After a year of postponement due to the pandemic, European football’s flagship tournament gets underway this evening, and will play right through to 11 July.
24 countries will be battling it out for the trophy, including three UK home nations – England, Scotland, and Wales.
Turkey will face Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome for the first match of the highly-anticipated tournament tonight, with Gareth Southgate’s England squad up against World Cup 2018 finalists Croatia in their first match at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 13 June.
Unlike previous tournaments, Euro 2020 will be the first European Championship to be played across the entire breadth of the continent, using 11 different venues.
ADVERTISEMENT
England has been placed in Group D, alongside Scotland, Croatia, at the Czech Republic.
Every tournament’s group stage tends to have a so-called ‘group of death’, with Euro 2020’s coming in the form of Group F – which features the 2014 World Cup winners Germany, the reigning world champions France, and the reigning European champions Portugal, with Hungary being the somewhat unlucky nation rounding out the group and therefore needing to produce a moment of magic to come out the other side.
ADVERTISEMENT
But how will England fare in this year’s tournament? How far are they expected to go? Do they stand a strong chance of making it to the final? Which countries will stand in their way?
Here’s everything you need to know about Euro 2020.
24 countries will be battling it out for the trophy / Credit: Flickr
When is Euro 2020?
The tournament officially kicks off on Friday 11 June in Rome, and ends with the final at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday 11 July.
ADVERTISEMENT
What are the groups?
Group A: Italy, Turkey, Switzerland, and Wales.
Group B: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, and Russia.
Group C: Austria, Netherlands, North Macedonia, and Ukraine.
Group D: Croatia, Czech Republic, England, and Scotland.
Group E: Poland, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden.
ADVERTISEMENT
Group F: France, Germany, Hungary, and Portugal.
Where are the venues?
Amsterdam (Johan Cruijff Arena)
Baku (Olympic Stadium)
Bucharest (National Arena)
Budapest (Puskás Aréna)
Copenhagen (Parken Stadium)
Glasgow (Hampden Park)
London (Wembley Stadium)
Munich (Fußball Arena München)
Rome (Stadio Olimpico)
Seville (La Cartuja Stadium)
St Petersburg (St Petersburg Stadium)
What is the fixture schedule?
The Group Stage will take place between Friday 11 June – Wednesday 23 June, the Knockout Phase will then take place between Saturday 26 June – Tuesday 29 June, the Quarter Finals will happen on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 July, the Semi Finals on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 July, and it’ll all culminate with the Final on Sunday 11 July.
You can check out the fixture schedule in full on the official UEFA Euro 2020 website here.
What’s England’s route to the final?
It’s easy to get carried away with ourselves when it comes to sporting tournaments such as Euro 2020, and it’s only natural for England fans to be looking ahead at the best way for the squad to make it to the final.
They’ve got to make it to the Knockout Phase first though – but how will they do that?
ADVERTISEMENT
There’s a number of ways the Group Stage could pan out for England that will determine who they face in the knockouts.
This chart that’s been doing the rounds online might make things a little clearer.
England has been placed in Group D, alongside Scotland, Croatia, at the Czech Republic / Credit: Google
Who is predicted to win?
Predictions will always be predictions, but the bookies over at Paddy Power have set the odds for six countries expected to perform well:
England 9/2
France 11/2
Belgium 6/1
Spain 13/2
Germany 15/2
Portugal 15/2
Where can I watch Euro 2020 in Manchester?
Manchester is a city that’s obsessed with football, so understandably, there’s plenty of venues going all out for the Euros this year.
We’ve been inundated with messages over the past few weeks from our loyal audience keen to find out the best places to catch a match this summer, so we’ve knuckled down and done the leg work for you.
ADVERTISEMENT
If you’re looking for recommendations, you can find 20 of the best spots to watch Euro 2020 in Manchester city centre this summer here.
Featured Image – Flickr
Sport
Manchester Storm’s record-breaking return to AO Arena goes down a storm with fans
Daisy Jackson
Manchester Storm have made their grand return to the AO Arena, after more than two decades away from their former home.
And it appears the ice hockey craze (which may have been spurred on by a certain Heated Rivalry) is here to stay, with record-breaking numbers piling into the venue for Sunday’s match against Sheffield Steelers.
The AO Arena has now shared that a record crowd of 11,000 fans attended the long-awaited Manchester Storm homecoming last week.
The action has gone down a storm with fans, with plenty of chatter on social media (and videos of a certain fight) doing the rounds.
Manchester Storm’s homecoming has now smashed the record for an Elite Hockey pre-season fixture, with fans travelling from across Manchester and beyond.
As the team enters this new era, bidding farewell to the ‘Storm Shelter’ in Altrincham that’s been their home for a decade, demand for tickets is continuing to grow.
This is the first time fans have been able to see the club on the ice at the AO Arena since 2004, and last weekend they thrilled supporters with a 5-5 draw agains the Steelers.
Manchester Storm is now set to bring approximately 35 games to the city centre each year, providing a regular programme of major sporting events for Manchester and its visitors.
It also brings elite-level hockey back to one of Europe’s largest indoor sporting arenas.
Gemma Vaughan, General Manager at the AO Arena says, “Tonight is a hugely significant moment for Manchester.
“To welcome Manchester Storm back to their former home after more than 20 years, and to do so in front of a record Elite Hockey League crowd, is incredibly special.
“The response from supporters has demonstrated the strength of Manchester’s passion for ice hockey and the demand for world-class sport in the city. We’re proud to be able to provide a home for the Storm as they begin this exciting new chapter.”
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it
Emily Sergeant
Erling Haaland has answered the all-important question.
The question heard around the world, the question on everyone’s lips, a question that has absolutely nothing to do with football whatsoever… that’s right, he’s answered Letterboxd’s famous question of ‘what are your four favourite films?’.
If you’re unaware of what Letterboxd is, it describes itself as being an ‘online diary platform and app for film lovers’ and it gives users the chance to display their four favourite films at the top of their profile for all to see (and judge).
An extension of this has then been Letterboxd asking celebrities in press junket interviews and on red carpets what their ‘four faves’ are – and it’s gone on to become something of a phenomenon in the film world.
Everyone from massive A-list movie stars, to indie darlings and up-and-coming names have answered this question before, and now (it appears) to be Erling Haaland’s turn.
He’s not the first footballer to be tasked with question though, as the entire Spurs team was ambushed with it by former player – and famously massive cinephile – Alfie Whiteman last year, but it’s fair to say that after the summer he’s had with Norway at the World Cup, achieving international fame in the process, that Haaland is one of the most high-profile to answer it in a long while.
So, what’s on Erling’s list then?
Well, to self-confessed ‘film bros’ out there, you’re not going to find any deep cuts in this selection unfortunately, and you’re probably not going to get any recommendations for movies you haven’t seen before either, but come on, he is only a footballer after all.
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it / Credit: Letterboxd
First up for the Manchester City striker is a pretty common pick by straight white men, it’s The Wolf of Wall Street, and he doesn’t give much of a reason for it, other than just suggesting: “I think you understand why”.
He then follows that up with Ridley Scott’s classic Gladiator, calling it ‘amazing’, before naming 2004’s epic Troy, and then rounding it out with a Christmas favourite for many, Home Alone, adding that he ‘watched it a lot as a kid, and then again now’.
As for fan reaction to Haaland’s four favourites, let’s just say it’s been mixed.
Among the 1,000+ comments on the Instagram video, you’ll find just as many people called him ‘king’ and saying he has ‘goated’ taste, as you will comments like this: “He has the most male gazed top four in history of Letterboxd.”
The Manc -
11th June 2021 
