UEFA has strict pitch rule in place for Euro 2024 after Premier League controversies

UEFA has some strict rules in place regarding the pitch ahead of Euro 2024.

During the 23/24 Premier League season, Bournemouth caused quite a stir against Manchester United after fans spotted the amount of water in the Red Devils’ attacking half.

Within the Premier League regulations, there seems to be no mention of any limits in relation to watering the pitch ahead of kick-off.

In order to prevent a similar incident from happening during the upcoming Euro 2024 in Germany, UEFA has the following guidelines.

The host association must announce the pitch-watering schedule at the pre-match organisational meeting. The pitch must be watered evenly and not only in certain areas. As a general rule, pitch watering must finish 60 minutes before kick-off. Additional pitch watering may be carried out if so decided by the host association in the qualifying competition and by UEFA in the final tournament, provided it takes place:

• between 15 and 10 minutes before kick-off (or between 20 and 15 minutes before kick-off during the final tournament depending on the countdown); and/or
• during half-time (for a maximum of five minutes, allowing substitute players to warm up on the field of play).

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Host nation Germany will kick off Euro 2024 when they take on Scotland at the Allianz Arena on Friday night.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, manager Julian Nagelsmann said: “We want to win it. It's the same in all other tournaments. It's probably not best for us to make this big claim that we're going to become European champions.

“I think it's the same for every country that participates, otherwise they wouldn't put in the work to qualify. Every team that gets into the tournament has the idea of winning it.”

He added: “And of course, we also have the idea of winning it. If we give it our all, it can happen. Lots of things have to come together, as is the case for all teams. It's not a sure thing for any team.

“There is already the expectation that we will do better than we have in recent years, and our fans are excited to have the tournament on home soil.”

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