Germany proudly hosted UEFA EURO 2024, marking the 17th edition of this prestigious European Championship. The decision to award Germany the tournament was made at a UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Nyon on September 27, 2018. Germany’s bid surpassed only one other contender, Türkiye, to secure the honor. While West Germany previously hosted EURO 1988, this Euro Cup Germany was the first time the reunified nation staged the tournament, adding to Germany’s rich history of hosting major football events, including the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Euro Cup Germany 2024: Hosting and Location
The selection of Germany as the host for Euro Cup Germany 2024 reflects UEFA’s confidence in the nation’s infrastructure and passion for football. Germany presented a compelling bid, highlighting its modern stadiums, excellent transport links, and experienced event management capabilities. The history of West Germany hosting EURO 1988 and Germany’s successful organization of the 2006 FIFA World Cup further solidified its position as a prime location for major international football tournaments. Being chosen over Türkiye underscored the strength of Germany’s proposal and its established reputation within the European football community.
Euro Cup Germany 2024: Tournament Dates and Key Milestones
Euro Cup Germany 2024 captivated fans from June 14 to July 14, 2024. The tournament kicked off on June 14th with the group stage matches, which ran until June 26th, setting the stage for the knockout rounds. The knockout stage commenced on June 29th, intensifying the competition as teams battled for a place in the final.
As the host nation for Euro Cup Germany, Germany was automatically placed in Group A and assigned position A1. This ensured they played the opening match of the tournament – a memorable 5-1 victory against Scotland – at the Munich Football Arena on Friday, June 14th. Germany (and formerly West Germany) has been a consistent participant in the EUROs since 1972, demonstrating their enduring presence in European football. They have a strong history in the competition, with West Germany winning the EURO titles in 1972 and 1980, and a unified Germany triumphing at EURO ’96.
Euro Cup Germany 2024: Qualified Teams and Groups
The draw for the Euro Cup Germany 2024 final tournament took place in Hamburg on Saturday, December 2, 2023, dividing the qualified teams into six groups:
Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland
Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania
Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England
Group D: Poland, Netherlands, Austria, France
Group E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine
Group F: Türkiye, Georgia*, Portugal, Czechia
Teams marked with an asterisk () qualified through the play-offs, adding an extra layer of drama and excitement to the qualification process for Euro Cup Germany.
Euro Cup Germany 2024: Tournament Format
The tournament format for Euro Cup Germany 2024 remained consistent with UEFA EURO 2020, ensuring a familiar structure for teams and fans alike. The top two teams from each of the six groups advanced directly to the round of 16. They were joined by the four best third-placed teams from across all groups. This system ensured that strong performances throughout the group stage were rewarded, while also offering a second chance for some of the third-placed teams to continue their Euro Cup Germany journey.
Euro Cup Germany 2024: Host Cities and Venues
Berlin’s iconic Olympiastadion was selected to host the final of Euro Cup Germany 2024 on Sunday, July 14, 2024. The stadium provided a fitting stage for the culmination of the tournament, although the article you provided does not specify the winner of the final match.
The Euro Cup Germany tournament was spread across ten host venues, showcasing the diversity and vibrancy of the country. Impressively, nine of these stadiums were also utilized during the 2006 World Cup, demonstrating Germany’s legacy of world-class football infrastructure. The Düsseldorf Arena was the sole addition to the roster of venues from the 2006 World Cup, further expanding the geographical reach of Euro Cup Germany.
Notably, the Munich Football Arena had the unique distinction of hosting matches for the second consecutive EURO tournament. This stadium, home to Bayern Munich, was among the eleven arenas that staged games during UEFA EURO 2020, highlighting its continued importance in European football.
Euro Cup Germany took place in these host cities:
Berlin: Olympiastadion Berlin (capacity: 71,000)
Cologne: Cologne Stadium (capacity: 43,000)
Dortmund: BVB Stadion Dortmund (capacity: 62,000)
Dusseldorf: Düsseldorf Arena (capacity: 47,000)
Frankfurt: Frankfurt Arena (capacity: 47,000)
Gelsenkirchen: Arena AufSchalke (capacity: 50,000)
Hamburg: Volksparkstadion Hamburg (capacity: 49,000)
Leipzig: Leipzig Stadium (capacity: 40,000)
Munich: Munich Football Arena (capacity: 66,000)
Stuttgart: Stuttgart Arena (capacity: 51,000)
Map of the ten host cities for Euro Cup Germany 2024, showcasing locations across the country.
Euro Cup Germany 2024: Sustainability Initiatives
Reflecting growing global awareness of environmental and social responsibility, Euro Cup Germany 2024 placed a strong emphasis on sustainability. UEFA and the host nation implemented various targeted measures and investments aimed at setting a benchmark for social and environmental sustainability in football tournaments. For a comprehensive overview of these initiatives, the full Environmental, Social and Governance strategy is available online.
Euro Cup Germany 2024: Fan Experience
To enhance the fan experience during Euro Cup Germany, each host city created dedicated fan zones with public viewing areas. These fan zones became hubs of excitement, allowing supporters to gather, watch matches together, and soak in the tournament atmosphere.
Berlin’s Fan Zone, located at Platz der Republik in Berlin-Tiergarten (in front of the Reichstag), was a prime example, attracting large crowds and offering a vibrant setting for fans to celebrate Euro Cup Germany.
Euro Cup Germany 2024: Official Match Ball
FUSSBALLLIEBE, meaning “love of football” in German, was the official match ball for Euro Cup Germany 2024. Unveiled in November 2023 by UEFA and adidas at a special event in front of Berlin’s Olympiastadion, FUSSBALLLIEBE incorporated adidas Connected Ball Technology for the first time in a UEFA EURO tournament. This technology added a new dimension to the game, providing detailed ball data and enhancing match analysis.
Euro Cup Germany 2024: Mascot and Ambassadors
Albärt, a teddy bear, was chosen as the official mascot for Euro Cup Germany 2024 after a vote involving UEFA.com users and schoolchildren across Europe through the UEFA Football in Schools programme. Albärt secured 32% of the vote, proving popular with fans of all ages. The mascot was first introduced to German fans in Gelsenkirchen in June 2023, ahead of a friendly match between Germany and Colombia.
Albärt, the official mascot of Euro Cup Germany 2024, a teddy bear figure promoting the tournament.
Each host city for Euro Cup Germany also appointed city ambassadors, prominent figures from sports and culture, to represent their city during the tournament. These ambassadors included:
Berlin: Kevin-Prince Boateng
Cologne: Harald Schumacher
Dortmund: Roman Weidenfeller, Annike Krahn
Düsseldorf: Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, Sandra Mikolaschek, Selin Oruz
Frankfurt: Alex Meier, Deborah Levi
Gelsenkirchen: Gerald Asamoah
Hamburg: Patrick Esume
Leipzig: Professor Dr Jörg Junhold, Anja Mittag, Jürgen Zielinski
Munich: Dr Felix Brych
Stuttgart: Cacau, Niko Kappel, Eli Seitz
Euro Cup Germany 2024: Volunteers and Official Song
Euro Cup Germany 2024 benefited from the enthusiasm and dedication of 16,000 volunteers selected from over 146,000 applications. These volunteers, representing 124 nations, played a vital role in the smooth operation of the tournament, welcoming guests and embodying the tournament’s motto: ‘United by football. Vereint im Herzen Europas.’
16,000 volunteers played a crucial role in the success of Euro Cup Germany 2024, representing unity and passion.
The official song for Euro Cup Germany 2024, titled “FIRE,” was a collaboration between Italian producers Meduza, American pop-rock band OneRepublic, and German singer-songwriter Leony. Released on all streaming platforms, “FIRE” aimed to capture the energy and passion of both football and music fans, becoming the soundtrack to the tournament.
Euro Cup Germany 2024: eEURO
UEFA eEURO 2024, the esports version of the tournament, also took place, beginning with online qualifiers in March 2024 and culminating in the finals in Germany during the summer. EA SPORTS FC™ 24 served as the official platform for UEFA eEURO 2024, further extending the reach and engagement of Euro Cup Germany to the digital realm.
