10 reasons to be excited for EURO 2016

For the first time in the 56 year history history of the tournament 24 nations will be involved in the competition. The qualifying structure was adjusted for this year's tournament and includes six more teams than in the previous tournament in 2012.

2.5 million fans are expected in the stadiums in France, including 1.5 million foreign visitors, and they are expected to spend €1 billion in the course of the tournament. By comparison, there were 1.4 million fans at the 2012 tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

The matches will be broadcast live in more than 230 territories around the world. 150 million spectators are expected to follow each game live. More than 8.1 billion viewers watched Euro 2012 matches on television.

235 final round matches have been played in European Championship history. 579 final round goals have been scored, making an average of 2.46 goals per match in the tournament. With more games than ever to come in this year's competition, we should expect to also see more goals than ever.

It will be a real test to see who is the best, as the playing field is level in France. Every team will play their three group matches in different stadiums. There will be three different kick-off times: 15:00, 18:00 and 21:00 and the pitches in each stadium will be given recovery time of at least two days between games.

An incredible five debutant nations will be present at the European Championships in France, as Albania, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia and Wales all qualified for the tournament. And the first-timers reached the competition in style, as each nation confirmed its place automatically through qualification.

The two nations to have won the most European Championship titles are also the last two winners of the FIFA World Cup. Spain and Germany have each won the Henri Delaunay Cup three times. Spain's most recent title came at the last European Championships in 2012, whilst Germany's third, following two as the old West Germany, was won in England in 1996.

If there is one thing you can expect at the European Championships in France this summer, it is goals. Each of the three top scoring players during the qualification period will be playing at the tournament. Robert Lewandowski (13 goals) will be with Poland, Zlatan Ibrahimovic (11 goals) qualified with Sweden and Thomas Müller (9 goals) with Germany.

The prize that awaits the winners of the European Championships is a special one. The Henri Delaunay Cup is named after UEFA’s first general secretary following the organisation’s founding in 1954. A giant replica (12m high) of the trophy was displayed at the foot of the Eiffel Tower on 23 and 24 June 2013.

It could be the first and last time we see some of the world's best on one of the biggest stages. The likes of Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger (31), Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon (38) and Sweden captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic (34) are all likely facing a final tournament. While France's Paul Pogba (22), Austria's David Alaba (23) and England's Delle Ali (19) could set the tournament alight.