made it to the tournament is a victory in itself, especially given the situation at home. Don’t count them out though; the Blue and Yellow boast a spine of players from Europe’s top leagues. The heart of the team, Oleksandr Zinchenko, will pull the strings from the midfield, while Real Madrid keeper Andriy Lunin and Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi will anchor the back-line. Mykhailo Mudryk will provide an attacking threat from the wing, and goals will come from Artem Dovbyk, who scored 24 goals in 36 appearances for Girona last season. No matter the outcome, expect passionate play, fervent support, and lots of media attention for the tournament’s feel-good story. 🇺🇦 

The tournament’s best player that you’ve never heard of, Nicolae Stanciu, is the one to watch for the Tricolorii, who haven’t won a major tournament game since beating England 3-2 at Euro 2000. The 31-year-old Damac midfielder will have to be at his best for Romania to escape the group, and will look for help from Ianis Hagi – the son of legendary midfielder Gheorghe Hagi. The 25-year-old impressed on loan at Alavés last season, and will have a golden opportunity to break out of his father’s shadow on the international stage. If Hagi plays well, then Romania have a great shot at making it out of a weak group. 🇷🇴 

Group F

Despite having who manager Vincenzo Montella calls “the number one midfielder in the world” in Hakan Çalhanoğlu, the Crescent Stars are a bit of an unknown entity at this level. Montella only took up his post this past September, and youngsters like Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız – while undoubtedly talented – have little pedigree on the international stage. They’re far from glamorous, but did beat both Germany and Croatia in qualification, so expect them to at least progress to the knockout stages. 🇹🇷 

Georgia are the lowest-ranked side in the competition and haven’t beaten another team in the tournament in a competitive match since 2015, so their chances of making it out of the group are slim. Don’t expect them to roll over easily, though. They’ll be playing for pride in what is their first-ever European Championship, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is capable of producing moments of sheer brilliance to swipe a few points from their Group F rivals. 🇬🇪 

The 2016 champions will once again be led by none other than Cristiano Ronaldo, who’ll be competing in perhaps his last major tournament at 39 years old. No player has more Euro appearances (six), has played in more games (25), or scored more goals (14) than Portugal’s legendary forward, who’ll be surrounded by attacking firepower second to only the United States’ military. Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leão and co. led the Seleção to a perfect record in qualifying (10W 0D 0L), scoring the most goals (36) and conceding the fewest (2). Group F should be a cakewalk, leaving Portugal with a deliciously easy path to the final in the weaker side of the draw. 🇵🇹 

Czechia are the least experienced team at the tournament, with an average of only 16 caps per player. Tomáš Souček is their most experienced player on only 68 caps, and will play a pivotal role as both the team’s captain and midfield engine. Striker Patrick Schick – who was joint-top scorer at Euro 2020 with five goals (matching Cristiano Ronaldo – can be lethal on the counterattack, but there are plenty of question marks otherwise. With Portugal as strong favorites and Georgia just happy to get an invite to the party, second place in Group F will likely come down to Czechia and Turkey going head-to-head in the last group game on June 26. 🇨🇿