Fans prepare for Euro 2008 curtain-raiser
Saturday, 07 Jun 2008 08:53
Austria and Switzerland prepare to host Euro 2008
Football supporters throughout Austria and Switzerland are readying themselves for the opening matches of the 2008 European Championships.
The opening ceremony for the 13th European summer tournament is set to take place in Basle later this afternoon, with the opening game of the tournament due to follow afterwards between the Swiss co-hosts and the Czech Republic.
Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to descend upon the central European nations following the 16 teams on their journey through the competition.
The traditional powerhouses of Germany, Italy, France and Spain find themselves among the favourites to lift the trophy won by Greece in Portugal four years ago.
Fans of the some of the less fancied teams, including both the host nations, Romania and Poland, will be hoping to spring a surprise - as the Greeks did last time out.
The next three weeks will see 31 games played at the eight venues spread throughout the two host nations, with the final due to take place on June 29th in Vienna.