The competition, in its first phase, will take place in twelve different countries. This influences the future composition of the groups in which the teams will be divided.
From what we understand, the matches will play well at eleven against eleven and the ball will always be round. For the rest … If football is a very simple sport to practice, it is a little less to organize. This is evidenced by the conditions for participation in Euro 2020 and the distribution of teams in the competition.
For the first time in sixteen editions, the competition will be held in twelve different countries – as many countries as there are stars on the European flag – from 12 June to 12 July.
Originally, it is a desire to celebrate the sixty years of the event. "It's a beautiful symbol, but we will not do it again, according to Aleksander Ceferin. This creates organizational problems: different legislations, and the euro is not the currency of all countries. "
The Slovenian President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) explained it as early as 2017 on a daily basis L'Equipe, way of take away from the idea of his predecessor, the former No. 10 Blues, Michel Platini.
The event will always include 24 teams, as in the 2016 edition in France. One difference, however: no team from the Euro 2020 host countries has obtained an ex officio qualification, each of them having to do so in the field.
The multiplicity of cities where the matches will take place also implies a sign and a first division: if it qualifies for the competition, any host country will have to play at least two home matches.
In other words, Italy is already promised to Group A (which will take place in Rome … and in Baku, Azerbaijan); Russia, in Group B, planned in St. Petersburg, as well as in Copenhagen; England, in Group D, which the city of London will host with Glasgow, just as it will host the semi-finals and the final; Spain, to Group F, to be held in both Bilbao and Dublin.
A question of hat
Six countries had already qualified before the matches of 14 November: Italy, Russia and Spain, but also Belgium, Poland and Ukraine. Thursday, at the end of the penultimate day of the playoffs, four teams have just joined them: France, Turkey, England and the Czech Republic.
Remains an uncertainty for the Blues, world champions and vice-champions of Europe in title: what position will they be at the time of the draw of the Euro, Saturday, November 30, in Bucharest? And so, which opponents will they be able to face or not?
Sunday, November 17, France will move to Albania for a final match. If she retains the head of group H qualifiers (in front of Turkey), it will find itself in one of the first two hats of the draw, depending on the number of points obtained: the ideal to avoid the most serious opponents. But in case of second place in the playoffs, the Blues could just as well be in the second hat … or in the third or fourth.
With this additional uncertainty: on November 30, only 20 of the 24 teams of the Euro will be known. The other four will have to win their place at the roadblocks played in March, by virtue of their previous performances in another competition, the League of Nations. If the players meet there …
