Euro 2024 is set to be a magnificent tournament in Germany, with this being the third version of the expanded UEFA competition in its current format.
Since 2016, a total of 26 European teams have battled for continental supremacy every four years, and the increased number of teams has given some of Europe’s lesser-known nations the chance to compete on the big stage.
Georgia will make its European Championship debut in 2024, but among the other teams looking to mount an unexpected challenge to the knockout stages will be Czechia.
That name may not sound as familiar, but fans of a certain era will remember a run to the Euro ’96 final when the country was called something else. This time, the class of 2024 has the opportunity to make their mark.
But where exactly is Czechia and what is its history on the football scene?
Where is Czechia?
Czechia is a landlocked nation in central Europe, bordering Germany to the west and north, Austria and Slovakia to the south, and Poland to the north and east.
It was formerly called the Czech Republic.
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Are Czechia and the Czech Republic the same country?
This will be a question for any fan who wants to follow the team closely at Euro 2024, and the short answer is yes. Czechia is the newest name used to refer to the nation, which has been adopted in recent years into common international usage.
Why did Czechia change its name?
Initial confusion over its name change means that both Czech Republic and Czechia are sometimes still used to refer to the country. Since 2016, the country’s government requested that the Czech Republic be used for official purposes, but that Czechia be adopted for sports, literary, musical and media matters.
It is not the first time that the nation has changed its name, after having been part of Czechoslovakia in the early 1990s.
One of the main reasons for the change is to avoid linguistic confusion with versions of the country’s name used in different international languages. Czechia is considered more universal and, according to officials, promotes the country better.
History and records of Czechia in euros
Czechia is included in Group F of Euro 2024, along with 2016 champions Portugal, as well as Turkey and Georgia.
The country reached the European Championship three times as part of Czechoslovakia, which won the title in 1976, before becoming a full member of UEFA in its own right ahead of Euro ’96, where it reached the semi-finals.
| Year | Hosts | Registration (WDL) | Stage reached |
| nineteen ninety six | England | 2-2-2 | Runners-up |
| 2000 | Belgium/Netherlands | 1-0-2 | Group stage |
| 2004 | Portugal | 4-0-1 | Semifinals |
| 2008 | Austria Switzerland | 1-0-2 | Group stage |
| 2012 | Poland/Ukraine | 4-2-0 | Quarter finals |
| 2016 | France | 0-1-2 | Group stage |
| 2020 | Europe | 2-1-2 | Quarter finals |
