Euro 2024

Euro 2024 today: Who is playing? How to watch? What to look out for?

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 26 June 2024

Sports Mole rounds up everything you need to know about today's Euro 2024 action, including fixtures, predicted lineups, how to watch and the best storylines.

Mere weeks after a gruelling domestic season concluded for the continent's most celebrated talents, 24 teams and over 600 players are now going again with Euro 2024 supremacy at stake.

Only three years have passed since Italy's exhilarating run to glory at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, culminating in their penalty-shootout success over England at Wembley in the final, and the Azzurri are present in Germany to defend their crown after their World Cup 2022 failure.

However, the likes of England, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and hosts Germany are among the leading contenders to dethrone Italy as kings of Europe, where the new continental champions will be crowned in Berlin on July 14.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up everything you need to know about today's Euro 2024 action, including which teams are in action, how to watch and what to keep a particular eye out for.

TODAY'S EURO 2024 FIXTURES

Ukraine's Oleksandr Zinchenko celebrating after goal on June 21, 2024 © Reuters

Slovakia vs. Romania (5pm | Deutsche Bank Park)
Ukraine vs. Belgium (5pm | MHPArena)
Georgia vs. Portugal (8pm | Veltins-Arena)
Czech Republic vs. Turkey (8pm | Volksparkstadion)

Group E and Group F fates shall be decided on Wednesday, with the former section taking precedence at 5pm UK time, where Slovakia and Romania scrap in Frankfurt while Ukraine and Belgium do battle in Stuttgart.

Three hours later, Group F comes to a head when already-qualified Portugal pit their wits against Georgia in Gelsenkirchen, while the Czech Republic and Turkey clash in Hamburg.

TODAY'S PREDICTED LINEUPS AT EURO 2024

Slovakia: Dubravka; Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Schranz, Bozeník, Haraslin
Romania: Nita; Ratiu, Dragusin, Burca, Bancu; R Marin, M Marin, Stanciu; Man, Dragus, Mihaila

Ukraine: Trubin; Tymchyk, Zabarnyi, Matvienko, Mykolenko; Sudakov, Zinchenko, Shaparenko; Yarmolenko, Dovbyk, Mudryk
Belgium: Casteels; Castagne, Faes, Vertonghen, Theate; Tielemans, Onana; Doku, De Bruyne, Trossard; Lukaku

Georgia: Mamardashvili; Kverkveliya, Kashia, Dvali; Kakabadze, Mekvabishvili, Kochorashvili, Tsitaishvili; Davitashvili, Kvaratskhelia; Mikautadze
Portugal: Costa; Semedo, A Silva, Dias, Cancelo; Neves, Palhinha; B Silva, Fernandes, Felix; Ronaldo

Czech Republic: Stanek; Holes, Hranac, Krejci; Coufal, Soucek, Provod, Doudera; Barak, Hlozek; Chytil
Turkey: Bayindir; Muldur, Demiral, Ayhan, Kadioglu; Yuksek, Calhanoglu; Akturkoglu, Guler, Yildiz; Yilmaz

HOW TO WATCH TODAY'S EURO 2024 ACTION

Ukraine's clash with Belgium can be watched live on BBC One, while Slovakia and Romania's contest will be shown live on BBC Two; coverage of the former game runs from 4.30pm until 7.10pm, while the latter can be viewed from 4.45pm to 7.05pm. Both will also be shown on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport Website.

Later on, Georgia vs. Portugal is live on ITV1 and STV - as well as the ITVX and STV Player streaming services - from 7.15pm to 10.30pm, while the Czech Republic vs. Turkey is shown on ITV4 and ITVX from 7.15pm until 10.05pm.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN TODAY'S EURO 2024 MATCHES

Slovakia vs. Romania

Romania's Bogdan Racovitan, Andrei Ratiu and teammates celebrate after the match on June 17, 2024 © Reuters

For the first time in European Championship history, all four sides in one group sit on three points after two matches, meaning that anything is still possible in section E, where Romania currently lead the way and Slovakia sit third.

Both sides are safe in the knowledge that their fate lies in their own hands, although they missed the chance to wrap up an early qualification with respective losses on matchday two to the pre-tournament Group E favourites.

Not since Euro 2000 have Romania managed to escape the group stages, but they will need to have their wits about them when Ivan Schranz is around; the Slavia Prague winger has scored in both of Slovakia's Euro 2024 contests so far.

Ukraine vs. Belgium

Ukraine's Oleksandr Zinchenko celebrating after goal on June 21, 2024 © Reuters

Facing more or less the same permutations as Slovakia and Romania, Ukraine and Belgium also know that they will be safely through to the knockout stages with victory in their evening kickoff, even though the Blue and Yellow sit bottom of the section due to an inferior goal difference.

Look for a potential return for the fit-again Vitaliy Mykolenko on the left-hand side of defence, which would push Oleksandr Zinchenko back into his recognisable central position for his country.

Meanwhile, Belgium just need to avoid defeat on Wednesday to guarantee their last-16 place, although they must do so without attacker Dodi Lukebakio, suspended for a totting-up of yellow cards.

Georgia vs. Portugal

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo pictured on June 22, 2024 © Reuters

The Gelsenkirchen contests pits the group winners against the basement battlers, as Portugal will finish first no matter what happens at the Veltins-Arena, although Georgia's hopes of a maiden knockout appearance are not totally dead in the water.

Indeed, the Crusaders will qualify either in second place or as one of the best third-placed outfits if they triumph, although they may have to best a record-chasing Cristiano Ronaldo if they are to achieve the desired outcome.

The former Real Madrid star is still waiting for the goal that would make him the oldest-ever scorer at the men's Euros, a feat that erstwhile teammate Luka Modric achieved only a couple of nights ago.

Czech Republic vs. Turkey

Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella on June 22, 2024 © Reuters

Despite the manner of their shocking defeat to Portugal on matchday two, Turkey are sitting pretty in second place with three points to their name, and the only scenario in which they will not qualify is if they lose and Georgia shock Portugal.

Meanwhile, the one-point Czechs must win if they are to go through in second or third spot - a draw will not be enough - but there is untimely concern over the fitness of star striker Patrik Schick.

Turkey's defence should still come under siege either way, as Abdulkerim Bardakci is suspended, while the luckless Samet Akaydin appeared to injure his ribs against Portugal following his comical own goal.

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY AT EURO 2024?

Austria's Marcel Sabitzer celebrates scoring their third goal on June 25, 2024 © Reuters

Groups C and D came to a head in Tuesday's quadruple-header, and a surprise was sprung in the latter section, where Austria stunned the Netherlands in a 3-2 spectacular to top the group with six points to their name.

Das Team will therefore be taking on the Group F runner-up in the next round and forced France - who could only draw 1-1 with Poland - to settle for second and a date with the still unknown Group E runner-up in the last 16.

Later in the evening, the forgettable Group C ended without a single defence being breached in England's goalless draw with Slovenia and Denmark's drab affair with Serbia, although the former three sides are all in the knockout draw.

The tepid Three Lions topped the group to earn a date with the third-placed side of Groups D - the Netherlands - or Group E, while the Danes must play Germany on account of finishing second, and the Slovenians went wild after reaching their inaugural knockout match in third place.