The rearranged Euro 2020 tournament is now just a few days away 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 in just a few weeks time…
Euro 2020: Dates
The rescheduled tournament will kick-off on Friday, June 11, 2021 with Rome’s Stadio Olimpico staging the opening match between Turkey and Italy.
England start 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 and talkSPORT 2 will have live commentary of EVERY game from Euro 2020 – including every England, Scotland and Wales fixture.
We’ll have round the clock coverage, reaction and analysis from Friday, June 11.
Euro 2020: Stadiums and cities
The group stages will be held at the major stadiums of various European cities.
The Aviva Stadium in Dublin and the San Mames in Bilbao have had to pull out.
- 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: Estadio La Cartuja (Seville, Spain) and Krestovsky Stadium (Saint Petersburg, Russia)
- 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 two Round of 16 ties.
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: 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.
Meanwhile, Dublin and Bilbao have lost their games after confirming they would be unable to meet UEFA’s demands. Games in these cities have been relocated to Saint Petersburg and Seville.
Munich was in major doubt but has confirmed it will keep its hosting rights for the tournament.
Confirmed information from host cities:
- Amsterdam – At least 25%, possible increase
- Baku – 50%, with no foreign spectators permitted other than citizens of participating teams
- Bucharest – At least 25%, possible increase
- Budapest – Full capacity
- Copenhagen – 25% – 33%, possible increase
- Glasgow – 25%
- London – At least 25%, possible increase
- Munich – At least 20%
- Rome – At least 25%, possible increase
- Saint Petersburg – At least 50%, possible increase
- Seville – 30%
AFP
Euro 2020: When must squads be confirmed?
England, Wales, Scotland and the other teams competing in the Championship must register their squads by Tuesday, June 1 – ten days prior to the opening match.
Every squad must include three goalkeepers.
Only players in these squads will be eligible to play but teams will have until their first games of the tournament to replace a player who is injured or ill.
Teams are usually only permitted to name 23-man squads but UEFA has confirmed this has been bumped up to 26 amid the implications of COVID.
Matchday squads will still only be allowed to contain 23 players.
UEFA also confirmed that coronavirus was classed as a ‘serious illness’, meaning a player can be replaced if he tests positive before a team’s first match.
The governing body has also said goalkeepers will be able to be called up in case of injury or illness before each match.
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