When does Euro 2024 start and what are the key dates? Everything you need to know ahead of next year's major tournament in Germany
- Germany will host a major international tournament for the first time since 2006
- The country will host Euro 2024 - with the tournament getting underway in June
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Germany will host a major tournament for the first time since the 2006 World Cup with Euro 2024.
Italy are the current holders of the competition after they defeated England 3-2 on penalties back in 2021. Gareth Southgate will be looking to win the tournament next year in what may be his last chance to do so as the Three Lions manager.
The Three Lions secured their place in Germany after securing a 3-1 win over the current holders back in October. After finishing top of the qualifying group, Southgate's side will be placed in pot one ahead of the draw this weekend.
Hosts Germany will be looking to turn their misfortunes around by going all the way on home soil. The national team appointed Julian Nagelsmann earlier this summer after Hansi Flick was sacked following a 4-1 drubbing by Japan, to finish up his tenure as the side's head coach winning just four of his 17 games in charge.
Mail Sport breaks down everything you need to know ahead of Euro 2024 in Germany.
![Germany will host a major tournament for the first time since the 2006 World Cup with Euro 2024](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/01/12/78467903-12814063-image-a-3_1701434479469.jpg)
Germany will host a major tournament for the first time since the 2006 World Cup with Euro 2024
![Italy are the current holders of the competition after they defeated England in the final in 2021](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/01/12/78467871-12814063-image-a-2_1701434460627.jpg)
Italy are the current holders of the competition after they defeated England in the final in 2021
When does Euro 2024 start?
The draw for the Euro 2024 group stage will take place on Saturday, December 2.
The opening game of the tournament will take place at the Allianz Arena on Friday, June 14.
Next year's group stage will last until Wednesday, June 26 - with the knockout stages beginning three days later.
Key dates
The group stage will get underway on Friday, June 14 and will last until June 26.
Following the group stage, the round of 16 will start three days later on June 29.
It will then last until July 2, with the quarter-finals starting three days later and ending on July 6.
There will be a two-day break before the semi-finals take place on July 9 and 10.
Next year's final will then take place on Sunday, July 14.
![Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena will host the opening game of the tournament on June 14](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/22/08/68976611-11886395-image-a-9_1679473260086.jpg)
Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena will host the opening game of the tournament on June 14
![Hertha Berlin's stadium, Olympiastadion, is set to host next year's final in July](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/01/12/78467977-12814063-image-a-1_1701434445759.jpg)
Hertha Berlin's stadium, Olympiastadion, is set to host next year's final in July
How does the tournament work?
There will be 24 nations competing in the tournament. The top two teams from the six groups will go through.
They will be joined by the four best third-placed teams to make up the rest of the round of 16.
The knockout rounds will then last until the final. There won't be a third-place play-off at next year's Euros.
Hertha Berlin's Olympiastadion is set to host the final. The stadium has a capacity of 74,475. The final will take place on Sunday, July 14.
![16 teams will go through the group stage, with the knockout rounds then lasting until the final](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/22/08/68976997-11886395-image-a-13_1679474021321.jpg)
16 teams will go through the group stage, with the knockout rounds then lasting until the final
Which stadiums will be in use?
There will be a total of 10 stadiums that will be used to host games throughout the tournament.
Nine of the 10 stadiums used at the 2006 World Cup in Germany will be in use next year.
Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena and Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park are among those selected to host matches throughout the tournament.
Bayern's stadium will host six games in total throughout the tournament, including one of the semi-finals.
Borussia Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park will also host six games.
The Olympiastadion will host the final as well as five other games throughout the tournament. The stadium also hosted the World Cup final in 2006.
The full list of stadiums who will host games across the tournament is as followed:
- Olympiastadion (Berlin)
- Allianz Arena (Munich)
- Signal Iduna Park (Dortmund)
- Veltins-Arena (Gelsenkirchen)
- Mercedes-Benz Arena (Stuttgart)
- Red Bull Arena (Leipzig)
- RheinEnergieStadion (Cologne)
- Merkur Spiel-Arena (Dusseldorf)
- Volksparkstadion (Hamburg)
- Deutsche Bank Park (Frankfurt)
![Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park will hosts six games at the tournament next year](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/22/08/68977153-11886395-Borussia_Dortmund_s_Signal_Iduna_Park_will_hosts_six_games_at_th-m-15_1679474493891.jpg)
Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park will hosts six games at the tournament next year
Pots
Gareth Southgate's England secured a spot in pot one ahead of the draw for next summer's tournament in Germany, which will take place in Hamburg on Saturday, December 2.
It means they will avoid group-stage matches against the hosts, Portugal, France, Spain and Belgium.
Defending champions Italy are in pot four after Croatia defeated Armenia at home, while Wales drew with Turkey and head to the play-offs.
Italy have dropped into pot four, it means the highest-seeded teams - including England - could face a potential 'Group of Death' involving the Netherlands, who are in pot three, and Italy.
The pot for the competition so far is as follows:
- Pot 1: Germany (hosts), Portugal, France, Spain, Belgium, England
- Pot 2: Hungary, Turkey, Romania, Denmark, Albania, Austria
- Pot 3: Netherlands, Scotland, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic
- Pot 4: Italy, Serbia, Switzerland, Play-off winner A, Play-off winner B, Play-off winner C
![England have qualified for Euro 2024 after a 3-1 win against Italy at Wembley back in October](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/01/12/76677597-12814063-England_have_qualified_for_Euro_2024_after_a_3_1_win_against_Ita-a-4_1701434602909.jpg)
England have qualified for Euro 2024 after a 3-1 win against Italy at Wembley back in October
When is the play-offs?
Three more teams are set to join the Euro 2024 draw - with three separate 'paths' allowing sides who qualified for the play-offs a chance to book their place in the tournament.
Six semi-finals are scheduled to place on 21 March 2024 and three finals on 26 March - with the winning three teams then entering the competition.
The three play-off semi-finals is as follows:
- Semi-finals – Path A: Poland (1) vs Estonia (4) / Wales (2) vs Finland (3)
- Semi-finals – Path B: Israel (1) vs Iceland (4) / Bosnia and Herzegovina (2) vs Ukraine (3)
- Semi-finals – Path C: Georgia (1) vs Luxembourg (4) / Greece (2) vs Kazakhstan (3)
![Rob Page's Wales will have to qualify for the tournament via the play-offs next year](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/01/12/78468117-12814063-image-a-5_1701434669416.jpg)
Rob Page's Wales will have to qualify for the tournament via the play-offs next year
Euro 2024 - Full fixture list
June 14
- Germany (A1) vs A2 (Munich)
June 15
- B1 vs B2 (Berlin)
- B3 vs B4 (Dortmund)
- A3 vs A4 (Cologne)
June 16
- C3 vs C4 (Gelsenkirchen)
- D1 vs D2 (Hamburg)
- C1 vs C2 (Stuttgart)
June 17
- D3 vs D4 (Dusseldorf)
- E1 vs E2 (Frankfurt)
- E3 vs E4 (Munich)
June 18
- F3 vs F4 (Leipzig)
- F1 vs F2 (Dortmund)
June 19
- B2 vs B4 (Hamburg)
- A2 vs A4 (Cologne)
- Germany (A1) vs A3 (Stuttgart)
June 20
- B1 vs B3 (Gelsenkirchen)
- C2 vs C4 (Frankfurt)
- C1 vs C3 (Munich)
June 21
- D1 vs D3 (Berlin)
- D2 vs D4 (Leipzig)
- E2 vs E4 (Dusseldorf)
June 22
- F2 vs F4 (Hamburg)
- F1 vs F3 (Dortmund)
- E1 vs E3 (Cologne)
June 23
- A4 vs Germany (A1) (Frankfurt)
- A2 vs A3 (Stuttgart)
June 24
- B2 vs B3 (Leipzig)
- B4 vs B1 (Dusseldorf)
June 25
- D2 vs D3 (Berlin)
- D4 vs D1 (Dortmund)
- C4 vs C1 (Cologne)
- C2 vs C3 (Munich)
June 26
- F4 vs F1 (Hamburg)
- F2 vs F3 (Gelsenkirchen)
- E2 vs E3 (Frankfurt)
- E4 vs E1 (Stuttgart)
Rest days on June 27 and 28
Round of 16
June 29
- 37 - 1A vs 2C (Dortmund)
- 38 - 2A vs 2B (Berlin)
June 30
- 39 - 1B vs 3A/D/E/F (Cologne)
- 40 - 1C vs 3D/E/F (Gelsenkirchen)
July 1
- 41 - 1F vs 3A/B/C (Frankfurt)
- 42 - 2D vs 2E (Düsseldorf)
July 2
- 43 - 1E vs 3A/B/C/D (Munich)
- 44 - 1D vs 2F (Leipzig)
Rest days on 3 and 4 July
Quarter-finals
July 5
- 45 - W39 vs W37 (Stuttgart)
- 46 - W41 vs W42 (Hamburg)
July 6
- 47 - W43 vs W44 (Berlin)
- 48 - W40 vs W38 (Dusseldorf)
Rest days on 7 and 8 July
Semi-finals
July 9
- 49 - W45 vs W46 (Munich, 8pm)
July 10
- 50 - W47 vs W48 (Dortmund, 8pm)
Rest days on July 11, 12 and 13
Final
July 14
- W49 vs W50 (Berlin, 8pm)