Where will Euro 2020 matches be played?
Why will Euro 2020 take place in so many countries? The European Football Championships were played in several countries before when in 2012 Poland and Ukraine were the hosts. In 2020, however, it will be 60 years since the first edition of the Euro (at that time, the best team was chosen in a tournament called the European Nations Cup) and UEFA has decided to celebrate this anniversary by organising European Championship finals around the continent. Therefore, the best European teams will be hosted in 12 cities located in as many as 11 countries.
Where will the matches take place?
Amsterdam
It will be the second time that the capital of the Netherlands is the venue for the struggles of European Championship finalists. The Amsterdam ArenA has already hosted participants of Euro 2000. Thus, the city will become the host of the European championship for the second time. Those arriving in Amsterdam, in addition to admiring the Johan Cruyff ArenA, will have a chance to get to know this unique and truly beautiful city. The metropolis is cut by a network of canals, with the palpable spirit of Rembrandt, van Gogh, the heyday of Dutch trade (magnificent bourgeois tenements!) and medieval roots (the Gothic churches of Oude Kerk and Nieuwe Kerk).
The Amsterdam stadium was built in the mid-90s and replaced the two iconic buildings as the city’s main football arena – De Meer (the former stadium of AFC Ajax) and Olympisch Stadion. The Johan Cruyff ArenA (formerly the Amsterdam ArenA) fit to accommodate nearly 55,000 people will host three group C matches and one round of 16 match. The famous object is located in the Bijlmer district in the suburbs of the capital of the Netherlands. From Amsterdam Central Train Station – Amsterdam Central, you can take the Sprinter train to the Amsterdam Bijlmer Arena station right next to the stadium in less than 15 minutes.
Which Euro 2020 matches will be played in Amsterdam?
- Match No. 5: Netherlands – Ukraine (14.06, at 21:00)
- Match No. 17: Netherlands – Austria (18.06, at 21:00)
- Match 29: winner of the A or D playoff bracket – Netherlands (22.06, 18:00)
- Match No. 38, round of 16 (27.06, 18:00)
Baku
The capital of Azerbaijan will host the national teams participating in the European Championship finals for the first time, but it has already hosted some important matches in the past, such as the Europa League final in 2019. What can we say about Baku? It is definitely a little known and quite exotic direction, although the city can boast a long and very interesting story. This largest port on the Caspian Sea can boast an old town that dates back to the 9th century. The Inner City, because it is in question, is surrounded by impressive defensive walls, palaces, mosques, as well as traces of other cultures that have lived in this city for years (Armenians, Russians, Poles), which are great excuses to visit Baku.
Azerbaijan does not have great football traditions, but its authorities are working hard to change that. Hence the decision to replace the country’s main stadium known as the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, which remembers the times of the USSR, with a modern facility. The 69,000-seat Olympic Stadium in Baku, which was put into use in 2015, will host 3 group A matches and a quarter-final match. How to get to the Baku stadium? From the city centre it’s best to take the red metro line; the train covers this route in less than an hour.
Matches that will be played at the Olympic Stadium in Baku
- Match No. 2: Wales – Switzerland (13.06, 15:00)
- Match No. 13: Turkey – Wales (17.06 at 18:00)
- Match No. 25: Switzerland – Turkey (21.06 at 18:00)
- Match No. 47, quarterfinals (04.07, 18:00)
Bilbao
Bilbao, or the main city of the Basque Country, is experienced in organising large football events. The San Mamés Stadium hosted World Cup matches in as early as 1982. The city, in turn, is one example of the successful transformation of an old industrial centre into a modern metropolis, and perhaps the most famous symbol of this change is the iconic Guggenheim Museum, designed by the famous Frank Gehry. But Bilbao is not only about hyper-modern construction (like the aforementioned museum, Palacio Euskalduna or the over 150-metre tower Torre Iberdrola), it is also a medieval old town with the Cathedral of Saint James and magnificent tenement houses picturesquely laid out on the banks of the Bilbao estuary.
Although the championship matches from almost 40 years ago were played at San Mamés, the current Athletic Bilbao stadium has nothing to do with the facility except for the name. Opened in 2013, it is a modern football arena that can seat over 53,000 spectators. From the main station Abando you can reach the stadium on foot (the walk takes less than half an hour) or by metro. The train travels the route between the station and the stadium in less than 5 minutes. During Euro 2020, San Mamés will host group E matches and the round of 16 game.
Matches that will be played in Bilbao
- Match No. 9: Spain – Sweden (15.06, at 21:00)
- Match No. 22: Spain – Poland (20.06, at 21:00)
- Match No. 33: winner of the B playoff bracket – Spain (24.06, 18:00)
- Match No. 39, round of 16 (28.06, 21:00)
Budapest
The capital of Hungary is a rookie amongst the host cities of important football events. Budapest is rightly named one of the most beautiful places in Europe. In here we come across gems of Art Nouveau and breathtaking historicism, as well as feel the atmosphere of the turn of the century. The stunning parliament, buildings of Art Nouveau, such as the Hotel Gellert, stately tenement houses or the beautiful panorama of the city that stretches over the Danube are just a few reasons to visit Budapest.
Especially for Euro 2020, on the site of the Ferenc Puskás Stadium which remembers the best times of the Hungarian national football team, the Hungarians have built a modern facility that can seat over 67,000 spectators. Also bearing the name of the legendary striker from Hungary, Honved and Real Madrid, Puskás Arena is located in the Zugló district, right next to the largest Budapest railway station – Keleti. You can get there by the M2 metro line from the very city centre, and the journey takes about 20 minutes.
Games that will be played at Puskás Arena
- Match No. 11: winner of the A or D playoff bracket – Portugal (16.06, 18:00)
- Match No. 23: winner A or D playoff bracket – France (20.06, 15:00)
- Match No. 35: Portugal – France (24.06, at 21:00)
- Match No. 40, round of 16 (28.06, 18:00)
Bucharest
Bucharest is another city that, thanks to the specific formula of Euro 2020, stands a chance to debut as the host of the European Championships. The capital of Romania bears the name of Little Paris – all thanks to the historic development of the centre. Historic churches, tenements and public facilities still make a great impression on visitors. The period after World War II has also left its mark on Bucharest, alongside with the 1977 earthquake – in the 1980s, the huge Palace of the Parliament and the monumental foundation of Bulevardul Unirii were created. Today, the uniqueness of Bucharest is evidenced not only by historic buildings, but also structures from the communist era.
National Arena, or the largest and the most important stadium in Romania, is a facility created in 2011, which can accommodate over 55,000 spectators. From Bucharest’s largest train station – Gara de Nord – you can get to Arena Nationala by public transport. First by metro (line M1), then (after switching to Piata Muncii) by tram no. 40 to the Arena Nationala stop.
Euro 2020 matches that will be played in Bucharest
- Match No. 6: Austria – winner of the A or D playoff bracket (14.06, 18:00)
- Match No. 23: winner A or D playoff bracket – France (20.06, 15:00)
- Match No. 30: Ukraine – Austria (22.06 at 18:00)
- Match No. 41, round of 16 (29.06, 21:00)
Dublin
The capital of Ireland will also host a championship event for the first time. The city of Joyce, U2 and Guinness is an interesting and vibrant metropolis, with a picturesque location on the River Liffey. What can we find in Dublin? The leading attractions include the castle, which oldest fragments date back to the 13th century, neoclassical palaces (like Leinster House), Gothic churches (Anglican cathedrals of the Holy Trinity and Saint Patrick), the impressive college complex of the Holy Trinity or the campus of the University of Dublin founded in the 16th century. Of course, Dublin is not only about monuments, it is also street life, especially in the riverside district of Temple Bar.
Aviva Stadium can seat nearly 52,000 spectators. In 2010, it replaced the old national stadium of Ireland known as Lansdowne Road. Interestingly, for years it has been one of the most important stadium tourist destinations from around the world. Why? The reason is that there is a railway line running under one of the tribunes. The current stadium has been moved away from the tracks slightly, and there are trains passing under the stadium’s entrance square. Three matches of group E and the round of 16 match will be played here at Euro 2020. How to get to Aviva Stadium? Right next to the stadium is the station of the previously mentioned DART city train that connects the area around Aviva Stadium with the city centre and one of Dublin’s main train stations as well as all of Ireland – Connolly Station. The trip will take football fans around 10 minutes.
What matches will be played at Aviva Stadium?
- Match No. 10: Poland – winner of the B playoff bracket (15.06, 18:00)
- Match No. 21: Sweden– winner of the B playoff bracket (19.06, 15:00)
- Match No. 34: Sweden – Poland (24.06, 18:00)
- Match No. 44, round of 16 (30.06, 18:00)
Glasgow
It’s hard to believe but the iconic Hampden Park Stadium, which has previously hosted many European cup finals, will become the arena of the championship event at the national level in 2020 for the first time. Thus, Glasgow also joins the group of rookies among the host cities. Scotland’s largest city was once a thriving commercial and industrial centre. After World War II, it experienced major social challenges, but today it is one of the best places to visit in the British Isles. Among others, it has been called the European Capital of Culture in 1990, and in 2008 it was included in the group of 10 most interesting tourist destinations in the world. Full of stately buildings from the 19th and early 20th centuries, it delights with sites such as the central George Square, the headquarters of Glasgow School of Art, or the Gothic St. Mungo’s Cathedral.
Glasgow is also a city of football. There are two famous teams who play here – Celtic and Rangers – and, of course, it is where Hampden Park is located. This 52,000 stadium is a legendary place for European football. Of all the facilities that will host Euro 2020 matches, probably only Wembley can boast of a richer history. This year, Glasgow, in addition to 3 matches of group D, will also host round of 16. How to get to Hampden Park? At Glasgow Central Station, take the ScotRail train. The Mount Florida stop near Hampden is a 10-minute drive away.
Which Euro 2020 matches will be played at Hampden Park in Glasgow?
- Match No. 8: winner of the C playoff bracket – Czech Republic (15.06, 15:00)
- Match No. 19: Croatia – Czech Republic (19.06, 18:00)
- Match No. 31: Croatia – winner of the C playoff bracket (23.06, 21:00)
- Match No. 43, round of 16 (30.06, 9:00 PM)
Copenhagen
It’s hard to believe that the capital of Denmark has never hosted the finalists of the European Championships. This year, the Euro will finally arrive to Copenhagen, to the Parken Stadium, well known to football fans. Located on the island of Zealand, the city is one of the most pleasant places to live in Europe. What to see in Copenhagen? Both magnificent buildings, such as the town hall or the Christiansborg Palace (seat of parliament), and squares and streets of the city built up with beautiful tenements, with the historic Nyhavn canal at the head, and the modest, but incredibly situated (right by the sea) royal Amalienborg Palace. Copenhagen is also about other attractions, such as the Tivoli Gardens (with one of the oldest amusement parks in the world) or the hippy district of Christiania.
Euro 2020 matches will be played on Parken. This 38,000 stadium is located less than 4 kilometres from the city centre. It is a facility known for hosting matches in European cups, including the Cup Winners’ Cup finals in 1994 and the UEFA Cup (currently the Europa League) in 2000, as well as other events such as the Eurovision Song Contest in 2001. You can reach Parken Stadium from the city centre by the M3 metro line.
Matches that will be played at Parken
- Match No. 3: Denmark – Finland (13.06 at 18:00)
- Match No. 16: Denmark – Belgium (18.06, 18:00)
- Match No. 27: Russia – Denmark (22.06, at 21:00)
- Match No. 42, round of 16 (29.06, 18:00)
London
The capital of Great Britain will host the final of the European Football Championship for the second time in history. The famous Wembley (or rather its previous incarnation) was the Euro arena in 1996. Why is London a city worth visiting? Probably nobody needs an explanation for that. The famous Big Ben and the Parliament building, Tower of London, St. Stephen’s Cathedral and iconic urban views, such as Trafalgar Square are sufficient reasons to visit London and get to know its charms. Even if you are not a fan of exploring monuments or cultural attractions (such as the famous museums, including the British Museum and Tate), it’s worth going there for sport reasons. In the 2019/20 season, the Premier League, which is currently the strongest football league in the world, includes as many as 5 teams from the English capital, amongst them the famous Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
Of course, London is not just about league football! During Euro 2020 it will be the main arena of the championship. Wembley will host 3 matches of group D, or all meetings of the England team in the first round, round of 16 game, both semi-finals and the Euro 2020 final. The iconic stadium will, therefore, be the place where the most, because as many as 7 matches of the European Championships, will be played. From the centre of London, which is traditionally considered Charing Cross, the most convenient way to get to the stadium is by subway via Bakerloo line. The journey takes about 45 minutes.
Euro 2020 matches that will be played at Wembley
- Match No. 7: England – Croatia (14.06, 15:00)
- Match No. 20: England – winner of the C playoff bracket (19.06, 21:00)
- Match No. 32: Czech Republic – England (23.06, 21:00)
- Match No. 37, round of 16 (27.06, 9:00 PM)
- Match No. 49, semi-finals (07.07, 21:00)
- Match No. 50, semi-finals (08.07, 21:00)
- Match No. 51, the final (12.07, 21:00)
Munich
The capital of Bavaria is a city that has repeatedly hosted major football events. It is enough to mention the 1974 World Championships, Euro 1988 or the 2006 World Championships. Munich, known as one of the most beautiful and largest cities in Germany is also a great tourist destination. The historic centre with the magnificent Marienplatz, the breathtaking town hall, the Frauenkirche cathedral, city palaces and residences, and great museums (Old and New Pinakothek) is a paradise for fans of urban climates. You feel like having a break after sightseeing? No problem! Right next to it is the huge Englischer Garten city park, where you can relax after the excitement of admiring Munich.
Munich is also famous for its Bayern football team and well-known stadiums. The Olympic Stadium has not been a football arena for several years, but it still makes a great impression. Allianz Arena is one of the most famous stadiums in Europe. During Euro 2020 it will be one of the major objects of the Championship. This is where group F matches will be played, including the hit struggles between Germany and France (current world champions) and Portugal (European champions). On top of that, Munich will be visited by participants of one of the quarter-final matches. The Bayern Stadium is located on the outskirts of Munich, but you can get there from the city centre via the U6 metro line. Such a journey takes less than 20 minutes.
Here are the Euro 2020 meetings that will be hosted by Allianz Arena
- Match No. 12: France – Germany (16.06, at 21:00)
- Match No. 24: Portugal – Germany (20.06 at 18:00)
- Match No. 36: Germany – winner of the A or D playoff bracket (24.06, at 21:00)
- Match No. 46, quarterfinals (03.07, 21:00)
Rome
The last of the cities of this year’s tournament is Rome. The Italian capital has repeatedly hosted teams playing at championship events. Stadio Olimpico has hosted matches of the 1968 and 1980 European Championships as well as the 1990 World Cup. Should we even convince anyone that it’s worth visiting Rome? The cradle of European civilization, the capital of the ancient world and the city of magnificent monuments. Both those from Roman era, as well as the times of the Colosseum or Roman Forum, and also of when Rome became the seat of popes. The City on the Tiber is full of churches, city palaces and great atmospheric places, such as Trastevere.
We can easily put Stadio Olimpico in rank with Wembley and Hampden Park. The stadium built in the 1930s is home to two famous teams – AS Roma and S.S. Lazio. It owes its name to the 1960 Olympic Games, of which it was the central place. The Roman Olympic Stadium will be the arena of three group A matches (including the opening match) and one quarter-final match. How to get to Stadio Olimpico? From Rome’s main station – Termini, it’s best to take the metro (line A) to Ottaviano station, then change to bus number 32.
Euro 2020 matches that will be played at the Olympic Stadium in Rome
- Match No. 1: Turkey – Italy (12.06 at 21:00)
- Match No. 14: Italy – Switzerland (17.06, at 21:00)
- Match No. 26: Italy – Wales (21.06 at 18:00)
- Match No. 48, quarterfinals (04.07, 9:00 PM)