2021 UEFA Euro set to start on June 11th

It’s exciting times for football fans from all over the world, as club activity is coming to an end, and all major leagues have their new champions, international activity starts slowly, and big tournaments are schedule for this year, finally, after having to postpone pretty much everything last year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Europe is about to get hit with the most exciting and awaited tournament, the 2021 UEFA Euro, which will host games in 11 different cities throughout the continent, as opposed to the usual, where the whole tournament is hosted by one country, or even two, as it has been the case already in a couple of occasions.

The tournament will kick off on June 11th, 24 national teams will fight for the trophy, and the final is expected to be played on July 11th, exactly one month after kickoff. The 11 host cities and stadiums are: Wembley Stadium in London, Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Allianz Arena in Munich, Puskas Arena in Budapest, Olympic Stadium in Baku, Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, La Cartuja in Sevilla, Arena Nationala in Bucharest, Hampden Park in Glasgow, and Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam.

Each city will host at least 3 group stage matches and one match in the Round of 16 or quarterfinals. Others will host a few more, the semifinals and final will take place in London, as Wembley is the biggest out of all 11 stadiums, with a 90000 capacity.

These are the groups for UEFA Euro 2021:

• Group A: Turkey, Italy, Wales, Switzerland
• Group B: Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Russia
• Group C: Netherlands, Ukraine, Austria, North Macedonia
• Group D: England, Croatia, Scotland, Czech Republic
• Group E: Spain, Sweden, Poland Slovakia
• Group F: Hungary, Portugal, France, Germany

Very tough groups of course, however, the death group appears to be the last, Group F, where we find Portugal, winner of the last Euro, in France in 2016, France, winner of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, and Germany, winner of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

According to sportsbooks, things are very close among two or three teams, but France is expected to have one of the best teams, man by man, in the tournament, and are expected to make a good run and try to repeat the success they had in the last World Cup. France pays around +400. England, surprisingly, is second in the list of favorites, with around +450. The English are not usually heavy favorites in these tournaments, however, let’s remember that the semifinals and final will be played in London, and that gives them an edge. Belgium pays +600, Germany +705, Spain +750, and Portugal +800, as the top picks.

Will any of them be the one to take the trophy home, or are we about to be surprised? There are many good teams remaining on the list, like Italy, Russia, Netherlands, or Croatia, to mention a few. It will certainly be a great tournament, and a celebration of life and sport still in the middle of the pandemic.