EURO 2016 Facts: Everything You Need to Know About the Upcoming Tournament

March 30, 2016

Here are some of the intriguing EURO 2016 facts and figures that fans can expect to see this summer in France.

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EURO 2016 Facts: 24 Countries Will Participate

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EURO 2016 will see a total of 24 nations participate in the tournament, as opposed to the standard 16, which was the norm since EURO 1996. The two best teams from each of the 6 groups will proceed to the next round, while another 4 best third place teams will be added to make for the round of 16 complete, according to World Football Guide. (Cool EURO 2016 facts: this will be the first time in the history of the championship that a round of 16 is featured, and that even third-placed teams can qualify onwards.)

The five following countries will represent their nations in the EURO Championship for the very first time: Iceland, Wales, Slovakia, Albania and Northern Ireland. It will be great to see how far all these new countries can reach in the competition. Check out Bet365 Sports for the odds offered on them. (If you’d like to know more about the online sportsbook, have a look through Bet365 Sports Review.)

For the first time in its existence, Gibraltar joined all the other European nations in the qualifying rounds for EURO 2016. They applied to join UEFA on a full membership, a request that was granted in May 2013, but since the country is not a full member of FIFA yet, for the time being they cannot qualify for the World Cup. With a population of merely 30,000, Gibraltar is the smallest UEFA member.

Besides France, the other two countries that tabled their bids to host the tournament were Italy and Turkey. One of the most interesting EURO 2016 facts is that, coincidentally, France will host the tournament for a record third time, after hosting the inaugural EURO Cup in 1960 and then again in 1984. No other country in Europe has done that in the history of the competition.

 

EURO 2016 Facts: The Slogan and the Logo

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If you didn’t know, France’s slogan for the Championship is “Le Rendez-Vous.” This slogan is quite appropriate considering that it serves as a reminder that the first EURO Cup (1960) was hosted here, and this will be an event where many European nations will meet up once again.

Chairman of the EURO 2016 organizing committee, Jacques Lambert, said that slogan “is much more than a reminder of dates… and venues (but rather) UEFA is sending out an invitation to football fans throughout the world and to lovers of major events, an invitation to meet up and share the emotions of an elite-level tournament.”

UEFA’s officials website states that “it aims to evoke the importance of the UEFA European Championship and to make it a succession of festivities not to be missed. The slogan fits snugly with the competition’s visual identity, and its central message, which is to “Celebrate the art of football.” ”

The logo on the other hand merges “French culture” with the sport. “It aims to bring together the creativity that defines French culture with the beauty of the game and give UEFA EURO 2016 its own personality.”

 

EURO 2016 Facts: Tickets

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If you’re the type of a supporter that follows the national side where ever they go, then you’re already familiar with the costs associated with that. Transportation, accommodation, food, drinks, some form of insurance and of course the tickets themselves form the budget. The most affordable tickets will cost you €25 (this applied to 43 of the 51 games). For all the matches except the final itself you’ll be able to find tickets below €100. If you’ve got deep pockets, or you’re just saving all your money for the final, then you’ll want to know that the most expensive final ticket will cost a whopping €895.

(If you’re seriously considering getting some tickets for yourself, then check out the EURO 2016 Ticket Portal.)

 

EURO 2016 Facts: Host Cities and Stadiums

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One of the most important EURO 2016 facts has to do with the stadiums where all the action is going to take place. A total of 10 cities and 10 stadiums will serve as hosts, and a number of them are pretty spectacular. Check out the full list of the EURO 2016 venues for more detailed info. Back in May 2010, France planned to have 12 host cities, but then 12 months later that was scaled back to 9. Then a couple of months later, 11 cities were on the agenda as they wanted to smoothly accommodate the new 24-team format of the competition. However, in late 2011, Nance’s planned stadium renovation didn’t go through, so the city withdrew from hosting duties. In early 2013, UEFA’s Executive Committee officially announced 10 host cities.

 

EURO 2016 Facts: David Guetta Will Produce the Official Song

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World famous DJ David Guetta will write and produce the official EURO 2016 song. It makes sense, since he’s French himself and will add another level of excitement to the competition. This has got to be one of the most thrilling EURO 2016 facts on our list. Right before the hosts France play Romania on June 10, Guetta will perform at the opening ceremony, and once the tournament comes to a close, he’ll also give a farewell show at the closing ceremony.

(Record a song with David Guetta to win tickets to EURO 2016!)

 

EURO 2016 Facts: Germany Are Favorites to Win the Cup

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Two countries participating in EURO 2016 will have the chance to scoop their fourth European title. Spain and Germany have both won the tournament on three occasions, with the former clinching it in 1964, 2008 and 2012, while the latter sealed theirs in 1972, 1980 and 1996.

After winning the trophy in 2012, Spain became the first nation to be crowned European champions twice in row. But winning it for a third consecutive time is against the odds. Bet365 Sports has outlined the current world champions Germany as the favourite side 4.00 (3/1) to lift the European cup. The hosts, France, are second favorites 4.33 () to win on their home soil, and judging by their team now they have a number of stellar names: Varane, Pogba, Coman, Benzema and others. Spain on the other hand are third favorites with their odds being 6.00 (5/1). We agree with Bet365 that Germany will very likely become the next European champions, considering the impressive talents they possess and the form they’re currently enjoying.