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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

Let It Snow!

Christmas Movies to Watch During the Holidays

  • 2025, comedy, 90 min, OV with German subtitles

    Prange - man ist ja Nachbar

    A film adaptation of the novel Man ist ja Nachbar – Ralf Prange nimmt an by Andreas Altenburg: The story follows Bjarne Mädel as a lovable but awkward loner who falls for a parcel courier, a heartwarming tale of neighborhood, packages, and small Christmas miracles. Starring jarne Mädel, Katharina Marie Schubert, Olli Dittrich (directed by Lars Jessen).
    Watch on ARD Mediathek until 6.12.2026.

    Prange - man ist ja Nachbar © NDR/Thomas Leidig © NDR/Thomas Leidig

  • 2016, documentary, 58 min, OV with German subtitles

    Deutschland von oben - Ein Wintermärchen

    A bird’s eye view of Germany in winter: the landscape is transformed into a winter wonderland and the cities are aglow with Christmas lights.
    Watch on ZDF Mediathek until 24.12.2026.

    Deutschland von oben - Ein Wintermärchen © ZDF/Goggi Strauß, colourField. © ZDF/Goggi Strauß, colourField.

  • 2013, comedy, 88 min, OV with German subtitles

    Beste Bescherung

    Shortly before Christmas, family patriarch Karl flees a tax investigation and retreats to the countryside to stay with his heavily pregnant daughter. But instead of peaceful holiday calm, he finds chaos, long-simmering conflicts and a nativity play. Starring Sophie von Kessel, Friedrich von Thun (directed by Rainer Kaufmann).
    Watch on ZDF Mediathek until 15.11.2026.

    Beste Bescherung © ZDF/Christian Hartmann © ZDF/Christian Hartmann

  • 2007, comedy, 90 min, OV with German subtitles

    Oh Tannenbaum

    A comedy loosely based on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol: When a pipe bursts on Christmas Eve, the residents of a Berlin apartment block are forced to take shelter in the only habitable apartment, which happens to belong to the grumpy landlord Dr. Wagner. Starring Günther Maria Halmer, Jutta Speidel (directed by Matthias Tiefenbacher).
    Watch on ARD Mediathek until 25.12.2026.

    Oh Tannenbaum © BR/ARD Degeto/Reiner Bajo © BR/ARD Degeto/Reiner Bajo

  • 2020, documentary, 5 min, OV with German subtitles

    Lebkuchen

    In this episode of Die Maus, the history of gingerbread and how it is made are explained in an entertaining way. Watch on ARD Mediathek until 01.01.2099.

    Lebkuchen aus "Die Maus" © WDR/Trickstudio Lutterbeck © WDR/Trickstudio Lutterbeck

  • 2020, dramedy, 90 min, OV with German subtitles

    Weihnachtstöchter

    Shortly before Christmas, three estranged sisters must settle their father's inheritance and decide the future of the family bakery following his sudden death. Starring Felicitas Woll, Gesine Cukrowski, Elena Uhlig (directed by Rolf Silber).
    Watch on ZDF Mediathek until 15.11.2026.

    Weihnachtstöchter © ZDF/Christian Lüdeke © ZDF/Christian Lüdeke

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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