Germany proudly hosted EURO 2024, marking the 17th edition of the prestigious UEFA European Championship. The decision to award hosting duties to Germany was made at a UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Nyon on September 27, 2018. Turkey was the only other contender in the bidding process. While West Germany had previously hosted the 1988 edition, this tournament was the first time unified Germany staged the UEFA European Championship. The nation also has experience hosting major football events, having successfully organized the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
EURO 2024 took place across a month-long festival of football, kicking off on June 14, 2024, and culminating in the final on July 14, 2024. The group stage action ran until June 26, setting the stage for the knockout rounds which commenced on June 29.
As the host nation, Germany automatically qualified and was placed in Group A as the top seed, position A1. This meant they had the honor of playing the opening match, a thrilling 5-1 victory against Scotland, at the Munich Football Arena on Friday, June 14. Germany, including its history as West Germany, boasts a consistent presence at every EURO tournament since 1972. West Germany clinched victory in both the 1972 and 1980 editions, and a unified Germany again lifted the trophy at EURO ’96, highlighting their strong pedigree in the competition.
The draw to determine the final tournament groups was a highly anticipated event held in Hamburg on Saturday, December 2, 2023. The resulting groups were:
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.
The ten UEFA EURO 2024 host cities
The ten UEFA EURO 2024 host cities that showcased Europe’s top football talent.
The tournament format for EURO 2024 remained consistent with the successful structure used in UEFA EURO 2020. The top two teams from each of the six groups advanced to the round of 16. They were joined by the four best third-placed teams from across all groups, ensuring a competitive and exciting knockout stage.
The final match of EURO 2024 was held in Berlin’s iconic Olympiastadion on Sunday, July 14, 2024. In a dramatic showdown, Spain emerged victorious, defeating England 2-1 to secure their fourth EURO title. This win cemented Spain’s place as the first nation to achieve four European Championship triumphs.
Germany selected ten host cities to stage the EURO 2024 matches. Impressively, nine of these were also venues for the 2006 World Cup, demonstrating Germany’s well-established football infrastructure. The Düsseldorf Arena was the additional venue chosen to complete the list. Munich Football Arena held the distinction of hosting EURO matches for the second consecutive tournament, having been one of the eleven stadiums used for UEFA EURO 2020.
The EURO 2024 host cities were:
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)
EURO 2024 placed a strong emphasis on sustainability, reflecting the growing importance of environmental and social responsibility in football. UEFA EURO 2024 aimed to set a benchmark for future tournaments by implementing targeted sustainability measures and investments. A comprehensive Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy guided these efforts, demonstrating a commitment to a more sustainable future for football events.
Fan zones were a vibrant feature of EURO 2024, with every host city providing dedicated areas for supporters to gather and celebrate. These fan zones were equipped with large public viewing screens, creating an electric atmosphere for fans to enjoy the matches together.
Berlin
Fans enjoying the EURO 2024 opening match between Germany and Scotland at the Berlin Fan Zone, located at Platz der Republik.
The official match ball of UEFA EURO 2024 was named FUSSBALLLIEBE, which translates from German to “love of football.” Unveiled in November 2023 by UEFA and Adidas in Berlin, FUSSBALLLIEBE incorporated Adidas Connected Ball Technology for the first time in a EURO tournament. This innovative technology provided enhanced insights into ball movement and contributed to match analysis.
Albärt, a teddy bear, was chosen as the official mascot for EURO 2024. His name was the result of a vote involving UEFA.com users and schoolchildren across Europe, organized through the UEFA Football in Schools program. Albärt secured 32% of the votes, proving a popular and engaging symbol for the tournament. He was first introduced to German fans in Gelsenkirchen in June 2023, ahead of a Germany vs. Colombia friendly match.
Albärt, the cheerful teddy bear mascot, brought joy to fans as the official mascot for UEFA EURO 2024.
Each host city for EURO 2024 also had dedicated city ambassadors, prominent figures chosen to represent their city and promote 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
A significant volunteer program was implemented for EURO 2024. Over 146,000 applications were received from enthusiastic football fans, and ultimately 16,000 volunteers from 124 nations were selected. These volunteers played a vital role in the tournament’s success, assisting in various capacities across the ten host cities and stadiums. They embodied the tournament’s motto, ‘United by football. Vereint im Herzen Europas,’ creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for guests from around the world.
There were 16,000 volunteers at EURO 2024
16,000 dedicated volunteers from across the globe played a crucial role in the smooth operation and welcoming atmosphere of EURO 2024.
The official song for EURO 2024, titled “FIRE,” was a collaboration between Italian producers Meduza, American pop-rock band OneRepublic, and German singer-songwriter Leony. Released on all major streaming platforms, “FIRE” was written by Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic and produced by Meduza. It blended anthemic house music, pop-rock elements, and Leony’s pop vocals to capture the passion of football and music fans alike.
UEFA eEURO 2024, the esports version of the tournament, also took place. The online qualifiers began in March 2024, culminating in the final tournament in Germany during the summer. EA SPORTS FC™ 24 served as the official platform for UEFA eEURO 2024, showcasing the growing intersection of football and esports.
