Euro 2024 is fast-approaching as Germany prepare to host the 17th edition of the UEFA European Championship.
Because Euro 2020 was delayed and the Qatar World Cup was moved to last winter, the international football calendar is more condensed than ever.
And it means the next Euros are already just around corner.
Germany are set to host the 2024 edition of UEFA’s flagship international tournament and they are ready to welcome the rest of Europe.
The event will be held in the summer at the end of the 2023/24 domestic season, so the Premier League and other top European divisions can operate as normal.
Not everything is set in stone, but here is what we know so far…
Euro 2024 dates
Qualification for the Euros will get underway in late March.
Qualifying has been condensed into an eight-month period and the groups have been drawn.
The first round of matches will take place in late March before ending in November next year.
The draw to determine the respective groups for the main tournament will take place in December 2023.
There will be 51 games and the football will get underway on Friday, June 14 at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
The group stage is set to run until Wednesday, June 26, with the knockout stage scheduled to begin on Saturday, June 29.
Euro 2024 will last for one month, with the final set to be held on Sunday, July 14 at the 70,000-capacity Olympiastadion in Berlin.
Euro 2024: Key dates
June 14: Opening game
June 29: Round of 16 starts
July 5: Quarter-finals start
July 9: Semi-finals start
July 14: Final
Euro 2024: How the tournament works
There will be 24 countries competing at Euro 2024, including hosts Germany who will be looking for their fourth tournament win.
There will be a round of 16 before the quarter-finals as the top two teams from the six groups go through.
And they are joined by the four best third-placed teams to form the last 16.
The knockout rounds then progress until the final.
There will not be a third-place play-off at Euro 2024.
Euro 2024: The venues
This edition of UEFA’s premier international tournament is set to be held in Germany and ten stadiums have been selected.
Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park (BVB Stadion Dortmund), with a capacity of 66,000, will be one such venue.
Dortmund’s near neighbours Schalke will also see the Veltins Arena (Arena AufSchalke) used.
Not many of the stadia are close to each other, but Germany boasts a superb rail network that will ensure travelling to each ground won’t be difficult.
Euro 2024: Qualifying process
Twenty teams from the ten groups will qualify automatically for the Euros.
The top two sides from Group A to J will earn their place in Germany, while three other countries will qualify via the play-offs.
Twelve countries will compete in March 2024 in the play-offs, with those positions being decided by the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League.
The group winners of Leagues A, B and C all get an automatic play-off spot, but if they have already qualified, they will be replaced by the next best-ranked team in their league.
If there are not enough non-qualified teams in the same league, then it filters down to the next league, finishing with League D.
There will then be six semi-finals on Thursday, March 21 before three finals on Tuesday, March 26.
Euro 2024: Qualifying groups
Group A: Spain, Scotland, Norway, Georgia, Cyprus
Group B: Netherlands, France, Republic of Ireland, Greece, Gibraltar
Group C: Italy, England, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Malta
Group D: Croatia, Wales, Armenia, Turkey, Latvia
Group E: Poland, Czechia, Albania, Faroe Islands, Moldova
Group F: Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Estonia
Group G: Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Lithuania
Group H: Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Northern Ireland, San Marino
Group I: Switzerland, Israel, Romania, Kosovo, Belarus, Andorra
Group J: Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Liechtenstein
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Euro 2024: Qualified teams
Germany are the only side to qualify as hosts, with 23 other spots up for grabs.
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Euro 2024: How did Germany earn the tournament?
Germany were awarded this edition of the Euros in 2018 after 17 members of the UEFA executive committee voted for the three-time winners over Turkey.
The vote took place at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, and this will be the first time they have hosted the event since 1988.
Germany has top infrastructure in place and minimal work will be required ahead of the tournament, which was the main reason Turkey lost out.
But Turkey’s poor human rights record was also taken into account.
So, Germany emerged as the obvious choice for UEFA’s flagship international competition.
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Euro 2024: Weather and kick-off times
Weather in Germany in June and July is very similar to the UK, with Berlin’s average temperature over summer between 16C and 22C.
Therefore, the weather shouldn’t be a problem for the players or fans.
Kick-off times for the majority of the matches have yet to be confirmed, but we know when the opening group game will start.
Kick-off at the Allianz Arena is set for 9pm CEST time, which would be 8pm UK time.
The semi-finals and final are also set to kick off at 8pm in the UK.
