Pearson, Jake (11 July 2021). "Euro 2020 final betting tips: Italy v England best bets and preview". Sporting Life. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021 . Retrieved 25 October 2021. In pictures: Joy and sorrow over Euro 2020 final". BBC News. 11 July 2021. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021 . Retrieved 17 July 2021. Jadon Sancho: England forward says 'hate will never win' in response to racist abuse". BBC Sport. 14 July 2021. Archived from the original on 16 July 2021 . Retrieved 17 July 2021.

On 6 December 2012, UEFA announced the tournament would be held in multiple cities across Europe to mark the 60th anniversary of the tournament. [21] [22] The selection of the host cities did not guarantee an automatic qualifying berth to the national team of that country. UEFA reasoned that the pan-European staging of the tournament was the logical decision at a time of financial difficulty, such as the European debt crisis. [23] [24] Reaction to UEFA's plan was mixed across Europe. [25] Critics cited the expanded format (from 31 matches featuring 16 nations to 51 featuring 24) and its associated additional costs as the decisive factor for only one nation (Turkey) having put forward a serious bid. [26] Bidding venues [ edit ] McNulty, Phil (2 July 2016). "Germany 1–1 Italy (6–5 on pens)". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 19 April 2020 . Retrieved 25 March 2022. Giuffrida, Angela (12 July 2021). " 'We conquered Wembley': Italian press reacts to Euro 2020 victory". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 October 2021 . Retrieved 12 October 2021. Five substitutions allowed at UEFA Euro 2020 and 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 31 March 2021. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021 . Retrieved 31 March 2021.Heffer, Greg (12 July 2021). "Euro 2020: Boris Johnson and Priti Patel branded 'total hypocrites' over condemnation of racist abuse". Sky News. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021 . Retrieved 12 July 2021. Euro 2020 final: Italy manager Roberto Mancini says 'I was due this' ". BBC Sport. 12 July 2021. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021 . Retrieved 25 October 2021. After the game, England players Saka, Sancho and Rashford were subjected to racist abuse online after missing penalties in the shoot-out. [137] The three were immediately targeted with racist language and emojis on their social media accounts. [137] Sancho and Rashford were the last substitutions England made, brought on in the last minute to be able to take part in the penalty shoot-out. [138]

When designing an official match ball, we always look to reflect culture; what is the spirit of the street that we can proudly showcase in the stadium," said Anika Marie Kennaugh, product designer at adidas. Clark, Dave (14 July 2021). "Harry Maguire's dad suffered suspected broken ribs at the Euro 2020 final". Derbyshire Live. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021 . Retrieved 14 July 2021. Initially, there were 13 venues chosen for the tournament but two were later dropped. Brussels was dropped in December 2017 after the city's Eurostadium was abandoned, [9] while Dublin was dropped in April 2021 because there was no guarantee that spectators could attend. Spain originally intended to use Bilbao as a host venue but later changed it to Seville to allow for spectators at matches. [10] UEFA chose Stadio Olimpico in Rome to host the opening match between Italy and Turkey, while Wembley Stadium in London was selected as a semi-final and final venue for the second time, [11] following the 1996 tournament at the original stadium of the same name.Angelucci, Massimo (8 July 2021). "Casa Italia, il riassunto della giornata degli azzurri"[House of Italy, the summary of the day for the Azzurri]. Calcio in Pillole (in Italian). Archived from the original on 8 July 2021 . Retrieved 12 July 2021.

Euro 2020 final: Italy to meet England". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 8 July 2021. Archived from the original on 7 July 2021 . Retrieved 8 July 2021. The final was England's first at a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup, the only other final they had reached. England also became the third nation of the 21st century to play in a European Championship final as hosts after Portugal in 2004 and France in 2016. Both previous hosts lost their respective finals, Portugal against Greece and France against Portugal. In the 20th century, three host countries made it to the final and all won – Italy in 1968, Spain in 1964 and France in 1984. [23] Despite the final taking place in London, Italy were the "home team" for administrative purposes. [16] Marcus Rashford mural defaced after England Euro 2020 defeat". BBC News. 12 July 2021. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021 . Retrieved 12 July 2021. On 23 April, UEFA announced that Seville would replace Bilbao as tournament host, while the matches of Dublin would be reallocated to Saint Petersburg for the group stage and London for the round of 16. [10] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland, the Football Association of Ireland was unable to receive assurances from the Government of Ireland and the Dublin City Council to allow spectators into the stadium. [62] [63] [64] Meanwhile, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said the sanitary conditions imposed by the Basque Government to host matches in Bilbao were "impossible to comply with", and thus would not allow for spectators to be present. [65] After being removed as hosts, the Bilbao City Council stated they held UEFA and RFEF "directly responsible for us not staging this sporting event and the unilateral cancellation of our contractual relationships", and threatened legal action for financial compensation. [66] All the Euro finals: scores, scorers, line-ups and venues". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 11 July 2021. Archived from the original on 16 July 2021 . Retrieved 14 July 2021.England and Italy had previously met 27 times, their first encounter taking place in 1933, a 1–1 draw in Rome. Before the final, Italy had won ten of these meetings, England eight and nine were draws. Their most recent meeting was a 2018 friendly in London, also a 1–1 draw. Italy won three of their four competitive meetings at major tournaments: in the group stage of UEFA Euro 1980, the third place play-off of the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the group stage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup; the fourth, in the quarter-finals of UEFA Euro 2012, finished as a draw, but Italy won the subsequent penalty shoot-out. [24] [25] England were considered as slight pre-match favourites by bookmakers. [26] [27] [28] Venue [ edit ] Wembley Stadium in London, the venue of the final Mann, Mantej (24 March 2022). "Italy 0–1 North Macedonia: European champions stunned in World Cup play-offs". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 24 March 2022 . Retrieved 24 March 2022. a b c d "Björn Kuipers to referee UEFA Euro 2020 final". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 8 July 2021. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021 . Retrieved 8 July 2021. UEFA postpones Euro 2020 by 12 months". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 17 March 2020. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021 . Retrieved 17 March 2020.