UEFA EURO 2024
Men's Football Cup in Germany

Ein buntes Bild, auf dem Fußball spielenden Menschen und Fußbälle zu sehen sind. © Goethe-Institut e. V., Tobias Schrank

From June, 14th until July, 14th, Germany will host the UEFA's EURO 2024, the European Cup in Men's Football. We take a closer look at the importance of football in Germany, historically, culturally, and of course, in terms of sports. Join us, and immerse yourself in “Fußball-Fever”.

EURO 2024: All you need to know

Pink Jerseys and Green Promises

This summer, everything will revolve around the men’s European Football Championship in Germany – which will involve 24 nations, ten cities and millions of fans. Here you will find out everything you need to know for your next evening at the pub.

Times are changing in football, too: for away matches, the German national squad will be playing in pink during this tournament. Foto (detail): © picture alliance/Laci Perenyi/Jerry Andre Foto (detail): © picture alliance/Laci Perenyi/Jerry Andre

Football and Fashion

Euros Fit-Check

Soccer and fashion: there is no other match as unpredictable as this one. At times a bad pass, at others a volley into the top corner. We have looked back at some of the highlights in the history of the European Championship and tried to find the right words.

© picture alliance / Laci Perenyi | Laci Perenyi © picture alliance / Laci Perenyi | Laci Perenyi
Football in the Ruhr

In the Land of 1,000 Derbies

Matches will also be played at two stadiums in the Ruhr region during the 2024 European Football Championship. It’s not really surprising – this area in the far west of Germany is considered the nucleus of German football, especially away from the bright lights of the modern arenas.

© picture alliance / augenklick/firo Sportphoto | Jürgen Fromme © picture alliance / augenklick/firo Sportphoto | Jürgen Fromme
Football and Music

Football is Our Life

There’s music in football: as we approach the men’s Euro 2024 in Germany, we take a look at football songs, some dodgy and some successful, and the stories behind them.

© picture-alliance/ dpa/dpaweb | Marcus Thelen © picture-alliance/ dpa/dpaweb | Marcus Thelen
Diversity in football

Tomorrow in the Present

Girls' teams, clubs for the blind, queer fan clubs: Football shows its integrative potential above all away from the big stage. The movie “Elf Mal Morgen” takes a look at eleven different football stories in Germany.

Foto (Detail): © Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin Foto (Detail): © Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin

Kick off your German skills

On Our Free Learning Platforms

“Fußball”: How well do you know the game? And do you speak the lingo?

Football-themed German exercises on our free learning platform “Deutsch für Dich” on language levels A1 to B2. Register and practice your German football-lingo with more than 500,000 community users, or individually, for free.

© Unsplash © Unsplash
The sound of the stadium, football-facts you never knew you needed, and more ...

In our eLibrary “Onleihe”, we have 185+ media about football: From books about football-facts, to short audio-books for children, and much more. Search “Fußball” and browse through our collection. All media are available for free lending.

The EURO Cup 2024 on “Deutschstunde”

Get your students involved in the football-fever with interactive German exercises that support learning in writing, speaking, and listening — and discover a treasure trove of teaching materials for all levels and ages.

A soccer stadium © Goethe-Institut New York © Goethe-Institut New York

Last chance! These videos are leaving soon

A selection of films, series, and documentaries

2025, drama, 180 min, OV with German subtitles

Sturm kommt auf

After World War I, political divisions deepen in a Bavarian village, and cobbler Julius Kraus finds himself caught increasingly between the fronts. Starring Josef Hader, Sigi Zimmerschied (directed by Matti Geschonneck).
Watch on ZDF Mediathek until 2.11.2026.

© ZDF/Mathias Bothor © ZDF/Mathias Bothor
2023, short, 20 min, OV with German subtitles

Briefe aus dem Inneren

Short film about youth, repression, and quiet resistance: Drawing on the memories of three teenagers who were arrested in 1961 for an anti-state slogan, Ahmad Mesgarha reads poems by political prisoners from GDR prisons.
Watch on ARD Mediathek until 18.10.2026.

© MDR/Greenhouse Production © MDR/Greenhouse Production
2025, drama, 90 min, OV with German subtitles

Verschollen

While searching for his son, who has gone missing in South America, Klemens Stadler uncovers a web of corruption and crime committed in the name of climate protection. Starring Axel Milberg, Julia Koschitz (directed by Daniel Harrich).
Watch on ARD Mediathek until 10.11.2026.

© SWR/Diwafilm © SWR/Diwafilm
2024, comedy, 89 min, OV with German subtitles

Tiefwassertaucher unterm Dach

The residents of an apartment block in Vienna join forces to support an overwhelmed mother in her custody battle with her ex-husband, helping to keep her small family together. Starring Martina Ebm, Hanno Koffler (directed by Rupert Henning).
Watch on ARD Mediathek until 19.11.2026.

© MDR/ORF/Fabio Eppensteiner © MDR/ORF/Fabio Eppensteiner
2025, documentary, 75 min, OV with German subtitles

Crunch – Traum und Albtraum in der Gaming-Industrie

This documentary provides an in-depth look at the toxic work culture in the gaming industry and shows how high the price can be for a dream job in this field.
Watch on ARD Mediathek until 20.11.2026.

© SWR/Max Kuwertz/Jan Kapitän © SWR/Max Kuwertz/Jan Kapitän
2017, documentary, 89 min, OV with German subtitles

Deutschland bei Nacht - Im Zauber der Dunkelheit

A documentary showcasing Germany at night in stunning images – from Lake Constance to the Wadden Sea, from rural areas to the bustling metropolises of the country.
Watch on ARD Mediathek until 24.11.2026.

© SWR/Ricardo Garzon Mesa © SWR/Ricardo Garzon Mesa

Football culture

in Germany

Football Nation Germany

“A positive shift in the image of Germany worldwide”

Football plays an important role in the way nations are perceived by others and by themselves, says philosopher and football expert Wolfram Eilenberger. He talks in our interview about old clichés and new signals.

Photo (detail): © Picture Alliance/Ulmer, Lukas Coch Photo (detail): © Picture Alliance/Ulmer, Lukas Coch
Germany’s national colours

Reclaiming the flag, or showing our true colours

After decades of a shadowy existence, the black, red and gold of the German flag have become standards signs of national pride at events like the Football World Cup. But fears are also growing that a new wave of nationalism may emerge from the shadows as well.

Photo (detail): © picture alliance / Annegret Hilse/SVEN SIMON Photo (detail): © picture alliance / Annegret Hilse/SVEN SIMON
The EURO 2024 stadiums

From a Yellow Wall to a Christening

Which stadium can serve as a wedding venue, which stadium has remote control like a child’s toy and which is home to women’s football? Let us introduce you to the ten stadiums in Germany that will host the men’s European Football Championship.

Foto (Detail): © picture alliance/Foto Huebner Foto (Detail): © picture alliance/Foto Huebner
East-West German Football History

Separated by Politics, United by Football

Ronald Reng has written a football book that is about much more than football. 1974 – Eine deutsche Begegnung is a captivating portrait of divided Germany in the 1970s.

© picture-alliance / dpa | Werner Baum © picture-alliance / dpa | Werner Baum