The European Football Championships begin this evening, Friday 14 June, with the match between the hosts Germany and Scotland. Italy, which defends its title, will play its first match on Saturday evening against Albania, again at 9pm.
Here's everything you need to know.
THE FORMULA
There are 24 participating teams divided into six groups of 4. The group stage lasts from 14 to 26 June, the top two in each group plus the four best third-placed teams advance to the round of 16. In the ranking of the best thirds, these are the criteria taken into consideration: points scored; goal difference; goals scored; highest number of wins in the group stage; best fair play conduct in the group (-1 point for each yellow card, -3 points for each double yellow card or direct expulsion); best position in the overall ranking of the European qualifiers (or draw, in case Germany, the host nation, was involved).
After the group stage there are two days of rest before the start of the knockout stage, the final will be played on 14 July at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
THE GROUNDS
GROUP A
Germany
Scotland
Hungary
Swiss
GROUP B
Spain
Croatia
Italy
Albania
GROUP C
Slovenia
Denmark
Serbia
England
GROUP D
Poland
Netherlands
Austria
France
GROUP E
Belgium
Slovakia
Romania
Ukraine
GROUP F
Türkiye
Georgia
Portugal
Czech Republic
THE PROGRAM
Friday 14 June
9pm – Germany-Scotland
Saturday 15 June
3pm – Hungary-Switzerland
6pm – Spain-Croatia
9pm – Italy-Albania
Sunday 16 June
3pm – Poland-Holland
6pm – Slovenia-Denmark
9pm – Serbia-England
Monday 17 June
3pm – Romania-Ukraine
6pm – Belgium-Slovakia
9pm – Austria-France
Tuesday 18 June
6pm – Türkiye-Georgia
9pm – Portugal-Czech Republic
Wednesday 19 June
3pm – Croatia-Albania
6pm – Germany-Hungary
9pm – Scotland-Switzerland
Thursday 20 June
3pm – Slovenia-Serbia
6pm – Denmark-England
9pm – Spain-Italy
Friday 21 June
3pm – Slovakia-Ukraine
6pm – Poland-Austria
9pm – Holland-France
Saturday 22 June
3pm – Georgia-Czech Republic
6pm – Türkiye-Portugal
9pm – Belgium-Romania
Sunday 23 June
9pm – Switzerland-Germany
9pm – Scotland-Hungary
Monday 24 June
9pm – Albania-Spain
9pm – Croatia-Italy
Tuesday 25 June
6pm – Holland-Austria
6pm – France-Poland
9pm – England-Slovenia
9pm – Denmark-Serbia
Wednesday 26 June
6pm – Slovakia-Romania
6pm – Ukraine-Belgium
9pm – Georgia-Portugal
9pm – Czech Republic-Türkiye
Round of 16
Saturday 29 June
6pm – 2nd group A – 2nd group B (eighth n.1)
9pm – 1st group A – 2nd group C (eighth n.2)
Sunday 30 June
6pm – 1st group C – 3rd group D/E/F (eighth n.3)
9pm – 1st group B – 3rd group A/D/E/F (eighth n.4)
Monday 1st July
6pm – 2nd group D – 2nd group E (eighth n.5)
9pm – 1st group F – 3rd group A/B/C (eighth n.6)
Tuesday 2 July
6pm – 1st group E – 3rd group A/B/C/D (eighth n.7)
9pm – 1st group D – 2nd group F (eighth n.8)
Quarter finals
Friday 5 July
6pm – Winner of eighth place n.2 – Winner of eighth place n.4 (quarter point n.1)
9pm – Winner of eighth no.5 – Winner of eighth no.6 (quarter no.2)
Saturday 6 July
6pm – Winner of eighth place n.3 – Winner of eighth place n.1 (quarter point n.3)
9pm – Winner of eighth no. 7 – Winner of eighth no. 8 (quarter no. 4)
Semifinals
Tuesday 9 July
9pm – Winning quarter n.1 – Winning quarter n.2
Wednesday 10 July
9pm – Winning quarter n.3 – Winning quarter n.4
The final
Sunday 14 July, 9pm
Where to watch the European Championships on TV
All matches will be broadcast on Sky and streamed on Now and SkyGo. Rai will broadcast all Italy's matches free-to-air, one or two matches per day during the group stage and the round of 16 and, finally, all matches from the quarter-finals onwards. The free-to-air matches will be broadcast on Rai1 or Rai2.
(Unioneonline/L)