DK
GB
EU
FR-BE
HU
IT
NL
PL
RO
SESeveral spectacular stadiums have been picked for this summer’s exciting 2024 European Championship finals, including the RheinEnergieStadion in the beautiful city of Cologne. The venue will host five games during the championship.
Cologne is the largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the fourth most populous in Germany. Several important matches will be held at the RheinEnergieStadion, including England’s final group game against Slovenia. The anticipation for the start of the tournament is reaching fever pitch, and the 17th edition of the European Championship will be a footballing spectacle.
Key Facts About the European Championships 2024 Arena in Cologne
The Cologne venue is one of ten picked to host European Championship matches in 2024. World Cup fixtures have been held at the ground before, and the RheinEnergieStadion was reconstructed ahead of the 2006 tournament in Germany.
It was formerly known as the Mungersdorfer Stadium and was built on the site of the previous two stadiums with the same name. During the Euro Cup in 2024, the venue will officially be known as the Cologne Stadium.
The original arena was built way back in 1923, with construction work beginning two years earlier. It was demolished between 2001 and 2003 and rebuilt from the ground up in 2004. The previous version held games from the 1988 European Championships.
The stadium is home to Cologne, who ply their trade in the German Bundesliga. The club was founded 75 years ago and has spent many years in the top tier of German football. They were promoted at the end of the 2018-19 campaign and have stayed in the Bundesliga ever since.
Cologne have been German top-flight champions twice, winning the division in 1964 and 1978. The Billy Goats have won the second tier four times and have been DFB-Pokal winners on four occasions. They were also runners-up in Europe’s second club competition in the 1985-86 season.
The RheinEnergieStadion has witnessed many high-profile football fixtures over the years. World Cup matches took place at the venue in 2006, and games from the 2005 Confederations Cup were also held in Cologne. The stadium hosted the 2020 Europa League final, though the match was played behind closed doors.
Local energy company RheinEnergie holds the naming rights for the stadium, so the ground for the Europa League final in 2020 was officially known as Stadion Koln. Sevilla and Inter Milan played out a thriller, with the Spanish side picking up a 3-2 win on German soil.
Along with being one of Germany’s best football stadiums, the RheinEnergieStadion has also been used for various other events. Ice hockey and American Football games have taken place at the venue, as well as a whole host of music concerts.
Cologne is the main city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the locals cannot wait to welcome Euro Championship supporters from all over Europe. There is plenty to do in the city, such as visiting the Cologne Cathedral and the Cologne Triangle.
The RheinEnergieStadion is a fantastic arena, and the city of Cologne is vibrant. Therefore, the stadium will no doubt be a terrific host during the 2024 European Championship finals.
Seating Capacity at the RheinEnergieStadion
The RheinEnergieStadion holds around 50,000 spectators for regular league matches. Germany has allowed safe standing for years, and there is a standing terrace at the bottom of the South Stand.
However, standing is not permitted during international matches, so the stadium capacity for the 2024 Cup is cut to 49,000. There will be six stadiums with higher attendances at the European Championship, including Berlin’s Olympiastadion, which will host the final.
Despite Cologne frequently suffering relegation to the second tier in recent times, the stadium’s attendance has remained solid. The club has averaged 40-50,000 for home matches.
The German national team frequently uses the stadium, and they have an excellent record in Cologne. The first international match at the venue took place in November 1927, with Germany drawing 2-2 with Netherlands. Thousands of fans packed into the arena that day, and there were 75,000 spectators present for the first post-war game between Nuremberg and Kaiserslautern.
There are bigger and more impressive 2024 European Championship venues, but the unique structure of the stadium will allow for a great atmosphere, and the RheinEnergieStadion will be just as loud and atmospheric as the other nine during the tournament.
European Championship 2024 Matches to be Held in Cologne
In total, five European Championship matches will be held in Cologne. Switzerland will play twice at the RheinEnergieStadion, while Home Nations Scotland and England will also use the stadium for group matches.
The first 2024 European Championship fixture to take place at the venue will be the Hungary vs Switzerland matchup in Group A on June 15th. It will be the second fixture of the tournament after the opening game in Munich between Germany and Scotland the day before.
Switzerland will stay in Cologne for their second matchup of the championships. This time, the Swiss face Steve Clarke’s Scotland at the RheinEnergieStadion on June 19th. Switzerland will already be through to the knockouts by the time they play Germany if they win their two matches in Cologne.
As you would expect, the Germans are the strong favourites to go through in Group A, though the battle for the other automatic qualification place could go to the wire. First and foremost, the Scots will be looking for a top-two finish, although third place could turn out to be enough.
The RheinEnergieStadion will also host one game from Group E. Belgium and Romania will lock horns in Cologne on June 22nd. The Belgians are big favourites to win the group, while Romania and Slovakia are set to battle it out for second. The play-off Path B winner will also feature in Group E.
England kick off their European Championship campaign with a game against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on June 16th. The Three Lions are looking to start their tournament with three points at Arena AufSchalke.
Gareth Southgate’s boys then take on Denmark at Waldstadion in Frankfurt in game two. These two squared off in the semi-finals of the 2020 edition, with the English nicking it in extra time. The Danes will be out for revenge, and these two nations are the strongest in Group C.
The England fans will travel in their numbers to Cologne for their nation’s final group fixture of the tournament on June 25th. The Three Lions will go up against Slovenia at the RheinEnergieStadion. They could be through already, but England will want maximum points in Cologne regardless.
The English have played a major tournament game at this venue before. In 2006, they met Sweden in the group stage of the World Cup. There were 45,000 spectators in the arena, and the two teams played out a thrilling 2-2 draw. The Round of 16 game between Switzerland and Ukraine also took place at the RheinEnergieStadion.
All four group matches in Cologne will be exciting, and the city will play a big part in both Scotland and England’s campaigns. Switzerland have two matches at the RheinEnergieStadion, while Belgium play at the arena once.
The RheinEnergieStadion will also host one of the eight Round of 16 matches this summer. The winners of Group B will play one of the best third-place teams from A, D, E, or F. Group B is the “Group of Death”, with Spain, Croatia, and Italy battling for the top spot. Albania could cause one or two problems along the way, too.
Betting on Football 2024 Matches at the RheinEnergieStadion with Unibet
This year’s European Championship is wide open in the betting. Germany will fancy their chances on home soil, while the likes of England, France, Spain, and Portugal have been tipped to go far on German soil.
The hosts get the tournament up and running with a Group A matchup against Scotland on June 14th. Three points in Munich will set the Germans up nicely. They have already won this tournament three times and have been losing finalists on three occasions.
England had their best European Championship tournament a few years ago. Southgate’s side went all the way to the final, losing out to Italy in the penalty shootout. The English have not won a major tournament since the World Cup in 1966.
Here at Unibet, you can bet on every single England game, including the matchup against Slovenia in Cologne on June 25th. There will be competitive odds for all four group matches taking place at the RheinEnergieStadion as well as the Round of 16 tie on June 30th.
France are another team to watch out for in the 2024 edition. The French have reached the last two World Cup finals and have been European champions on two occasions. Can the 2022 World Cup runners-up lift the European trophy this summer?
Spain have been disappointing in the last few major tournaments, but you can never rule out the Spaniards. Italy will be desperate to keep hold of their crown, while Portugal, the 2016 winners, could be strong once again.
The 2024 version of the European Championships will be special, and Cologne will host several important group matches and the first knockout tie. The city will be alive throughout the tournament, and the stadium will be bouncing for all five 2024 Euro Cup fixtures.
