France is without a doubt one of the biggest favorites to win the European Championships in football this summer. They went through the qualification in an impressive way in which they won all their matches except for a draw against Greece. Not only did they impress, but they won twice against the Netherlands, the team considered to be their hardest opponent during the group stage of Euro 2024. Would you like to cheer for the French gentlemen during the tournament? Would you like to cheer at a bar in Paris, or are you considering traveling to Germany to see some of the matches at the different stadiums? Here you have lots of ideas, information, and advice!
France will play three matches during the group stage of Euro 2024. The first match is on June 17 against Austria, then against the Netherlands on June 21, and finally against Poland on June 25.
As France played against the Netherlands during the qualification rounds for the tournament, they won the first match 4-0 after two goals scored by Mbappe, one by Griezmann, and one by Upamecano. The same players will likely be on the field, and knowing that Mbappe scored twice in the second match between the teams, makes me believe that he is a striker who likes to play against the Netherlands and that Virgil van Dijk and Matthijs de Ligt will be eager to stop the French attacker during the European Championship in football this summer.
How and where to cheer for the French team during the European Championships in football this summer?
In Paris!
Would you like to watch the matches with hundreds or possibly thousands of others in Paris? Are there any public locations where you can watch the matches outdoors? There will be pubs and bars showing the matches, but we do not know about public squares or locations that will have big screens available for anyone to use. The problem is that the Summer Olympics is arranged later this summer and a lot of focus is on that event. UEFA also has very strict rules regarding showing the matches in public, and it requires a lot of security because having hundreds and possibly thousands of people gathered outdoors in an open area to watch a football match causes an immediate fear of terrorist attacks.
In other words, the best way to watch the matches from the European Championships in football in Paris is at a sports pub or bar somewhere in the city.
There are lots of them, and you can always ask in the reception of your hotel for advice. But to help you out, here you have a few names of places where you can watch the different matches on big screens during the tournament.
- Auld Alliance
- The Belushi’s
- The Harp Bar
- The Long Hop
- The Café Odilon
- The Bombardier
Do not forget to book a table in advance if you want to be sure to get a free seat in any of these bars.
In your hotel room or apartment!
Another option is to find a TV in your hotel room or apartment and watch the different matches there. There are two networks responsible for showing the different matches from the European championships in France and those are M6 and TF1. Both channels are available online and in most hotels and apartments across the country, so a good option is to start the TV and look through the channels until you find the matches you are looking for.
If you don’t have a TV but would like to stream the matches online, then you can stream the matches on TF1 for free online at https://www.tf1.fr/ and at https://www.6play.fr/. This only works if you are located in France. Suppose you want to stream the matches in some other country. In that case, there is a detailed guide describing how you can stream every match from the European Championships in football live at the Hungarian TV Channel M4 Sports in the Budapest Guide.
But, do not forget that France is located at a central location in Europe. Would it be a crazy thing to travel from Paris to the different locations where France will play during the championship?
At the different stadiums in Germany!
France will play its opening match against Austria in the city of Düsseldorf on June 17. What do we know about Düsseldorf? It is a city with more than 600,000 inhabitants and a very nice football stadium. The distance between Paris and Düsseldorf is exactly 500km, meaning that you can get from one city to the other in 5 1/2 hours according to Google. Do not forget that you also need time to park your car and to get to the stadium etc, but if you are fantastic, then it is definitely possible.
Another option is to extend your trip to France by spending some time in Metz or Reims. These magnificent cities are located closer to Germany, meaning that the ride from either Reims or Metz to Düsseldorf is shorter and faster.
The second match is against the Netherlands on June 21. That match will be played in Leipzig which is further away from the border than Düsseldorf. In other words, it is a longer ride, and making it more complicated to travel from Paris to watch the match. The distance is almost double compared to the distance between Paris and Düsselford, meaning it is almost 1000km between the two cities. Leipzig has a fantastic Christmas market before Christmas, but traveling 1000km only to watch France play against the Netherlands might be a lot for most of us.
The third match France will play is against Poland on June 25; they will travel to Dortmund this time. That city is closer to the border, but still far from Paris. The distance is about 575km, and it should take approximately 6 1/2 hours by car. One advantage here is that you get to experience the fantastic stadium of Borussia Dortmund, but the city of Dortmund itself isn’t the most special on earth.
Are you planning for France to win the tournament? The final will be played at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, which is even further away from the border and from Paris. The distance is 1040km and you will spend more than 11 hours in your car if you drive between Paris and Berlin for this purpose.
The cheapest and easiest solution is probably to watch the matches in your hotel room, but another great option is to find a sports pub in Paris where you can watch the different matches.
Cheer for France with the rest of us, and let us hope that Mbappe, Griezmann, Dembele, and all the others can bring success to France once again!
