We are now only a week away from a solid month of international football. That's four weeks of pulling sickies, 'working from the pub' and trying to decide who has the smarter away kit; Belgium, Spain or Italy. It's been two long years since the World Cup in Brazil and we're more than ready to drown our sorrows in an ocean of cheap continental lager on the floor of a Wetherspoons when England are eliminated on penalties at the quarter-final stage.
The 15th edition of UEFA's international showcase will kick off next Friday, when host nation France entertain Romania at the Stade de France and the tournament will be the biggest European Championships yet, with the number of teams being increased from 16 to 24.
While the expansion of the tournament hasn't exactly made UEFA many new friends, with many believing the old format was perfect, it does provide several nations with an opportunity to shine on the biggest stage, which they may not have had under the previous incarnation and, let's face it, no football fan is going to turn their nose up at more matches to watch during the Summer.
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So, to whet your collective appetites, only a week ahead of the championships kicking off, here are the stadia where Europe's biggest international tournament will be won and lost.
Allianz Riviera, Nice. Attendance: 36,000
Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens. Attendance: 35,000
(Credit: stadiumdb.com)
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Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, St. Etienne. Attendance: 41,500
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Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux. Attendance: 42,000
Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille. Attendance: 50,000
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Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse. Attendance: 35,472
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(Credit: info-stades.fr)
Grand Stade OL/Stade des Lumières, Lyon. Attendance: 58,000
(Credit: FootballTripper.com)
Stade Vélodrome, Marseille. Attendance: 67,000
(credit: UEFA Euro Facebook)
Stade de France, Saint-Denis. Attendance: 80,000
Parc des Princes, Paris. Attendance: 48,527
Seven days and counting...
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