This summer’s Euros is the first to ever be played cross-continent, with 11 cities playing host to some of the greatest names in the game.
Initially billed as a tournament that would allow countries not usually in the reckoning to play host, it’s potential for success has undoubtedly been marred by the COVID-19 crisis that continues to wreak havoc across Europe. Some hosts have been better than others, and some stadiums are unlikely to host a major UEFA event again anytime soon.
We’ve taken a look at how each host has fared so far in the ultimate roadshow for European football…
Amsterdam – Johan Cruijff ArenA
- Netherlands 3-2 Ukraine, Group C
- Netherlands 2-0 Austria, Group C
- North Macedonia 0-3 Netherlands, Group C
- Wales 0-4 Denmark, Round of 16
A truly iconic European arena, the recently named Johan Cruijff ArenA delivered the goods when it came to the football, delivered largely by a partisan Dutch crowd. Ukraine gave the hosts a huge scare, and Denmark’s destruction of Wales meant the stadium saw 14 goals in just four games. Wales’ Chris Gunter though wasn’t shy in giving his thoughts on the “joke set up of a tournament” which meant there were no Welsh fans in Amsterdam. That said, we’re giving close to full marks for the efforts of the Johan Cruijff ArenA – mainly for the continuing incredible support Dutch fans put in to find something - anything - orange to wear when following their team.
Baku – Olympic Stadium
- Wales 1-1 Switzerland, Group A
- Turkey 0-2 Wales, Group A
- Switzerland 3-1 Turkey, Group A
Still to play:
- Czech Republic v Denmark, Quarter-Final
Of all the host cities in this tournament, Baku continues to baffle fans (and players) as to why it was chosen. For a continent famed for its connectivity, Baku is at the furthest reaches of Europe. Not only that, the Olympic Stadium (which has never hosted an Olympic Games, by the way) is exactly that – built for athletics. It’s a well-known fact that very few stadiums with running tracks accommodate football to any degree of success. Just shy of 9,000 spectators saw Wales v Switzerland on day two of the tournament in this mega-dome, and one suspects that even if COVID-19 restrictions weren’t in place the number wouldn’t have been much different. It was an absolute travesty of a decision to host games here, especially for the few Czech and Danish fans who’ll be in attendance this weekend. Not for me, Clive.
Bucharest - Arena Națională
- Austria 3-1 North Macedonia, Group C
- Ukraine 2-1 North Macedonia, Group C
- Ukraine 0-1 Austria, Group C
- France 3-3 Switzerland (Switzerland win on penalties 5-4), Round of 16, Group C
Along with Baku, Bucharest is the only stadium not to host its home country at this tournament. This however, unlike Baku, is a proper football stadium. It sits in the middle of its city like a grand cathedral, catching the Eastern European sun from all angles. It’s giant LCD screen suspends from the sky, reminding football fans of a certain vintage of Gelsenkirchen Stadium in 2006. Bucharest’s group games saw 10,000 people watch fairly routine victories for Austria and Ukraine, but the 22,000 who were there to witness Switzerland’s famous penalty shoot-out win over world champions France saw an all-time classic. It also saw an absolute peach curl into the top corner from Manchester United’s Paul Pogba. For this alone Bucharest shoots up the Euro 2020 stadium rankings. A must-visit.
Budapest – Puskas Arena
- Hungary 0-3 Portugal, Group F
- Hungary 1-1 France, Group F
- Portugal 2-2 France, Group F
- Netherlands 0-2 Czech Republic, Round of 16
Arguably the finest stadium on show at this summer’s Euros, the Puskas Arena was completed in 2019 and built for the big occasion. It also enjoyed being at full capacity for all four of its games, something no other stadium at the tournament can boast. The site of 55,000 people enjoying a game of football in Europe for the first time in 18 months has been a sight to behold – the hosts clearly playing a major part in the spectacle. The 2-2 draw between Portugal and France was end to end fun, Hungary earning a well-deserved point against France ensured one of the best atmospheres of the tournament so far, and the Czech Republic’s shock win over the Netherlands blew their half of the draw wide open. A brilliant, brilliant football stadium. Bravo.
Copenhagen – Parken Stadium
- Denmark 0-1 Finland, Group B
- Denmark 1-2 Belgium, Group B
- Russia 1-4 Denmark, Group B
- Croatia 3-5 Spain (AET), Round of 16
Whatever happens throughout the rest of this tournament, its defining image will be that of a brave Denmark team forming a protective circle around team-mate Christen Eriksen who was receiving life-saving CPR on the pitch. The football, no matter how fun, has seemed trivial since this point. The fact the Danes find themselves in the quarter-finals from this point is the story of the tournament so far. Perhaps inspired by their now-recovering-at-home talisman, all three of Denmark’s games in Copenhagen were backed with some of the most intense and intimidating noise heard this summer. Then to play host to the game of the tournament so far – Spain’s extra-time win over Croatia – ensures that Parken Stadium will go down as a Euro 2020 classic venue. It’s four separate stands also make it a stadium for the purists. Excellence all round.
Glasgow – Hampden Park
- Scotland 0-2 Czech Republic, Group D
- Croatia 1-1 Czech Republic, Group D
- Croatia 3-1 Scotland, Group D
- Sweden 1-2 Ukraine (AET), Round of 16
An historic stadium in need of a major upgrade, Hampden has been the one stadium this tournament to really lack its home support. Scotland’s return to major international competition deserved a full Hampden, instead it had to make do with just over 9,000 fans for both of Scotland’s ‘home’ fixtures, and a measly 5,000 when Croatia took on Czech Republic. Though not strictly an athletics stadium, the distance of the stands from the pitch can often be overcome when there are 50,000 screaming members of the Tartan Army in attendance. This time though, the atmosphere was as miserable as the grey clouds that hang over Glasgow. Callum McGregor’s equaliser versus Croatia – Scotland’s first tournament goal in 23 years – was a moment to saviour, as was the wonder goal from the halfway line from Czech Republic’s Patrik Schick. Hampden, however, is a microcosm of Scotland’s place in the football world order – once great, now almost forgotten.
London – Wembley Stadium
- England 1-0 Croatia, Group D
- England 0-0 Scotland, Group D
- Czech Republic 0-1 England, Group D
- Italy 2-1 Austria (AET), Round of 16
- England 2-0 Germany, Round of 16
Still to play:
- Semi-Final 1
- Semi-Final 2
- Final
Fourteen years after it opened, the new Wembley finally had it’s first ‘moment’ when over 40,000 fans saw England beat Germany at a major tournament for the first time since 1966. For a stadium not famed for its ability to generate and maintain atmosphere, the noise on Tuesday night was more representative of a full house rather than half capacity. England’s routine wins over Croatia and Czech Republic didn’t set the pulses running, and the goalless draw versus Scotland was a fixture deserving of a full house and vocal away support. Wembley is big, perhaps too big, but with both semi-finals and the final to come with 60,000 fans in attendance, the £800m stadium that sits below the arch is primed for something glorious.
Munich – Allianz Arena
- France 1-0 Germany, Group F
- Portugal 2-4 Germany, Group F
- Germany 2-2 Hungary, Group F
Still to play:
- Belgium v Italy, Quarter-Final
If there’s one country in the world that knows how to build a football stadium, it’s Germany. Debuted at the 2006 World Cup, the Allianz Arena is one of the cathedrals of the modern game with its huge, imposing stands that tower over the pitch. As host to the Group of Death, plus a mouth-watering quarter-final on Friday, the fixtures played out in Bavaria these last couple of weeks have been befitting of a Colosseum-like venue. World and European champions, a recovering home side, a plucky underdog, and now the favourites for the Euro 2020 crown. Tournament organisers and the fixture list have given those lucky enough in Munich to have tickets to a real treat. Want to know the best bit? We get to do it all again in three years’ time when Germany host Euro 2024, and this time with a full house.
Rome – Stadio Olimpico
- Turkey 0-3 Italy, Group A
- Italy 3-0 Switzerland, Group A
- Italy 1-0 Wales, Group A
Still to play:
- Ukraine v England, Quarter-Final
The one stadium with a running track that can host football without a glitch, the Stadio Olimpico is a rare, rare beast in European football. Perhaps its history of hosting classic AS Roma and Lazio fixtures, Champions League finals and its part in Italia ’90 have a part to play in that. The sight of an Italian team in full flight remains one of the great sites in football, and despite only 12,000 fans being able to attend their fixtures, three straight Italian wins in Rome have ensured this arena’s legacy will live on for a while yet. Of course, it will become a very special place in the hearts of England fans if they overcome Ukraine in their quarter-final on Saturday.
Seville – Estadio de La Cartuja
- Spain 0-0 Sweden, Group E
- Spain 1-1 Poland, Group E
- Slovakia 0-5 Spain, Group E
- Belgium 1-0 Portugal, Round of 16
Originally due to be hosted in Bilbao, Seville was a late change of city for the Spanish leg of this European roadshow following COVID-19 guidance. Like its counterpart in Baku, this 60,000 capacity stadium is surrounded by a running track which doesn’t lend itself to a fun atmosphere when only 11,000 fans are in the stands. Spain’s 5-0 destruction of Slovakia at least gave home fans something to cheer about, and Belgium’s slender win over reigning champions Portugal did deliver in terms of quality – just probably more so for the people watching from the comfort of their own home. One imagines taking the games to the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium (Sevilla) or the Estadio Benito Villamarin (Real Betis) would have been more fun for everyone involved. It all just felt very impersonal.
St Petersburg - Gazprom Arena
- Belgium 3-0 Russia, Group B
- Poland 1-2 Slovakia, Group E
- Finland 0-1 Russia, Group B
- Sweden 1-0 Slovakia, Group E
- Finland 0-2 Belgium, Group B
- Sweden 3-2 Poland, Group E
Still to play:
- Switzerland v Spain, Quarter Final
The most used stadium in the tournament after Wembley, the Gazprom Arena, as it’s known, was awarded an additional three Group E fixtures when Dublin pulled out of hosting its games earlier this year – the stadium’s success at the 2018 FIFA World Cup surely playing a part in this. Rising out of Russian soil like something from Lord of The Rings, this arena is without doubt one of the finest in Europe. A Russia win over Finland, and five-goal thriller between Sweden and Poland, meant an exciting group phase for locals. However, this week’s quarter-final between pass-masters Spain and French-conquerors Switzerland has all the makings of a classic.
