03 December,2023 05:24 PM IST | Munich | mid-day online correspondent
TV hosts welcome guests at the start of the final draw for the UEFA Euro 2024 European Championship football competition in Hamburg, northern Germany on December 2, 2023. (Pic: Odd Andersen/AFP)
The newest edition of the prestigious European Soccer Championship, UEFA Euro 2024, is scheduled to be played in Germany between June 14 and July 14 next year. This will be the 17th edition of the quadrennial tournament with top European teams eyeing the elusive trophy.
Out of the 24 teams in the competition, about 21 have been finalised with remaining three to be determined through eliminators in March.
Reigning champions Italy were placed in the same group as Spain in UEFA Euro 2024, while France will come up against the Netherlands and England avoided any of the toughest opponents. Gareth Southgate's much-fancied England side will meet Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia, with hosts Germany taking on Scotland in the tournament's opening game on June 14 in Munich.
Italy, who beat England on penalties at Wembley in the final of the last European Championship in 2021, and Spain will also face Croatia and Albania in Group B. Spain, victors over Italy in the final of Euro 2012, will take on 2018 World Cup runners-up Croatia in their opening match in Berlin on June 15.
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Italy were always likely to face a difficult draw after being placed in the bottom pot based on their results in qualifying, when they scraped through with a 0-0 stalemate against Ukraine in their final match.
"When you're in the fourth pot you know that you have a lot of teams ahead of you, but you can't forget that you represent Italy and you have to play every match with pride," coach Luciano Spalletti told broadcaster RAI.
The meeting of France, the 2022 World Cup runners-up, and the Netherlands will be the other heavyweight tie of the opening phase. They were in the same section in qualifying, with France winning both encounters. The two nations are in Group D along with Austria and a play-off winner, which will be one of Poland, Wales, Finland or Estonia.
Euro 2020 runners-up England have been drawn in Group C alongside Slovenia, Denmark, and Serbia. Portugal is the top team in Group F, while Belgium are hot favourites to win from Group E.
The top two teams across six groups, including four best-ranked third-placed teams, will move to the round of 16 of UEFA Euro 2024. The final will be held on July 14 in Berlin, as per Olympics.com.
Group A - Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland
Group B - Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania
Group C - Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England
Group D - Play-off Winner A, Netherlands, Austria, France
Group E - Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Play-off Winner B
Group F - Turkey, Play-off Winner C, Portugal, Czechia
Also Read: UEFA sets USD 360 million prize fund from USD 2.6 billion revenue
Group stage
14 June
Germany vs Scotland (Munich, 21:00)
15 June
Spain vs Croatia (Berlin, 18:00)
Italy vs Albania (Dortmund, 21:00)
Hungary vs Switzerland (Cologne, 15:00)
16 June
Serbia vs England (Gelsenkirchen, 21:00)
Play-off winner A vs Netherlands (Hamburg, 15:00)
Slovenia vs Denmark (Stuttgart, 18:00)
17 June
Austria vs France (Düsseldorf, 21:00)
Belgium vs Slovakia (Frankfurt, 18:00)
Romania vs Play-off winner B (Munich, 15:00)
18 June
Portugal vs Czechia (Leipzig, 21:00)
Türkiye vs Play-off winner C (Dortmund, 18:00)
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19 June
Croatia vs Albania (Hamburg, 15:00)
Scotland vs Switzerland (Cologne, 21:00)
Germany vs Hungary (Stuttgart, 18:00)
20 June
Spain vs Italy (Gelsenkirchen, 21:00)
Denmark vs England (Frankfurt, 18:00)
Slovenia vs Serbia (Munich, 15:00)
21 June
Play-off winner A vs Austria (Berlin, 18:00)
Netherlands vs France (Leipzig, 21:00)
Slovakia vs Play-off winner B (Düsseldorf, 15:00)
22 June
Play-off winner C vs Czechia (Hamburg, 15:00)
Türkiye vs Portugal (Dortmund, 18:00)
Belgium vs Romania (Cologne, 21:00)
23 June
Switzerland vs Germany (Frankfurt, 21:00)
Scotland vs Hungary (Stuttgart, 21:00)
24 June
Croatia vs Italy (Leipzig, 21:00)
Albania vs Spain (Düsseldorf, 21:00)
25 June
Netherlands vs Austria (Berlin, 18:00)
France vs Play-off winner A (Dortmund, 18:00)
England vs Slovenia (Cologne, 21:00)
Denmark vs Serbia (Munich, 21:00)
26 June
Czechia vs Türkiye (Hamburg, 21:00)
Play-off winner C vs Portugal (Gelsenkirchen, 21:00)
Slovakia vs Romania (Frankfurt, 18:00)
Play-off winner B vs Belgium (Stuttgart, 18:00)
Rest days on 27 and 28 June
Round of 16
29 June
37 1A vs 2C (Dortmund, 21:00)
38 2A vs 2B (Berlin, 18:00)
30 June
39 1B vs 3A/D/E/F (Cologne, 21:00)
40 1C vs 3D/E/F (Gelsenkirchen), 18:00)
1 July
41 1F vs 3A/B/C (Frankfurt, 21:00)
42 2D vs 2E (Düsseldorf, 18:00)
2 July
43 1E vs 3A/B/C/D (Munich, 18:00)
44 1D vs 2F (Leipzig), 21:00)
Rest days on 3 and 4 July
Quarter-finals
5 July
45 W39 vs W37 (Stuttgart, 18:00)
46 W41 vs W42 (Hamburg, 21:00)
6 July
47 W43 vs W44 (Berlin, 21:00)
48 W40 vs W38 (Düsseldorf, 18:00)
Rest days on 7 and 8 July
Semi-finals
9 July
49 W45 vs W46 (Munich, 21:00)
10 July
50 W47 vs W48 (Dortmund, 21:00)
Rest days on 11, 12 and 13 July
Grand finale
14 July
W49 vs W50 (Berlin, 21:00)
All Euro 2024 matches will be telecast live on the Sony Sports Network. They can also be live streamed on the SonyLIV app and website.
