EURO 2020 or a European Tour?

So this week, the wheel provided us with the opportunity to speak about a sport related topic. No, I ain’t picking Sam Allardyce 100% record with the English national team, which is now a national record following this week’s sacking. In fact what I’ll be talking about is the next EURO. OK, I get it, it’s in four years’ time but it’s going to be very different from the norm and I can’t get enough of watching these competitions so yeah topic chosen for this week.

In 2020, UEFA will be holding a special European Competition to celebrate 60 years since the first EURO was held back in 1960. In that year’s edition, the competition was hosted by France, whereby 4 nations went head to head to win the Henry Delaunay Trophy with the Soviet Union ending up victorious.

Fast-forward 56 years to the 2016 EURO edition, in which 24 countries competed in the same country as the first edition but this time instead of using 2 stadia, the competition, used ten venues. At the end of a month of football, where spectators had the opportunity to witness 51 matches, the competition produced its 10th different victor in Portugal. Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiii (Sorry Messi fans!)

And if you’re sitting there thinking, “Well, that’s some difference 56 years of European Championship Football, for you!” Yes. Totally agree. And that’s not even going into TV rights etc. However, as a Maltese singer who goes by the name of Freddie Portelli, always says “Il-kbir għadu ġej” that is “the biggest thing is yet to come”. In four years’ time, the Euros will be played in 13 different countries. No seriously, it will be held all over Europe. Amsterdam, Baku, Bilbao, Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Glasgow, London, Munich, Rome and St Petersburg will be the cities that will host this historic edition. There’s a 9hr flight from Dublin to Baku so yeah, UEFA literally spread the competition all over Europe, didn't they.

So let me just touch on this. This may have received a lot of criticism on the net and I do understand the negative comments directed towards this drastic change but anyways, here is what I think. People argued that it will lose the shape of a contest since it will not be held in a specific place but my question to them is “Is this competition’s aim to unite Europe further as well”. Ok from a supporter’s view, it a hassle to get tickets in one country, let alone getting to travel Europe in a month’s time to follow your country’s European endeavours. However, countries that do not get the chance to see such high quality matches in their home country will be treated to a treat in 4 summer’s time. Over and above, this will also boost the European economy as well and relive pressure that France had this summer as a host. And let’s not forget that this will be an experimental edition and possibly a one off. So yeah, change is good!

What has baffled me so far is the qualification method that will be introduced. To be honest, I’ve been trying to understand exactly how it’ll work and I’m still not sure about this yet! By the looks of things UEFA will be introducing National Leagues so that will have a league between the nations during the year, so that we’ll have a sort of European Champion every year. Teams can get promoted and demoted according to their performances. Topping this there will be EURO qualification games amalgamated with this too.

To be honest, it’s difficult to understand. What worries me most is whether there will be the need of more international breaks to accommodate these games. That’s the negative point about this. On the bright side Malta will benefit from this by the looks of things. Yeah that’s right!!! With this new method one of the lower ranked countries such as Malta, Andorra, San Marino, Gibraltar etc. will get to the finals (however don’t ask me how because I can’t get a clue of how it works as yet)

Soooooo, what do you think of this so called experiment then, ladies and gentlemen? Feel free to comment guys!!! I’ll post another one next Sunday guys. Until then, Ta Daaaa!!!