Road to Victory - Your Guide to Euro 2024

As we usher in December, football enthusiasts are already counting down to the approaching summer when Euro 2024 will unfold. Questions abound: Can Gareth Southgate lead the Three Lions to victory? Will Steve Clarke's Tartan Army make a formidable mark in the tournament? And can Rob Page's Wales secure their spot through the play-offs to join the ranks of their fellow home nations? 

The recently concluded draw has laid the groundwork, delineating each team's potential path to glory. We offer a comprehensive overview of key details surrounding Euro 2024. 

Commencement and Venue 

Euro 2024, hosted by Germany, will officially kick off on Friday, 14 June 2024, at the Allianz Arena, home to Bayern Munich. The inaugural match will witness Scotland facing off against the hosts. The tournament will span a month, concluding on Sunday, 14 July at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. This marks Germany's first hosting since reunification, the last being in 1988 in West Germany. 

In the current betting landscape, England and France lead as favorites with 4/1 odds, closely trailed by host nation Germany at 7/1. Spain follows at 8/1, while Scotland carries longer odds at 80/1. The groupings are as follows: 

Match Venues and Schedule 

England's group-stage matches include encounters with Serbia, Denmark, and Slovenia, while Scotland faces Germany, Switzerland, and Hungary in their group-stage battles.


The venues span across Germany, with England playing in Gelsenkirchen, Frankfurt, and Cologne, and Scotland in Munich, Cologne, and Stuttgart. 

Knockout Possibilities 

The knockout stage permutations include potential matchups for the top finishers in each group, with England possibly meeting one of the third-placed teams from Group D, E, or F in the last 16. Scotland's journey could see them facing the second-placed team from Group C or Group B, depending on their group-stage performance. 

Play-offs and Qualification 

Twelve teams are vying for qualification through the play-offs, with three paths featuring teams like Wales, Poland, Ukraine, and more. The play-off semi-finals on 21 March 2024 will determine the six advancing teams, leading to the finals on 26 March. Winners of these finals secure a spot in Euro 2024 Group Stage. 

Form Teams and Standout Performances 

Six teams – France, England, Portugal, Belgium, Romania, and Hungary – emerged unbeaten during the qualifiers. Portugal, the only side with a flawless record, scored 36 goals and conceded only two. Notably, Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku claimed the top scorer title with 14 goals in eight matches for Belgium. 

Host Cities and Stadiums 

The tournament will unfold across ten host cities, showcasing iconic venues such as the Allianz Arena and Olympiastadion. Signal Iduna Park, home of Borussia Dortmund, will host matches in various groups and knockout stages. 

Here's the complete list of host cities: 

Berlin: Olympiastadion (70,000 capacity) 

Cologne (Koln): Cologne Stadium (47,000) 

Dortmund: BVB Stadion Dortmund (66,000) 

Dusseldorf: Dusseldorf Arena (47,000) 

Frankfurt: Frankfurt Arena (48,000) 

Gelsenkirchen: Arena AufSchalke (50,000) 

Hamburg: Volksparkstadion Hamburg (50,000) 

Leipzig: Leipzig Stadium (42,000) 

Munich: Munich Football Arena (67,000) 

Stuttgart: Stuttgart Arena (54,000) 

Notable Omissions 

Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard of Norway, along with Sweden, are conspicuous absentees, having failed to qualify. Despite being in the same group as Spain and Scotland, Norway fell short on points, missing out on automatic qualification and the play-offs. Similarly, Sweden will sit out the tournament for the first time since 1996.