The stadiums: half are close to the Belgian border
A large number of European Championship stadiums are just a few hours’ drive away. That is good news for the Belgian players and fans. Especially because the European football association UEFA usually tries to arrange it in such a way that neighboring countries do not have to play football far from their own borders.
However, the focus of the tournament is in Munich and Berlin. The opening match of host country Germany will take place in the first city on June 14, and the final will be played in the second city exactly one month later. For commercial reasons, the names of the stadiums were adjusted and Anglicized, so that, for example, Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park was called ‘BVB Stadium Dortmund’ during the European Championships.
The Olympiastadion in Berlin. — © AFP
1. Olympiastadion in Berlin
Distance from Brussels: 750 km
Capacity: 70,000
Matches: three group matches (one from group B and two from group D), a 1/8th final, a quarter-final and the final
Here’s what you need to know: the biggest stadium of them all and also the place where the 2006 World Cup final was played. Also familiar territory for Red Devil Dodi Lukebakio, who played there for Hertha.
2. ‘Cologne Stadium’ in Cologne
Distance from Brussels: 200 km
Capacity: 47,000
Matches: four group matches (two from group A, one from group C and one from group E) and a 1/8th final
This is what you need to know: of course close to the Belgian border and with a beautiful memory for the Red Devils. In March they went on to beat Germany.
3. ‘BVB Stadium Dortmund’
Distance from Brussels: 260 km
Capacity: 66,000
Matches: four group matches (two from group F, one from group B, one from group D), a 1/8th final and a semi-final
This is what you need to know: with 81,000 seats, this is normally the largest stadium in Germany, but at the European Championships, 15,000 seats suddenly ‘disappear’ because UEFA only allows seats.
4. Düsseldorf Arena
Distance from Brussels: 200 km
Capacity: 47,000
Matches: three group matches (one from group B, one from group D and one from group E), a 1/8th final and a quarter-final
This is what you need to know: just like Cologne, it is barely an hour’s drive from the Belgian border. The only stadium of the ten that was not used at the 2006 World Cup.
5. Frankfurt Arena
Distance from Brussels: 400 km
Capacity: 46,000
Matches: four group matches (two from group E, one from group A and one from group C) and a 1/8th final
Here’s what you need to know: Located a stone’s throw from the headquarters of the German Football Association. Received the opening match of the 1974 World Cup.
6. Arena AufSchalke
Distance from Brussels: 250 km
Capacity: 50,000
Matches: three group matches (one from group B, one from group C and one from group F) and a 1/8th final
This is what you need to know: as the home base of Schalke 04 and barely an hour’s drive from the Belgian border, there is a strong link with our country. Karel Geraerts is now a trainer there, in the past Marc Wilmots, Sven Vermant and Emile Mpenza, among others, had success there.
7. Volksparkstadion Hamburg
Distance from Brussels: 600 km
Capacity: 50,000
Matches: four group matches (two from group F, one from group B and one from group D) and a quarter-final
Here’s what you need to know: It had a famous clock that kept track of how long home club Hamburg SV had been playing in the Bundesliga – the longest of any German club – but it was taken down after relegation in 2018.
8. ‘Leipzig Stadium’
Distance from Brussels: 675 km
Capacity: 42,000
Matches: three group matches (one from group B, one from group D and one from group F) and a 1/8th final
Here’s what you need to know: Has a roof specially designed for better acoustics, which also makes it a very popular venue for concerts.
9. ‘Munich Football Arena’
Distance from Brussels: 750 km
Capacity: 67,000
Matches: four group matches (two from group C, one from group A, one from group E), a 1/8th final and a semi-final
This is what you need to know: it was also a stadium for the 2021 European Championship. The quarter-finals took place in this stadium in which the Red Devils had to defeat Italy at the previous European Championship.
10. Stuttgart Arena
Distance from Brussels: 550 km
Capacity: 54,000
Matches: four group matches (two from group A, one from group C and one from group E) and a quarter-final
This is what you need to know: in 1988 it was the place where then PSV captain Eric Gerets was the first Belgian ever to win the European Cup I, the predecessor of the Champions League.
The tickets: literally a lottery
There was already a first phase for purchasing tickets last month, but that is now over. It literally turned into a lottery: the European Football Association received no fewer than 20 million requests for 1.2 million tickets from 206 countries. Of those applications, 13 million came from Germany itself. The lucky ones were each given three days to pay. If that didn’t work, someone else was selected. After the draw, another 1 million tickets will be made available, and a few hundred thousand more after the play-offs in March. A total of 2.7 million tickets will be sold.
Anyone who wants to be among the Belgian fans must be a member of the 1895 supporters’ federation and have collected sufficient points by attending previous matches of the Red Devils or Red Flames to be given priority.
For fans with a larger budget, there is a third option: a ‘hospitality ticket’, from 1,250 euros (excluding taxes) for one group match. Three group matches and the European Championship final – if the Belgians reach it – cost 9,150 euros. Or 10,888.50 euros with taxes.
The draw: The Netherlands as a possible opponent
The draw for the European Championship will take place on Saturday, December 2, at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, a building that is not without mention in Germany because it cost 789 million euros, more than ten times as much as budgeted. The Red Devils will be seeded in pot 1. They will certainly avoid host country Germany, France, England, Portugal and Spain in the group stage, but the Netherlands, for example, is one of the possible opponents.
The ‘Fussballiebe’, the official European Championship ball. — © AFP
The plan: the last participants will not be known until March
However, not everything will be decided on December 2. Three countries in pot four will not be announced until March 2024. After all, play-offs will then be played for the last three places at the European Championship. These will be between countries that did not qualify through the usual route, but did well in the Nations League.
The European Championship itself, like the two previous editions, will be played with 24 teams, making there six groups of four teams each. The best second and four best third places qualify for the 1/8th finals. This means that after three group matches, only eight of the 24 teams will have already been eliminated.
The favorites: The Three Lions and Les Bleus
The favorites are mainly England and France, the two highest ranked European countries in the FIFA rankings. According to the specialized website Transfermarkt.com, their selections represent the most market value and according to the bookmakers they are also the two top favorites. They have both been very close to winning a major tournament in the past two years, but lost the final after penalties. It happened to England at the 2021 European Championship and France at the 2022 World Cup. The Red Devils are no longer seen as top favorites, at most as a distant outsider.
Jude Bellingham of England. — © REUTERS
The stars: Bellingham, Mbappé, but also Ronaldo
No Erling Haaland, who missed qualifying for the European Championship with Norway, but there will be no shortage of stars. Child wonder Jude Bellingham (20) has already scored 13 times in 14 matches for Real Madrid as a midfielder and, together with all-time top scorer Harry Kane, will be England’s biggest asset in a bid for final victory. In France, national coach Didier Deschamps gave the captain’s armband to the only 24-year-old Kylian Mbappé. The French star is always present on big occasions and has already scored in two World Cup finals in a row.
Another icon: Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese is already the all-time top scorer at the European Championships with 14 goals and has the full confidence of former Belgian national coach Roberto Martinez at Portugal, even though he will already be 39 in the summer of 2024.
The environmental impact: first sustainable football tournament
The European Championship 2024 wants to be the first sustainable major football tournament. For this reason, only existing stadiums were used – nine out of ten were already used at the 2006 World Cup. Spectators with tickets will have free access to local public transport and people traveling from abroad will receive discounts on train tickets. The (group) matches will be organized in such a way that players and fans never have to travel too far. Even the official match ball football love was made with sustainable materials: recycled polyester and water-based ink, with the layers modified with corn fiber, sugar cane, wood pulp and rubber.
