Allianz Arena's stadium name for Euro 2024 opener between Germany and Scotland has been changed

The Allianz Arena will adopt a different name during this summer's European Championship because of a little-known rule.

Bayern Munich's world-renowned 70,000-capacity stadium will host Friday night's Euro 2024 opener between Germany and Scotland.

Alongside the first game of the tournament, a formal opening ceremony is set to take place one hour before kick-off.

Here, UEFA will honour the late Franz Beckenbauer, while Germany’s two living European Championship-winning captains, Bernard Dietz and Jurgen Klinsmann, will bring out the Henri Delaunay Cup.

There will be also be a fireworks display and a ceremonial presentation of the flag of each Euro 2024 entrant, according to German outlet BILD.

The opening ceremony will be broadcast on TV to millions around the world, but pundits and commentators will not refer to the stadium as the Allianz Arena.

That's because European football's governing body does not recognise stadium sponsors like Allianz under their strict rules regarding sponsorships and branding.

Only official tournament partners are permitted to be associated with UEFA competitions, meaning the stadium will be called the 'Fußball Arena München' throughout Euro 2024.

Back in April, the name of the Emirates stadium was officially changed for Arsenal's Champions League quarter-final clash with Bayern Munich.

In European competition, the ground is simply named the Arsenal Stadium because of the previously mentioned rules.

This also impacts fellow Premier League side Manchester City, with the Etihad being listed under its original name of 'The City of Manchester Stadium' for European games.

Image credit: Getty

UEFA's sponsorship rules have also led to teams having to alter their names to comply.

Austria's Red Bull Salzburg, for example, are known as 'FC Salzburg' in European competition and use a modified crest to adhere to the strict regulations.

Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann has been talking up his team ahead of Friday's Group A opener against Scotland.

“I think we’re a bit nervous but it’s an important point, we have to have a certain nervousness,” he said. “There was such a buzz [in the camp], a bit like in school. It was really loud: ‘Can everyone please calm down a bit!’.

“I look in our players’ eyes and see the belief and will to win. I want us to believe in ourselves: we have great players, good togetherness, home advantage, we’ve had great training sessions and a good mentality.

"We have everything: we just have to show it tomorrow, and that’s why belief is very important.”