Euro Cup 2024: Schedule and Viewing Guide

The UEFA European Championships 2024, also known as Euro 24, stands as one of the year’s most prestigious global sporting events. This biennial tournament, which began on June 14, features 24 teams competing over a month-long period and is set to culminate with the final match on July 14. The Euro Cup, which first took place in 1960, is celebrating its 17th edition this year. Noteworthy is Georgia’s participation, marking its debut in this tournament. In the United States, the 2024 Euro Cup has seen unprecedented viewership, reflecting the growing popularity of soccer.

Germany is the exclusive host nation for Euro 2024, with matches spread across ten cities and venues throughout the country. The championship match is scheduled to take place at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. This historic stadium, which originally hosted the 1936 Summer Olympics, underwent significant renovations in 2006 and now has a seating capacity of 76,475, making it the largest soccer stadium in Germany. This marks Germany’s third time hosting the Euro Cup, following previous tournaments in 1988 when it was West Germany, and in 2006.

The time difference between Germany and the U.S. impacts the scheduling of matches, with Germany being six hours ahead of New York and nine hours ahead of Los Angeles. The final match of Euro 2024 will commence at 9 p.m. local time in Berlin, translating to a start time of 3 p.m. Eastern Time in the U.S.

Historically, Germany and Spain have each secured three Euro Cup titles, more than any other nations. Italy and France have each won the tournament twice. Spain holds the distinction of being the only team to win consecutive titles in 2008 and 2012. The reigning champion, Italy, claimed the 2020 Euro Cup by overcoming England in a penalty shootout. However, Italy’s bid for a repeat title was thwarted this year as they were defeated by Switzerland in the Round of 16.

As of now, with the Opening Round and Round of 16 concluded, only seven matches remain in the tournament: four quarterfinals, two semifinals, and the final. The quarterfinals are scheduled as follows: Spain will face Germany on July 5 at 6 p.m. in Stuttgart, followed by Portugal versus France at 9 p.m. in Hamburg. The next day, England will play Switzerland at 6 p.m. in Dusseldorf, and the Netherlands will go up against Türkiye at 9 p.m. in Berlin. The semifinals will feature the winners of the July 5 matches on July 9 at 9 p.m. in Munich’s Allianz Arena, and the winners of the July 6 matches will compete on July 10 at 9 p.m. in Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park. The final match will be held at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on July 14 at 9 p.m.

As of early July, England is slightly favored to win the Euro Cup, with Spain, France, and Germany following closely behind in the odds. The Netherlands is considered a less likely contender for the title.

Although the Euro Cup features only European teams, its appeal extends globally. In the U.S., all matches are available through television and online streaming platforms. Fox Sports provides English-language coverage across Fox, FS1, and FS2, while Univision offers Spanish-language broadcasts. Fans can stream matches in English through Fubo (which offers a free trial) and the Fox Sports app/website. Spanish-language streaming is available via TUDN app/website and ViX.

In November 2021, Fox Sports secured a lucrative six-year agreement with UEFA to broadcast over 1,500 soccer matches, including the 2024 and 2028 Euro Cups. This deal is valued at approximately $270 million. The 2028 Euro Cup will be hosted by the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

Fox Sports and TelevisaUnivision are also providing coverage of the 2024 Copa América, which started on June 20 and will wrap up on July 14, coinciding with the Euro Cup final. This extensive “summer of soccer” will see Fox Sports broadcasting a total of 78 international matches.

Looking ahead, Fox Sports has announced that it will also cover the 2025 Women’s Euro Cup, set to be hosted by Switzerland from July 2 to 27. The 2021 Women’s Euro Cup, which was postponed due to the pandemic, was won by England. The U.S. broadcast of the tournament was handled by ESPN.

The ratings for the 2024 Euro Cup have reached new heights, underscoring the enduring appeal of live sports on television. Nielsen data reveals that the average audience for Group Stage matches on Fox was 1.045 million viewers, surpassing the previous record of 1.002 million from 2012 and marking a 30% increase from the 2021 Group Stage, which averaged 806,000 viewers on ESPN.

The knockout Round of 16 has continued this trend of high viewership. For instance, the match between Germany and Denmark on June 29 averaged 2.20 million viewers, while Switzerland vs. Italy drew 1.54 million on FS1. The following day, the match between England and Slovakia averaged 2.538 million viewers, reflecting a 69% increase from 2021, and Spain vs. Georgia set a record with 2.868 million viewers. Overall, viewership for the Euro Cup is tracking 31% higher than in 2021 and 71% higher than in 2016.

Fox is expected to achieve strong ratings for the final, building on the 2021 final’s average of 9.4 million viewers across ESPN, Univision, and TUDN, which was a 59% increase from 2016. This year’s final will start at 3 p.m. ET.

Following the Euro Cup final and Copa América, attention will shift to the 2024 Summer Olympics in France. The men’s soccer tournament will commence on July 24, just ten days after the conclusion of the Euro Cup. The Gold Medal match is scheduled for August 9, featuring 16 teams from six confederations, including Team USA. Matches will be available on Peacock and NBCU networks. Brazil won the Gold Medal in men’s soccer at the 2020 Olympics.

Soccer enthusiasts around the world are in for an action-packed summer.