The draw for Euro 2024 will take place in Hamburg (17:00 GMT; 12:00 ET).
The competition, which begins on June 14, will be the first men’s tournament to be held in Germany since the 2006 World Cup.
To get you in the mood, The Athletic has compiled an advisor on the 10 stadiums and cities that will be in use next summer.
Stadium: Olympiastadion
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Capacity: 74,475
Who is it? Hertha Berlin
What is the function of the stadium in Germany?
The usual joke is that it’s cold. In winter, autumn, spring and summer. The Olympiastadion is in the middle of the Olympic Park, so it’s exposed and the area at one end of the field can turn it into a wind tunnel.
The blue court is divisive, but it can satisfactorily frame matches. Hertha filled the stadium, especially after relegation to the second division.
Many of their fans want to move to a new stadium for that reason but, for big occasions, it can generate ungodly noise: see Turkey’s recent 3-2 win over Germany there in November for proof of what its atmosphere can be like.
Forget football, what is the town like?
Berlin is Berlin. It’s the least German of all the German cities and has become a cultural meeting point for all sorts of people, many in exile. What kind of time you have there depends on your reason for visiting — and what you want to do. Big city modernity meets artisanal, alternative weirdness, with everything in between.
Delicacies: The doner kebab. It turns out that the first doner cooked and sold in West Berlin.
Matches being played there: Three group games, one round-of-16 game, a quarter-final and the final.
Stadium: Red Bull Arena
Capacity: 41,500
Who plays there? RB Leipzig
What is the function of the stadium in Germany?
The center of darkness? At least for some. Leipzig is so hated in Germany that it’s hard to separate his country from that reputation. They represent a challenge to the culture of football and that’s why maximum attacks on the Red Bull Arena are made with resentment, or even simply because some fan teams boycott it altogether.
GO DEEPER
Complaining about Manchester City, PSG and Leipzig is usually just jealousy
Architecturally it is an unusual place. The modern Red Bull Arena is built into the superstructure of the former Soviet-era Zentralstadion, with enlarged corridors adjacent to both. As a venue, it’s perfectly fine, even if it smells like Red Bull, but Bundesliga matches are affected by Leipzig’s position. , which has a tendency to cloud the mood.
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Forget about football, what’s the town like?
A position composed of two halves. Leipzig has a concrete, brutalist region, but parts of its center have a striking baroque beauty. It’s not short of luxuries or history, and it’s indeed worth venturing into the surrounding spaces to see where Napoleon defeated at the Battle of the Nations.
In October 1989, Leipzig was the scene of some of the largest protests against the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) before the fall of the Berlin Wall. About 120,000 more people attended, filling the Augustusplatz in the city center. Visiting the square (and the Mende Fountain) is on everyone’s bucket list.
Delicacy: Leipzig goge. A warm, malty and spicy beer.
Matches to be played: Three organization matches and one match of 16.
Stadium: Allianz Arena.
Capacity: 75,000 people.
Who is it? Bayern Munich.
What is the function of the stadium in Germany?
Corporate, but no atmosphere. At big events (like the Champions League) it can look electric.
Overall, the Allianz Arena is still typical of the new-build experience (the good and the bad) and English enthusiasts will find it similar to Wembley. It’s in its own confined domain in the north of the city, so you can’t go there. As kick-off approaches, the most productive thing to do is to spend the long afternoons or mornings leading up to matches in Munich.
Forget football, what is the town like?
Beautiful. Intoxicatingly so. Walking around Munich in the summer can feel like being in a Renaissance painting.
Its center will go through primary reconstruction work before next summer, with the main station completely rebuilt at the maximum. Once this is complete, it will be the jackpot for all the enthusiasts founded there. Bring your wallet, though, as the south is at the maximum. dear region of Germany.
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Munich has a royalty that other German cities don’t have. It also has its own atmosphere, as Bavaria is almost like any other country. Many other people born there are more Bavarians than Germans, especially those from Munich.
Delicacy: Weisswurst. White sausage, usually with bread and mustard. As seen during Harry Kane’s unveiling montage.
Matches played: Four organization matches, one of 16 and one semi-final.
Stadium: MHPArena
Capacity: 60,449
Who is it? Stuttgart
What is the function of the stadium in Germany?
One side of the ground is being renovated, with an entire section of the main stand being rebuilt for the tournament. An existing calling card is the Cannstatter Kurve, though, home to VfB’s Ultras and one of the loudest terraces in the country. UEFA will be strict on pyrotechnics, which will neuter much of that power and dial down the atmosphere, but it’s still a terrific place to watch football.
Forget about football, what’s the town like?
Very southern. Moving between one of the northern cities and somewhere like Stuttgart, through the contrasts it presents, is a reminder of how big Germany is and how different its regions are. Stuttgart will be extremely warm in the summer — pack some shorts — and it has a white-stone aesthetic reminiscent of southern Europe.
There’s also a Mediterranean-style vibe, which suits the long pre-match evenings in front of the city’s cocktail bars and restaurants.
The Swabian region is picturesque and many of its more rural spaces look like fairytale panoramas. If that’s your thing, set aside a day and work out at Hohenzollern Castle. Need convincing? Google it.
Delicacy: Kasespatzle. Noodles, cheese and onions. It’s better than it sounds.
There it was played:
Four matches and a quarter-final.
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Stadium: Volksparkstadion
Capacity: 57,000
Who is it? Hamburg
What is the function of the stadium in Germany?
Like a factory of sadness, given the decline of HSV over the past decade. But the stadium is heavy and noisy. It’s an out-of-town bowl with the kind of upper grades that ensure a decent seat.
It’s also available by exercising within 15 minutes of the city center, and the walk from the nearest exercise station takes enthusiasts through the park, among the trees, and among all kinds of food and music. There’s a statue of Uwe Seeler’s foot in the Outdoors: Seeler died in 2022, but he’s HSV’s smart top scorer and probably the most beloved figure in Hamburg’s sporting history. There’s even some Kevin Keegan artwork scattered around the lobby.
Forget the football, what’s the city like?
Hamburg is the biggest city in the north and was built on the back of heavy industry and the docks remain prominent in the skyline. It’s a wealthy city, too, with plenty of decadence. The Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg’s grand concert hall which will host the tournament draw, is the gleaming symbol of that.
He spends his days drinking, dining or shopping around the Alster, in the city centre, and his evenings in the St Pauli district, which lives at a different pace. Before you do, if you can take care of the heights, climb the more sensible ones of St. Michael’s Church and I appreciate it all.
Delicacy: Fischbrotchen. Literally “fish bread. ” This is, at most, North Sea herring, but it can be cod or salmon with horseradish and onion. Go to the port for this.
Matches being played there: Four group games and one quarter-final.
GO FURTHER
Derby Days in Hamburg: the Stadtderby
Stadium: Signal Iduna Park
Capacity: 82,000
Who? Borussia Dortmund
What is the stadium’s reputation in Germany?
A temple of football. The biggest stadium in Germany and many argue the best. Despite its vast scale, it’s not too shiny, either, and inside it has a raffish, unrefined quality that allows it to be more traditional than many of the modern builds. ‘Die Gelbe Wand’ (The Yellow Wall) — the vast, single-tier south stand — won’t be under the command of its ultras during the tournament, but the roof of the stands slopes down to keep the noise in and that should still ensure a furnace of an atmosphere for one of the semi-finals.
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Forget about football, what’s the town like?
Hard-living, hard-working and hard-partying. Dortmund isn’t pretty or delicate, but it doesn’t pretend to be, either. Unlike quite a few of the stadiums in Germany, the Westfalenstadion is much more central. It’s walkable from the main station — or ‘hauptbahnhof’ — and that route will provide a decent tour of a place where it isn’t difficult to have a good night out.
Try to find time to visit the German Football Museum. If you’ve ever wanted to see Sepp Herberger’s alliance or the penalty spot from where Andreas Brehme scored the winning goal at Italia 90, then this is the place for you.
Delicacy: Currywurst – or taxiteller, which is a dish of currywurst, French fries, mayonnaise, gyros and tzatziki.
Matches played there: Four organization matches, one of 16 and one semi-final.
Stadium: Merkur-Spiel Arena
Capacity: 54,600
Who plays there? Fortuna Dusseldorf
What is the function of the stadium in Germany?
Recently, as the home of a big club that may no longer attract enough fans. Fortuna was a heavyweight in the 1970s, but has fallen to the bottom of the rankings, falling to fourth position just 20 years ago.
They have spent only 3 seasons in the Bundesliga in the last decade and, their stadium has a capacity of more than 50,000 people, their average attendance is more than 28,000.
But the Düsseldorf-Arena is the site of a desirable pilot project. The club aims to sell out in five years and hosted the first of those “Fortune for All” matches in October. Interestingly, more than 50,000 people were in attendance for the 4-3 win over Kaiserslautern, creating a feverish atmosphere.
GO DEEPER
The team is making single tickets and hopes to do so for each and every game five years from now.
Forget about football, what’s the town like?
Cool, fashionable, rich and green. Dusseldorf was rebuilt quickly after the Second World War and some denigrate it for its modern angles and aesthetic. It was the birthplace of synth-pop royalty Kraftwerk. Today, it also has the largest Japanese population in Europe and the food scene is excellent.
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The Altstadt (Old Town) will probably attract maximum fan traffic. It is known as the “longest bar in the world” because it “has more than 260 pubs, nightclubs, and restaurants in one square kilometer. “
Delicacy: Altbier. A foamy, dark beer that some bars in the area still brew on their premises.
Matches being played there: Three group games, one in the round of 16 and a quarter-final.
Stadium: RheinEnergie Stadium
Capacity: 50,000
Who is it? FC Cologne
What is the stadium’s reputation in Germany?
An amazing place. It was built for the 2006 World Cup and its 4 separate stands give it a rather traditional, even English feel. It attracts a lot of tourists during the Bundesliga season. Partly because it’s a very elegant box to watch football and also because the environment is very nice. Express and welcoming to the area. It’s a cliché, but it’s true: Cologne is a glorious part of the world.
Without that spirit and the basic elements of the day – Hennes the Billy Goat, the Mer Stonn zo Dir song, FC Kolle before matches (the club anthem) – it is difficult to know how much of its charm will remain during the tournament. A very appropriate explanation of why to return.
Forget about football, what’s the town like?
Spend time in Cologne and you’ll probably never leave. Many say that Cologne is the most productive city in Germany: for its gastronomy, its way of life and its people. They’re right, too.
Arrive by train if you can, because then you will be greeted by the famous cathedral which looms over the main station. At night, it’s lit up in the dark and offers a spectacular welcome. There is plenty of variety in the nightlife under that steeple, too. The heart of Cologne is a nest of narrow streets and there’s something for everybody — even if your best days are a few years (decades) behind you.
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Whatever happens, make sure — at least once — to wake up early enough to watch the sun rise over the Rhine. Cologne is a beautiful city and it is a magical sight.
Delicacy: Himmel und Erde. “Heaven and Earth”. Mashed potatoes mixed with stewed apples, served with blood sausage. Washed down with Kolsch, which is served by the tray and in small glasses. Careful, though — they are stronger than they look.
Matches played there: Four organization matches and one 16 matches.
Stadium: Veltins-Arena
Capacity: 62,271
Who plays there? Schalke
What is the function of the stadium in Germany?
Charitable, because in recent years everyone has come out on top. Schalke have suffered two relegations in the last 3 seasons and are flirting with someone else in the second division.
Veltins-Arena has a retractable roof, which, when closed, makes it extremely loud and gives the environment a beguiling gravity. And noise. It has excellent sight lines on all sides, so it should be a real asset to the tournament. Getting there is easy, too; there’s a tram that runs straight up from the main station.
Forget the football, what’s the city like?
Gelsenkirchen is suffering a lot. It is a commercial and pragmatic city in the middle of the Ruhr Valley, the engine room of post-war German reconstruction. It is a position of wonderful history and importance, and in recent years it has invested in the preservation of this afterlife and continues to do so.
It may not be possible to fill an Instagram account, but – give it a chance – some of the old mines have been lovingly restored, you have to see the Halde Rheinelbe (for real) and the city is still very true to itself. Go in with an open mind.
Delicacy: Just as in Dortmund: taxiteller.
Matches being played there: Three group games and a round-of-16 tie.
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Stadium: Deutsche Bank Park
Capacity: 51,500
Who? Eintracht Frankfurt
What is the stadium’s reputation in Germany?
Like the country with the fastest music. Of course, it applies to Euro 2024, but the speed between the ball hitting the opponent’s net at the Waldstadion and the “Leichte Kavallerie” echoing off the tannoy is a Bundesliga marvel. world.
It’s another park-based stadium. It also has the distinctive pendulum scoreboard above its centre circle that everybody recognises.
The spaces around the box will thrive before games. There’s plenty of space, which is a smart thing. Inside, Eintracht is regularly subsidized by fierce, ferocious noise, and the stands are tall and rigid, resulting in maintaining that whole atmosphere. under the roof and above the court.
Forget football, what is the town like?
A little local wisdom to get you started. Trains pass through Frankfurt HBF, re-enter, and then have to go back. It’s very strange.
The city is the monetary capital of Germany. For some, being a center of business and wealth prevents Frankfurt from being recognized as a cultural place. It’s not exactly a tourist spot, at least not in the old-fashioned sense, but its proponents argue that cash is helping. generate a colorful music and art scene, even if you have to dig to locate it.
Delicacy: Sausage and green sauce. Sometimes schnitzel. Green sauce is a diced medley of seven different herbs, which are sold by the packet in Frankfurt.
Matches played: Four organization matches and one round of 16 match.
(Top photo: Kristian Skeie – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)