The rearranged Euro 2020 tournament is coming up this summer as UEFA get set to finally celebrate the 60th anniversary of the competition.
Countries across Europe were gearing up for the tournament last year with it originally set to start on June 12, 2020.
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But the coronavirus lockdown has had unprecedented impacts on the footballing world and forced organisers to have a rethink over when the tournament could go ahead.
Last March, it was announced that it had been put on hold until the summer of 2021 but will still be known as ‘Euro 2020’.
The tournament is taking place 60 years on since the first of its kind and is still set to be held at a number of cities around the continent, culminating with the final at Wembley in London.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal beat France in the final of the last competition while England crashed out in the round of 16 to minnows Iceland.
Now all eyes will start to turn to this summer’s tournament with the Euros finally ready to go ahead…
Euro 2020: Dates
The rescheduled tournament is currently slated to kick-off on Friday, June 11, 2021 with Rome’s Stadio Olimpico staging the opening match between Turkey and Italy.
England kick off their campaign against Croatia at Wembley on Sunday, June 13.
Scotland start a day later against the Czech Republic at Hampden Park, as do Wales, who play Switzerland in Azerbaijan.
The mouthwatering Group D showdown – England vs Scotland – then takes place at Wembley on Friday, June 18.
Once the group stage is done, the round of 16 will begin on June 27, with the quarter-finals a week later on July 2.
And after the semi-finals on July 6 and 7, the winners will be crowned on Sunday, July 11 at Wembley.
Euro 2020: How the tournament works
The competition will be made up of 24 teams in six groups.
The top two in each group will progress to the round of 16 with the fourth-placed team eliminated.
The four highest ranking third-placed sides will also make it into the knockout phase with the remaining two sides going home.
The tournament will then progress through the knockout phase before a champion is crowned.
Unlike the World Cup, there will be no third-place play-off at the Euros.
Euro 2020 Group Stage
Group A
- Turkey
- Italy
- Wales
- Switzerland
Group B
- Denmark
- Finland
- Belgium
- Russia
Group C
- Netherlands
- Ukraine
- Austria
- North Macedonia
Group D
- England
- Croatia
- Scotland
- Czech Republic
Group E
- Spain
- Sweden
- Poland
- Slovakia
Group F
- Hungary
- Portugal
- France
- Germany
Euro 2020: talkSPORT coverage
talkSPORT will bring you 50 games during the tournament including the knockout stage in full.
We will bring you every England, Scotland and Wales game live and, of course, the final on July 11.
Euro 2020: Stadiums and cities
The group stages will be held at the major stadiums of various European cities:
- Group A: Stadio Olimpico (Rome, Italy) and Olympic Stadium (Baku, Azerbaijan)
- Group B: Krestovsky Stadium (Saint Petersburg, Russia) and Parken Stadium (Copenhagen, Denmark)
- Group C: Johan Cruyff Arena (Amsterdam, Holland) and Arena Nationala (Bucharest, Romania)
- Group D: Wembley Stadium (London, England) and Hampden Park (Glasgow, Scotland)
- Group E: Aviva Stadium (Dublin, Ireland) and San Mames (Bilbao, Spain) – TO BE RELOCATED
- Group F: Allianz Arena (Munich, Germany) and Puskas Arena (Budapest, Hungary)
Wembley will stage the business end of the tournament. The 90,000-seater stadium is the biggest venue being used and will host the final.
Because of the travelling involved, the semi-finals will also be held under the famous arch in London.
In addition, Wembley will host three group matches and a round of 16 clash as will Scotland’s Hampden Park.
The quarter-finals are being held in Saint Petersburg, Rome, Munich and Baku.
Key fixtures at Euro 2020
England (Group D)
- England v Croatia: June 13 at Wembley
- England v Scotland: June 18 at Wembley
- Czech Republic v England: June 22 at Wembley
Scotland (Group D)
- Scotland v Czech Republic: June 14 at Hampden Park
- England v Scotland: June 18 at Wembley
- Croatia v Scotland: June 22 at Hampden Park
Wales (Group A)
- Wales v Switzerland: June 12 at Olympic Stadium (Baku)
- Turkey v Wales: June 16 at Olympic Stadium (Baku)
- Italy v Wales: June 20 at Stadio Olimpico (Rome)
Euro 2020: Could UK host whole tournament?
Boris Johnson has offered to host every European Championship game in the UK this summer – and wants the World Cup in Britain and Ireland in 2030.
Speaking to The Sun, the PM said: “We are hosting the Euros. We are hosting the semis and the final.
“If there’s, you know, if they want any other matches that they want hosted, we’re certainly on for that but at the moment that’s where we are with UEFA.”
In what could spark a ‘bonanza’ decade of football, Chancellor Rishi Sunak will also outline plans to pump millions into funding the UK and Ireland’s joint-bid to host the 2030 World Cup in Tuesday’s Budget.
Johnson said: “We are very, very keen to bring football home in 2030. I do think it’s the right place.
“It’s the home of football, it’s the right time. It will be an absolutely wonderful thing for the country.”
Euro 2020: Will fans attend?
UEFA have made it a requirement that each host can put games on with at least 25 per cent capacity in the stands.
Denmark’s government were first to confirm that matches in Copenhagen will be played in front of at least 11,000 supporters.
Games in London will go ahead with at least 17,000 fans and possibly with much more. The FA Cup final will have 21,000 in attendance on May 15.
Meanwhile, Dublin and Bilbao have lost their games after confirming they would be unable to meet UEFA’s demands. Games in these cites will be relocated.
Munich was in major doubt but has confirmed it will keep its hosting rights for the tournament.
Confirmed information from host cities so far:
More to follow
- Amsterdam – At least 25 precent, possible increase
- Baku – 50 precent, with no foreign spectators permitted other than citizens of participating teams
- Bucharest – At least 25 precent, possible increase
- Budapest – Full capacity
- Copenhagen – 25 precent – 33 precent, possible increase
- Glasgow – 25 precent
- London – At least 25 precent, possible increase
- Rome – At least 25 precent, possible increase
- Saint Petersburg- At least 50 precent, possible increase
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