âš½UEFA Euro 2024
Every four years, the UEFA European Championship brings together the best national teams on the continent to compete for the honour of being crowned champions of Europe. Having steadily grown since its inception in 1960, the Euros, as it’s most commonly known, is now firmly established as one of football’s best international tournaments.
With the expanded UEFA Euro 2024 coming up in Germany, anticipation is building with fans eager to experience the electric atmosphere that only a major championship can provide. Germany last hosted the Euros in 2006, and it was a resounding success for teams and fans alike. At Zenseats, we’re ready to line you up with the best tickets, so you can be part of football’s big summer festival.
History and Origins
The idea for a European international football tournament was first proposed by Henri Delaunay of France in 1927. But it wasn’t until June 1958, three years after Delaunay’s death, that UEFA made a decision to finally stage the event.
Inspired by the success of the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, an initial four-team finals tournament was agreed to take place in France in 1960. The Soviet Union emerged victorious in this inaugural edition after beating Yugoslavia 2-1 in extra time in the final at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
Spain held the next tournament in 1964. They took advantage of being at home to win the tournament, with plenty of thanks to the brilliance of Spanish striker Alfredo di Stefano. There have been other famous European Championship winning sides with legendary talismen.
In 1972, the great Johan Cruyff led the ‘Total Football’ Netherlands team to victory in Belgium. In 1984 and on home turf, Michel Platini inspired France to their major football championship. In 1992, a Peter Schmeichel-led Denmark stunned the continent to beat Germany in the final in Sweden.
Over the years, the finals tournament has gradually expanded. From 4 to 8 to 16 and most recently to 24 teams competing at the final stage. The result is more opportunities for countries to qualify and more matches for fans to enjoy.
Euro Championship Tournament Format
The qualification process for the Euros spans two years and all 55 UEFA national associations take part. For the 2024 tournament taking place across Germany from 14th June to 14th July, 24 teams will be battling it out to be crowned European champions.
For the group stage, the 24 teams are drawn into six groups of four teams. Each team plays the other three sides in their group once. The top two in each group plus the four best third-placed teams progress to the knockout phase.
From the Round of 16 onwards, it's straight knockout ties over one leg, with extra time and penalties if required to determine a winner. The 15 matches will whittle the field down to just two for the showpiece final at Berlin’s iconic Olympiastadion on July 14th.
Euro 2024 Venues
One of the appealing aspects of the Euros is the variety of cities, and sometimes countries, that host matches in a single tournament. It helps to create a distinct local atmosphere and a festival environment for travelling fans.
The 10 German stadiums providing venues for Euro 2024 represent a mix of historic grounds and modern arenas:
- Berlin – Olympiastadion
- Munich – Munich Football Arena
- Dortmund – BVB Stadion
- Stuttgart – Stuttgart Arena
- Frankfurt – Frankfurt Arena
- Gelsenkirchen – Arena AufSchalke
- Hamburg – Volksparkstadion
- Düsseldorf – Düsseldorf Arena
- Leipzig – Leipzig Stadium
- Cologne – Cologne Stadium
With capacities ranging from 42,000 up to 70,000, the stadiums will provide the perfect backdrop for thrilling Euro matches in fantastic German cities.
Magical Euros Moments
The Euros never fail to deliver memorable highlights and dramatic storylines. Here are a few to whet the appetite for those who can remember.
- Panenka's famous penalty for Czechoslovakia in the 1976 final shootout against West Germany - this is where the name ‘Panenka’ penalty comes from
- Marco van Basten's spectacular volley for Netherlands in the 1988 final versus the USSR
- Underdog Denmark winning Euro 1992 after being called up as late replacements
- Greece's stubborn defending leading the unfancied underdogs to shock triumph at Euro 2004
- Spain establishing themselves as an international powerhouse with back-to-back Euro wins in 2008 and 2012 (plus a World Cup title in between these)
- Portugal overcoming hosts France in extra time to win Euro 2016 with an injured Cristiano Ronaldo urging them on
- Iceland's giant-killing run to the quarters in 2016- list text here
The Euro 2024 Countdown Begins...
What makes the Euros so enticing is the special atmosphere created by fans coming together from different countries. The finals serve up intriguing contrasts between passionate local support and large legions of travelling foreign fans.
The usual club loyalties and rivalries get cast aside in the name of national team pride, leading to a more good-natured and festive environment. Seeing the colourful scenes in host cities taken over by international fans is a huge part of the tournament's appeal.
With UEFA Euro 2024 fast approaching, anticipation is building ahead of another unmissable festival of summer football. There's no better place to experience the drama and emotion than right there in the stadiums.
At Zenseats, our mission is to make that happen, providing you with quick and reliable access to tickets for all UEFA Euro 2024 matches. Don't miss your chance to be part of a truly memorable European Championship. Secure your place at Germany 2024 today and prepare for a tournament you'll never forget!
UEFA European Championship Winners
|
Team
|
No. titles
|
Year(s) of title
|
|
Germany
|
3
|
1972, 1980, 1996
|
|
Spain
|
3
|
1964, 2008, 2012
|
|
Italy
|
2
|
1968, 2020
|
|
France
|
2
|
1984, 2000
|
|
Russia
|
1
|
1960
|
|
Czech Republic
|
1
|
1976
|
|
Portugal
|
1
|
2016
|
|
Netherlands
|
1
|
1988
|
|
Denmark
|
1
|
1992
|
|
Greece
|
1
|
2004
|
|
UEFA European Championship Stats
Most Tournaments Played (Country):
Germany
13
Most Tournaments Played (Player):
Cristiano Ronaldo (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020)
5
Most Team Wins:
Germany
27
Top All Time Euros Goalscorer:
Cristiano Ronaldo
14
Most Goals Scored In Single Tournament:
Michel Platini
9
Youngest Player To Appear:
Kacper Kozłowski ( 17 years 246 days)
Oldest Player To Appear:
Gabor Kiraly (40 years 86 days)
