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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. 

    Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel celebrates after winning the final against Germany at the 1992 European Football Championships © 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.

    Miners demonstrate with a poster against the closure of mines at the Ruhrstadion in Bochum © 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.

    The German men's national football team stands in a music studio around a piano at which the pop singer Udo Jürgens is sitting. © 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.

    The female players of Türkiyemspor Berlin in the dressing room Foto (Detail): © Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin Foto (Detail): © Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin

Kick off your German skills

On Our Free Learning Platforms

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

New tips for streaming at home

A selection of films, series, documentaries

  • 2024, comedy, 89 min, OV with German subtitles

    Für immer Freibad

    Summer 1999: Instead of starting law school right after graduating from high school, Simon works at the local public pool, falls in love with Mira, and experiences the summer of his life. Starring Tyrell Otoo, Anouk Elias, Benno Fürmann (directed by Laura Fischer).
    Watch on ZDF Mediathek until 19.06.2026.

    Für immer Freibad © ZDF/Xiomara Bender © ZDF/Xiomara Bender

  • 2021, thriller, 89 min, OV with German subtitles

    Die Heimsuchung

    A thriller in which nothing is as it seems: traumatized police officer Ben returns to his parents’ home on the Baltic Sea after a long absence, where he is once again confronted with a crime from the past. Starring  Kostja Ullmann, Kristin Suckow (directed by Stephan Rick).
    Watch on ARD Mediathek until 08.08.2026.

    Die Heimsuchung © ARD Degeto/Gordon Mühle © ARD Degeto/Gordon Mühle

  • 2025, documentary, 30 min, OV with German subtitles

    Einsamkeit - wie gehen wir damit um?

    Loneliness is particularly widespread among young people today. In this episode, Twist meets artists who express their experiences of loneliness through creativity.
    Watch on arte until 18.01.2026.

    Einsamkeit - wie gehen wir damit um? © WDR/Florianfilm © WDR/Florianfilm

  • 2025, documentary, 283 min, OV with German subtitles

    Song Trip – Deutsche Popstars auf musikalischer Reise

    This documentary series follows five German musicians as they travel to five different countries to collaborate with local artists on reinterpretations of their greatest hits: Starring Max Giesinger, LEA, Juli, 01099, Alice Merton.
    Watch on ZDF Mediathek until 27.06.2030.

    Song Trip – Deutsche Popstars auf musikalischer Reise © ZDF und Marcel Nestler, Buerobungalow, Korbinian Maier, Paul Meckes, Amélie Siegmund / [M] Veronika Geier © ZDF und Marcel Nestler, Buerobungalow, Korbinian Maier, Paul Meckes, Amélie Siegmund / [M] Veronika Geier

  • 2021, documentary, 100 min, OV with German subtitles

    Soldaten

    This documentary follows three young men as they undergo basic training with the Bundeswehr, experiencing all its physical and psychological challenges.
    Watch on ARD Mediathek until 1.1.2099. 

    Soldaten © NDR/Willem Konrad © NDR/Willem Konrad

  • 2024, Documentary, 30 min, OV with German subtitles

    Die Bucket List meiner verstorbenen Tochter

    After the death of his daughter from cancer, Heiko discovers her bucket list with the travel destinations Prague, Vienna, Milan, and Madrid. He decides to visit these cities by bicycle in her place.
    Watch on ARD Mediathek until 1.1.2099.

    Die Bucket List meiner verstorbenen Tochter © WDR/Heiko Kautz © WDR/Heiko Kautz

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.

    German and American fans get together at the Amerikahaus in Munich to watch Germany play the USA in a World Cup group stage match in 2014. 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.

    Black, red and gold as far as the eye can see: football fans at Berlin's Fan Fest for the 2018 World Cup. 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.

    The “yellow wall” – terraces packed with 25,000 Dortmund fans. 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.

    The teams of the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR line up for the anthems in Hamburg's Volksparkstadion on 22 June 1974 before the group match of the World Cup. © picture-alliance / dpa | Werner Baum © picture-alliance / dpa | Werner Baum

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