As the 2024 European Championships prepare to kick off in Germany, football fans across Europe are eagerly anticipating another thrilling international tournament.
England’s unexpected 1-0 defeat to Iceland ahead of the competition has heightened nerves, especially with powerhouses like France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal boasting formidable squads.
Gareth Southgate’s squad is determined to improve on their previous performances, particularly after their heart-wrenching Euro 2020 final loss to Italy on penalties at Wembley three years ago.
They also aim to build on their semi-final and quarter-final exits from the 2018 and 2022 World Cups under Southgate’s leadership.
England’s journey to the final won’t be straightforward, with group stage matches against Serbia, Denmark, and Slovenia. A challenging knockout stage could see them face Germany, Spain, or France before reaching the semi-finals.
Captain Harry Kane is set to lead the 26-man squad, announced Thursday afternoon, in their quest to bring football home.
As the tournament approaches, several key rule changes and regulations have been implemented since the 2020 Euros.
VAR
The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system will feature a streamlined team of three video match officials, down from four in Euro 2020, to expedite reviews.
Referees, referee assistants, and video match officials underwent training in Frankfurt, Germany. During the tournament, referees will be stationed in Frankfurt, while video match officials will operate from Leipzig.
Surrounding referees
A new regulation mandates that only captains may discuss pitch decisions with referees, aiming to discourage mobbing.
Goalkeepers who are captains can nominate a teammate to approach referees. Other players intervening will receive yellow cards.
Handball
The handball rule remains contentious, with referees making initial judgments on hand/arm positioning related to player movement.
Yellow card and red card resets mean players start with a clean slate, with suspensions imposed after two or four cautions.
Substitutions
Substitutions are capped at five per match, with an additional sixth allowed in extra time. Teams can make substitutions during three stoppages, plus one more in extra time.
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