Euro 2020: Who are Scotland playing, when are the matches taking place, dates and kick-off times
The 15th European Championships had been planned for this summer - but were shifted a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
To mark the competition’s 60th anniversary organisers decided to share it around the entire continent rather than a single base – and that’s still the case despite worldwide Covid-19 restrictions and recent rumours it was heading to Russia.
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Hide AdUEFA refuted that story and are still planning the cross-continental extravaganza – and we’re invited!
Here’s what you need to know...
When are the European Championships?
The tournament kicks off around a year late with Turkey v Italy in the Stadio Olimpico, Rome on Friday, June 11 next year. That’s 211 days away - or little over 5000 hours, not that we’re counting.
From then on it’s a month-long festival of football across the continent until the final on July 11.
Who, and when will Scotland be playing?
Tonight’s play-off final was to decide on the final entrants to Group D with England, Croatia and Czech Republic - and it’s us!
Whereabouts?
We’ll kick off at Hampden against Czech Republic on June 14 - a Monday afternoon - at 2.00 p.m.
After that it’s a trip to Wembley on the Friday, June 18, to face the Auld Enemy, England at 8.00 p.m then back at Hampden for the final match against Croatia on Tuesday, June 22, 8.00 p.m.
Why are we playing major tournament games at Hampden?
Scotland was one of 12 successful applicants to host games in the special continent-wide competition. Hampden was awarded four games - including two of Scotland’s and a match in the knock-out phase. The other cities playing host are Amsterdam, St Petersburg, Dublin, Rome, Munich, Budapest, Copenhagen, Bilbao, Bucharest and Baku in Azerbaijan.
The final will be in London at Wembley.
Are fans allowed?
That’s the big question at the moment. Tickets for all the games have already been allocated and sold, but it might come down to localised restrictions next summer.
Who do we play if we get through the group?
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Hide AdAdmirable optimism here - we’ve only just qualified for the first time in a quarter of a century!
The answer is… it’s complicated.
First and second in the group will qualify, and third might. There’s plenty of permutations for the best-performing third-placed team so we’ll leave you to check that here, but if Scotland can top Group D they’ll play the second placed team in Group F - likely to be Germany, France or Portugal - yikes.
Finishing runners up would send us to Copenhagen to play the second-placed side in group E - Sweden, Spain, Poland, Northern Ireland or Slovakia.
What’s Scotland’s record in European Championships like?
The Tartan Army have only been to two - Euro 92 in Sweden and Euro 96 in England – but though we won a match in each, we’ve never made it out of the groups.
Anything else we should know?
If you’re feeling really confident - in both the team and Covid travel situation - you can book direct flights to London on the day of the final for just £26.