The wait is finally over, for the next month football fans will be able to kick back, relax and watch Euro 2020 in action.
England, Scotland and Wales are all competing in the tournament, which should have taken place in venues around Europe last summer. Strict limits on crowd numbers mean fewer supporters will be able to attend matches in person but that doesn’t mean you can’t capture the spirit of the Euros from the comfort of your own home.
The first match takes place on Friday when Turkey plays Italy in Rome. The Euros will then continue for a month, ending with a final at Wembley at 8pm on Sunday, July 11.
Here are our five essential ingredients for a great Euro 2020 at home:
It goes without saying that, aside from your TV, one of the most important things you need to really enjoy watching the Euros at home is somewhere really comfortable to sit. A La-Z-Boy chair or sofa allows you to adjust your seating to fit the action. If the match is edge-of-your-seat tense, you may want to stay in an upright position but once your team takes the lead, you can lay back, relax and settle in until the final whistle.
One of the big advantages of watching the match at home is you don’t have to wait until half time to get snacks and there’s no jostling at a bar trying to place an order. If you really want to embrace Euro 2020, you could choose snacks from the countries you’re watching play. Wales is playing its first match at 2pm on Saturday against Switzerland so you could break out the cheese fondue or have a go at making Älplermagronen – a Swiss version of macaroni cheese with potato and bacon added for good measure. If you want something a little simpler, you could stock up on Toblerones and Milka chocolate. At 2pm on Sunday, England will be playing its first match against Croatia. One of the most popular Croatian snacks is a platter of cured ham and cheese or if you have a sweet tooth you could make a batch of crepes instead. Known as palačinke in Croatia, these are one of the nation’s most popular desserts and can be enjoyed with a filling of your choice. On Monday, June 14, Scotland is playing the Czech Republic at 2pm. There are plenty of Czech lagers sold in the UK, including Staropramen and hot dogs are a popular snack of choice. For something more traditional, you could have a go at whipping up a hearty Czech goulash.
One way to show your support to your national team is to give your face a flag-themed makeover with some facepaints. You could also add some flag bunting to your home and even get some mini-flags to give your snacks a patriotic feel. If you don’t want to buy decorations featuring the flag itself, you could go for party decorations in the nation’s colours.
If you’re watching the Euros as a family, add an element of competitiveness by running a sweepstake. Divide all the teams up between you and decide on a prize for the winner. It doesn’t have to be money – it could be something as simple as getting a week off from the housework or choosing the next day out.
Print out or download a guide to the fixtures. Many of them come in poster form like this one so you can put it up and keep track of all the matches. If you’re feeling artistic, you could even have a go at creating your own. England and Scotland will be going head-to head at 8pm on Friday, June 18, while Wales will play Turkey at 5pm on Wednesday, June 16. England’s third match will be against the Czech Republic at 8pm on Tuesday, June 22 and Scotland will face Croatia at the same time. Wales’ final group stage match will be against Italy on Sunday, June 20 at 5pm.
Why not treat yourself to a La-Z-Boy UK armchair for the best seat in the house this Euro 2020 season? Find your nearest stockist here. Our Winchester collection is available for immediate delivery. For more information on this, please speak to your nearest La-Z-Boy UK retailer.
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