Euro 2024 today: Who is playing? How to watch? What to look out for?

Only three years have passed since Italy's exhilarating run to glory at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, culminating in their penalty-shootout success over England at Wembley in the final, and the Azzurri are present in Germany to defend their crown after their World Cup 2022 failure.

However, the likes of England, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and hosts Germany are among the leading contenders to dethrone Italy as kings of Europe, where the new continental champions will be crowned in Berlin on July 14.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up everything you need to know about today's Euro 2024 action, including which teams are in action, how to watch and what to keep a particular eye out for.

TODAY'S EURO 2024 FIXTURES

Slovakia vs. Ukraine (2pm | Merkur Spiel-Arena)

Poland vs. Austria (5pm | Olympiastadion)

Netherlands vs. France (8pm | Red Bull Arena)

Group E is the place to be for Friday's opening fixture, where Slovakia can seal an unexpected qualification for the last 16 by beating Ukraine at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf.

Following that 2pm kickoff, Group D rivals Poland and Austria seek to get off the mark at the Olympiastadion, before the Netherlands and France conclude Friday's action with a clash of the titans at the Red Bull Arena.

TODAY'S PREDICTED LINEUPS AT EURO 2024

Slovakia: Dubravka; Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Schranz, Haraslin, Bozenik

Ukraine: Lunin; Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matvienko, Zinchenko; Sudakov, Stepanenko, Malinovskyi; Tsygankov, Mudryk, Dovbyk

Poland: Szczesny; Bednarek, Salamon, Kiwior; Frankowski, Szymanski, Romanczuk, Zielinski, Zalewski; Swiderski, Buksa

Austria: Pentz; Posch, Danso, Wober, Mwene; Seiwald, Grillitsch; Laimer, Baumgartner, Sabitzer; Arnautovic

Netherlands: Verbruggen; Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Ake; Schouten, Veerman; Simons, Reijnders, Gakpo; Depay

France: Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernandez; Kante, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Thuram; Giroud

HOW TO WATCH TODAY'S EURO 2024 ACTION

Some channel-hopping will have to be done by fans on Friday, as Slovakia's battle with Ukraine will be shown on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport Website from 1.30pm until 4.15pm.

Poland's meeting with Austria will then be streamed on ITV 1, ITVX, STV and the STV Player from 4.15pm to 7.30pm, ending at the same time as the BBC's coverage of the Netherlands vs. France begins - the latter programme runs until 10.10pm.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN TODAY'S EURO 2024 MATCHES

Slovakia vs. Ukraine

Fans would have expected to see one of these sides boast three points and the other with zero to their name by this point, but few would have envisaged Slovakia emerging triumphant over Belgium on the opening matchday while Ukraine let Romania hit them for three.

As a result, a Slovakia win will assure the Falcons of a knockout appearance, but they have previous when it comes to winning their opening Euros match then losing two on the bounce, as they did at the 2021 tournament.

Slovakia could also win two games at a major tournament for the first time ever, but standing in their way are a Ukraine side whose top-two chances will be officially over if they are beaten in Dusseldorf.

Andriy Lunin was particularly culpable for Ukraine's shock loss and shouldered the blame for two of Romania's three strikes at the Allianz Arena, and the Blue and Yellow were also thumped 4-1 by Slovakia in their last matchup in 2018.

On a bright note, Everton left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko has been spotted in team training after missing the first game through injury and could provide some useful reinforcement to the Ukraine backline.

Poland vs. Austria

Both of these highly competent nations fell to defeat in their opening ties, although they gave a tremendous account of themselves, as Poland went down 2-1 to the Netherlands while Austria were beaten 1-0 by France.

However, such circumstances mean that a top-two finish will be out of the question for the loser of this battle - if there is one - and all eyes will be on the Poland teamsheet, specifically whether Robert Lewandowski is involved.

The Barcelona talisman sat out the Netherlands loss through injury but is winning his battle to return on Friday, where Austria have some mistakes to rectify from their loss to France, where Maximilian Wober's unfortunate own goal was the difference.

Nevertheless, that loss was just Austria's twelfth from their last 17 contests, but they have gone five games without victory over Poland, whom they drew 1-1 with at Euro 2008.

Interestingly, that stalemate marked the only point that both nations picked up at that tournament, so if history is to be followed 16 years later, both teams can kiss their knockout hopes goodbye.

Netherlands vs. France

Undoubtedly the blockbuster battle on Friday's undercard, the Netherlands and France both seek the precious three points that would seal last-16 qualification with a game to spare, potentially as group winners if the result of Austria and Poland's battle goes their way.

The Leipzig clash sees two opponents from qualifying reunite, but France were convincing 4-0 victors over their Oranje foes in one of those battles before a 2-1 success later in the group.

However, Didier Deschamps was handed the most untimely Kylian Mbappe injury scare against Austria, as the Real Madrid man broke his nose smashing into Kevin Danso's shoulder, but he has since trained with a red, white and blue mask and could be available.

Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman is also facing quite the attacking quandary after Wout Weghorst's winner off the bench versus Poland, and Oranje have Euros history on their side, having smashed the French 4-1 in the 2008 group phase.

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY AT EURO 2024?

Group C rivals Slovenia and Serbia took to the field as a warm-up fixture for the two main events on Thursday, where Denmark's battle with England followed before a colossal showdown between Spain and Italy.

The Slovenians were mere moments away from picking up their first-ever Euros victory, only for Luka Jovic's header to rescue a 1-1 draw for Serbia, who remain just one point behind their close neighbours but can no longer finish first.

Indeed, England's top-three finish has been assured, but the Three Lions wasted the chance to top the group with a game to spare in an alarming 1-1 stalemate with Denmark, where Harry Kane's tap-in was cancelled out by a fierce Morten Hjulmand effort.

Gareth Southgate's men put in a pitiful performance in Frankfurt, although reigning champions Italy did not play much better, losing 1-0 to Spain - who are therefore through to the last 16 - by virtue of a Riccardo Calafiori own goal.