European Soccer Championships Returning To U.S. Network TV In 2020

Patrick Hipes

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The quadrennial UEFA European soccer championships will air on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 next year, marking the first time that the sport’s arguably most prestigious tournament will air on network TV in the U.S. since 2008.

The trio of Disney-owned networks will air more than 140 live hours and 51 matches of Euro 2020, which kicks off June 12 in Rome with Turkey against Italy. The final is set for July 12 at Wembley Stadium in London.

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ABC will broadcast five matches beginning June 13 with FIFA’s No. 1 ranked team Belgium vs. Russia from St. Petersburg, followed by a pair of Round of 16 games June 27-28 and a quarterfinal July 4. ESPN will air 39 matches, and ESPN2 six. All games will be streamed live on the ESPN and ABC apps. The cable networks’ games will feature a 30-minute pregame show, with Euro Tonight airing at the end of each matchday.

Games will be played in 12 countries — the Netherlands, Azerbaijan, Spain, Romania, Hungary, Denmark, Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany, Italy and Russia — in celebration of the tournament’s 60th year.

Portugal won Euro 2016 and returns to defend its title led by global star Cristiano Ronaldo, topping a list of national teams that comprise 20 of the top 55 in the FIFA rankings — including the past four World Cup winners (France, Germany, Spain and Italy). Many believe the Euro championship is the world’s most competitive tournament besting even the World Cup; the 2020 group of death, for example, already sports Portugal, France and Germany.

Here’s the Euro 2020 schedule, with four final group slots to be filled via playoff. Check back as the networks update which game airs where (all times PT).

GROUP PLAY

Friday, June 12
Group A: Turkey v Italy (noon, Rome)

Saturday, June 13
Group A: Wales v Switzerland (6 AM, Baku)
Group B: Denmark v Finland (9 AM, Copenhagen)
Group B: Belgium v Russia (noon, St Petersburg)

Sunday, June 14
Group D: England v Croatia (6 AM, London)
Group C: Austria v Playoff winner D or A (9 AM, Bucharest)
Group C: Netherlands v Ukraine (noon, Amsterdam)

Monday, June 15
Group D: Playoff winner C v Czech Republic (6 AM, Glasgow)
Group E: Poland v Playoff winner B (9 AM, Dublin)
Group E: Spain v Sweden (noon, Bilbao)

Tuesday, June 16
Group F: Playoff winner A or D v Portugal (9 AM, Budapest)
Group F: France v Germany (noon, Munich)

Wednesday, June 17
Group B: Finland v Russia (6 AM, St Petersburg)
Group A: Turkey v Wales (9 AM, Baku)
Group A: Italy v Switzerland (noon, Rome)

Thursday, June 18
Group C: Ukraine v Playoff winner D or A (6 AM, Bucharest)
Group B: Denmark v Belgium (9 AM, Copenhagen)
Group C: Netherlands v Austria (noon, Amsterdam)

Friday, June 19
Group E: Sweden v Playoff winner B (6 AM, Dublin)
Group D: Croatia v Czech Republic (9 AM, Glasgow)
Group D: England v Playoff winner C (noon, London)

Saturday, June 20
Group F: Playoff winner A or D v France (6 AM, Budapest)
Group F: Portugal v Germany (9 AM, Munich)
Group E: Spain v Poland (noon, Bilbao)

Sunday, June 21
Group A: Italy v Wales (9 AM, Rome)
Group A: Switzerland v Turkey (9 AM, Baku)

Monday, June 22
Group C: Playoff winner D or A v Netherlands (9 AM, Amsterdam)
Group C: Ukraine v Austria (9 AM, Bucharest)
Group B: Russia v Denmark (noon, Copenhagen)
Group B: Finland v Belgium (noon, St Petersburg)

Tuesday, June 23
Group D: Czech Republic v England (noon, London)
Group D: Croatia v Playoff winner C (noon, Glasgow)

Wednesday, June 24
Group E: Playoff winner B v Spain (9 AM, Bilbao)
Group E: Sweden v Poland (9 AM, Dublin)
Group F: Germany v Playoff winner A or D (noon, Munich)
Group F: Portugal v France (noon, Budapest)

ROUND OF 16

Saturday, June 27
1: 2A v 2B (9 AM, Amsterdam)
2: 1A v 2C (noon, London)

Sunday, June 28
3: 1C v 3D/E/F (9 AM, Budapest)
4: 1B v 3A/D/E/F (noon, Bilbao)

Monday, June 29
5: 2D v 2E (9 AM, Copenhagen)
6: 1F v 3A/B/C (noon, Bucharest)

Tuesday, June 30
7: 1D v 2F (9 AM, Dublin)
8: 1E v 3A/B/C/D (noon, Glasgow)

QUARTERFINALS

Friday, July 3
QF1: Winner 6 v Winner 5 (9 AM, Saint Petersburg)
QF2: Winner 4 v Winner 2 (noon, Munich)

Saturday, July 4
QF3: Winner 1 v Winner 3 (9 AM, Baku)
QF4: Winner 8 v Winner 7 (noon, Rome)

SEMIFINALS

Tuesday, July 7
SF1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF2 (noon, London)

Wednesday, July 8
SF2: Winner QF4 v Winner QF3 (noon, London)

FINAL

Sunday, July 12
Winner SF1 v Winner SF2 (noon, London)

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