Borussia Dortmund v Paris Saint-Germain: Group F - UEFA Champions League 2023/24


Everyone loves international tournaments, right? It’s a chance to cheer on your own country, watch a silly amount of football every day for a few weeks and see players and teams you don’t normally get a look at.

That’s why there’s so much excitement building around Euro 2024. After the COVID-19 pandemic pushed Euro 2020 back a year and then the winter 2022 World Cup, international tournaments are coming around thick and fast.

It won’t be long before Euro 2024 is underway, so here’s everything you need to know about this summer’s competition.

Euro 2024 will take place in Germany during the summer of 2024 and will run from 14 June to 14 July.

Two countries – Germany and Turkey – announced bids to host Euro 2024 back in 2017 and the Germans took 12 of the 17 votes total.

Hosts Germany qualified automatically as is tradition, which means 23 spots were up for grabs in the Euro 2024 qualifying rounds.

53 nations were divided into ten groups, with seven groups containing five teams and three containing six. Each team played everybody in their group home and away, with the winners and runners-up of each group advancing to the Euro 2024 finals.

There are still three remaining spots that will be decided via the play-offs. These will take place in March 2024 with 12 teams taking part. The teams were selected based on their performance in the 2022/23 Nations League, and, obviously, they couldn’t have already qualified for the finals.

Nation

Qualification route

Germany

Hosts

Spain

Group A winner

Scotland

Group A runner-up

France

Group B winner

Netherlands

Group B runner-up

England

Group C winner

Italy

Group C runner-up

Turkey

Group D winner

Croatia

Group D runner-up

Albania

Group E winner

Czechia

Group E runner-up

Belgium

Group F winner

Austria

Group F runner-up

Hungary

Group G winner

Serbia

Group G runner-up

Denmark

Group H winner

Slovenia

Group H runner-up

Romania

Group I winner

Switzerland

Group I runner-up

Portugal

Group J winner

Slovakia

Group J runner-up

With three places at the tournament still up for grabs, the March international break will see the Euro 2024 play-offs get underway. Made up of 12 teams, the fixtures have now been announced for which nations will compete against one another.

Six one-off games will decide the teams that make it to three respective play-off finals, with the victors in said finals securing their spot at this summer’s European Championship.

The only home nation involved in the play-offs is Wales, who host Finland in Cardiff on Thursday 21 March.

Semi-final

Path

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Poland 5-1 Estonia

A

21/03/24 – 19:45

Wales 4-1 Finland

A

21/03/24 – 19:45

Israel 1-4 Iceland

B

21/03/24 – 19:45

Bosnia & Herzegovina 1-2 Ukraine

B

21/03/24 – 19:45

Georgia 2-0 Luxembourg

C

21/03/24 – 17:00

Greece 5-0 Kazakhstan

C

21/03/24 – 19:45

Final

Path

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Wales v Poland

A

26/03/24 – 19:45

Ukraine vs Iceland

B

26/03/24 – 19:45

Georgia vs Greece

C

26/03/24 – 17:00

A number of iconic German stadiums will be used for Euro 2024, including nine that were selected to host games at the 2006 World Cup.

Games Hosted

Games Hosted

Games Hosted

Games Hosted

Games Hosted

Games Hosted

Games Hosted

Games Hosted

Games Hosted

Games Hosted

Borussia Dortmund v Paris Saint-Germain: Group F - UEFA Champions League 2023/24

Borussia Dortmund’s home will be used for one semi-final / Alex Grimm/GettyImages

The Allianz Arena and Signal Iduna Park – grounds which host the Bundesliga’s two biggest teams Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund – have been selected as the stadiums to host the Euro 2024 semi-finals.

They are two of the largest club grounds of the ten stadiums chosen for the tournament, with only the Olympiastadion boasting a higher capacity.

Hertha BSC v Fortuna Düsseldorf - Second Bundesliga

Hertha Berlin’s Olympiastadion will host the final / Maja Hitij/GettyImages

As was perhaps to be expected, the final of Euro 2024 will take place on 14 July 2024 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. It is the current home of Hertha Berlin and one of the most famous and physically imposing stadiums in Europe.

It is also one steeped in history both in relation to football and away from football. It was built for the 1936 Olympics under orders from Adolf Hitler in what was essentially one of the largest political propaganda stunts ever attempted. Those were the games where Jesse Owens, a black athlete for the USA, won four golds despite Hitler hoping the event would show the supremacy of the Aryan race.

In football terms, it hosted three matches at the 1974 World Cup and six at the 2006 World Cup, including the final between Italy and France. It was a host stadium for the 2011 Women’s World Cup and also held the 2015 Champions League final.

The Olympiastadion is located in the far west of the city, very close to Grunewald Forest. It is easily accessed on both the U-bahn and the S-bahn for travelling fans.

The six groups for Euro 2024 have been revealed, with some mouth-watering match-ups taking place this summer.

Group A sees Scotland face hosts Germany, while England reside in a relatively comfortable Group C. The ‘group of death’ is undoubtedly Group B, with underdogs Albania being handed no mercy in their second European Championship campaign.

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Group E

Group F

Germany

Spain

Slovenia

Netherlands

Belgium

Turkey

Scotland

Croatia

Denmark

Austria

Slovakia

Portugal

Hungary

Italy

Serbia

France

Romania

Czechia

Switzerland

Albania

England

Play-off winner A

Play-off winner B

Play-off winner C

Date & kick-off time (GMT)

Fixture

UK broadcaster

14/06/2024 – 20:00

Germany vs Scotland

ITV

15/06/2024 – 14:00

Hungary vs Switzerland

ITV

19/06/2024 – 17:00

Germany vs Hungary

BBC

19/06/2024 – 20:00

Scotland vs Switzerland

BBC

23/06/2024 – 20:00

Switzerland vs Germany

BBC

23/06/2024 – 20:00

Scotland vs Hungary

BBC

Date & kick-off time (GMT)

Fixture

UK broadcaster

15/06/2024 – 17:00

Spain vs Croatia

ITV

15/06/2024 – 20:00

Italy vs Albania

BBC

19/06/2024 – 14:00

Croatia vs Albania

ITV

20/06/2024 – 20:00

Spain vs Italy

ITV

24/06/2024 – 20:00

Albania vs Spain

BBC

24/06/2024 – 20:00

Croatia vs Italy

BBC

Date & kick-off time (GMT)

Fixture

UK broadcaster

16/06/2024 – 17:00

Slovenia vs Denmark

ITV

16/06/2024 – 20:00

Serbia vs England

BBC

20/06/2024 – 14:00

Slovenia vs Serbia

ITV

20/06/2024 – 17:00

Denmark vs England

BBC

25/06/2024 – 20:00

England vs Slovenia

ITV

25/06/2024 – 20:00

Denmark vs Serbia

ITV

Date & kick-off time (GMT)

Fixture

UK broadcaster

16/06/2024 – 20:00

Play-off winner A vs Netherlands

BBC

17/06/2024 – 20:00

Austria vs France

ITV

21/06/2024 – 17:00

Play-off winner A vs Austria

ITV

21/06/2024 – 20:00

Netherlands vs France

BBC

25/06/2024 – 17:00

Netherlands vs Austria

BBC

25/06/2024 – 17:00

France vs Play-off winner A

BBC

Date & kick-off time (GMT)

Fixture

UK broadcaster

17/06/2024 – 14:00

Romania vs Play-off winner B

BBC

17/06/2024 – 17:00

Belgium vs Slovakia

BBC

21/06/2024 – 14:00

Slovakia vs Play-off winner B

BBC

22/06/2024 – 20:00

Belgium vs Romania

ITV

26/06/2024 – 17:00

Slovakia vs Romania

BBC

26/06/2024 – 17:00

Play-off winner B vs Belgium

BBC

Date & kick-off time (GMT)

Fixture

Broadcaster

18/06/2024 – 17:00

Turkey vs Play-off winner C

BBC

18/06/2024 – 20:00

Portugal vs Czechia

BBC

22/06/2024 – 14:00

Play-off winner C vs Czechia

BBC

22/06/2024 – 17:00

Turkey vs Portugal

ITV

26/06/2024 – 20:00

Play-off winner C vs Portugal

ITV

26/06/2024 – 20:00

Czechia vs Turkey

ITV

England have released their Euro 2024 kits

England have released their Euro 2024 kits / The FA / Contributor

Each international tournament brings with it a new batch of kits for fans to enjoy on their favourite players and to buy themselves. Euro 2024 is no different, with some delicious strips set to be on display in Germany.

England’s shirts have gone down well, while Belgium have produced a couple of corkers, too. However, the away kits for Scotland and Spain are two designs that leave a lot to be desired.

UEFA Euro 2016 Merchandise Displayed Ahead Of The UEFA European Championships

Topps have taken over from Panini for Euro 2024 / Chesnot/GettyImages

Panini is the renowned sticker producer for football albums of various competitions, but UEFA have signed the rights over to Topps to be their new exclusive partner for the European Championship until 2028.

Collectors around the continent will be swapping cards and buying packs in the hope of completing their sticker albums over the summer, with elusive shinies and other special items up for grabs.

Bukayo Saka: Marcus Rashford, Declan Rice, Harry Kane, Kyle Walker

Can England emerge victorious this summer? / Nigel French/Allstar/GettyImages

There are a number of high quality international teams eyeing Euro 2024 glory this summer.

Kylian Mbappe’s France will hope to add to their 2018 World Cup and 2021 Nations League triumphs with a third continental trophy, but England boast an incredible amount of depth in attack and have been tipped to end their silverware drought.

Portugal, winners in 2016, boast a well-rounded squad still led by Cristiano Ronaldo, though their chances of glory will hinge more on the performances of players like Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes.

Germany shouldn’t be dismissed, especially on home soil, while Spain could make a deep run if they can match their possession-heavy style with efficient finishing. Defending champions Italy‘s squad isn’t as talented or street-wise as it was three years ago but Luciano Spalletti could turn them into dark horses.

Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe’s France will be tough to beat / Aurelien Meunier/GettyImages

There are all sorts of brilliant ways Euro 2024 could pan out in Germany. Heavyweights like England, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Italy will all expect to reach the knockout stages, but there are bound to be shocks along the way.

Unfancied nations like Austria, Scotland and Hungary could turn over some more established countries in the group stages, but right now it’s hard to look past France as eventual winners.



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