Euros is the biggest tournament in Europe, and takes place every four years. The last Euros took place in 2016, and the next Euros were scheduled for the year 2020, but had to be postponed by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The last Euros were held in France, and the tournament was won by Portugal, beating the host nation France in the final. This was the first major International tournament that Cristiano Ronaldo has won.
This has resulted in a fair few changes in this year’s competition. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming Euros
Dates: June 11, 2021 to July 11, 2021
Venues: For the first time in the history of the Euros, the tournament will take over 11 venues in 11 different cities in 11 other countries. The then UEFA President Michael Platini, in 2014, wanted to make this year’s Euros a special one since it is the 60th edition of the tournament.
The host cities include some venues which haven’t even hosted an international tournament before this. This list includes the likes of Seville (Spain), and none of Azerbaijan, Denmark, Hungary, Russia, Romania, Scotland, or Russia has hosted a match of the Euros ever in their history. This would be a significant occasion for all countries hosting the event. Each city will host three group stage matches and one match in the Round of 16 or quarter-finals, except for Saint Petersburg, which will host six group stage matches, and London, which will host two games in the Round of 16. The final of this year’s tournament will take place in Wembley Stadium, England, which has over ninety thousand people.
Qualified Teams: The 24 teams have qualified for the tournament are Turkey, Italy, Wales, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Russia, Netherlands, Austria, North Macedonia, Ukraine, England, Croatia, Scotland, Czech Republic, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Portugal, France, and Germany.
Groups:
- Group A – Turkey, Italy, Wales, Switzerland
- Group B – Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Russia
- Group C – Netherlands, Austria, North Macedonia, Ukraine
- Group D – England, Croatia, Scotland, Czech Republic
- Group E – Spain, Sweden, Poland, Slovakia
- Group F – Hungary, Portugal, France, and Germany
Format: There are six groups in which the 24 teams as mentioned above have been added. The top two from each group, along with the best four third-placed teams in the group, qualify for the Round of 16 stages of the tournament.
Squads: Keeping in mind the Covid-19 protocols, UEFA increased the team size from 23 players to 26 players. The teams need to submit their squads ten days before the tournament’s first game, June 1, 2021.
Where To Watch:
In India, the Euros will be broadcast live on the Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN). All matches can be live streamed on the SonyLIV smartphone app.
Online stream: SonyLIV, Jio TV
TV channels: Sony Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi)
Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.
Malayalam & Bengali TV channels: Sony Six SD & HD
Tamil & Telugu TV channels: Sony Ten 4 SD & HD
Euros are less than 30 days away, and fans can’t wait for the showpiece event to start. Each team brings something unique to the tournament and looks to outclass the other teams to win the tournament.
