Euro 2016 TV schedule: BBC and ITV announce choices for England, Wales and other nations

ITV had the first pick of the matches

England and Wales were drawn in the same group (GETTY IMAGES)

ITV will screen England’s two group stage evening kick-offs at next year’s European Championships, leaving BBC with the 2pm England v Wales game in Lens, which takes place on Thursday, 16 June. Roy Hodgson’s men will open on ITV against Russia in Marseille on the second day of the tournament, with the final group game, against Slovakia in St Etienne on 20 June, also being shown by the same channel. The opening game of the tournament, pitting hosts France against Romania in Saint-Denis, will be screened by ITV, with the channels both showing at least a game every day until the final round of matches start on 19 June. Both channels will screen three groups’ culminations each.

Wales’s opener, against Slovakia at 5pm on 11 June, will be shown on the BBC, with their third game, against Russia at the same time as England’s match with Slovakia on 20 June, will be shown on an ITV platform. Northern Ireland kick-off against Poland on the BBC on 12 June and end against world champions Germany on the same channel nine days later. Their match against the Ukraine, at 5pm on 16 June, is on ITV. Republic of Ireland, who qualified after beating Bosnia-Herzegovina in a play-off last month, start against Sweden on 13 June on BBC before ITV show their matches against world No 1 Belgium, on 18 June, and Italy four days later.

ITV will have first choice of both the round of sixteen and the semi-finals, while the BBC gets first two choices for the quarter-finals. The final, taking place in Saint-Denis on 10 July, will be shown by both channels. Spain have won the last two European Championships, beating Germany 1-0 in Vienna in 2008 before thrashing Italy 4-0 to retain the title four years later. England exited the last tournament at the quarter-final stage, losing on penalties to Italy.

Euro 2016 – group games and TV channels

Friday 10 June

20.00 (ITV) France v Romania

Saturday 11 June

14.00 (BBC) Albania v Switzerland

17.00 (BBC ) Wales v Slovakia

20.00 (ITV) England v Russia

Sunday 12 June

14.00 (ITV) Turkey v Croatia

17.00 (BBC) Poland v Northern Ireland

20.00 (BBC) Germany v Ukraine

Monday 13 June

14.00 (ITV) Spain v Czech Republic

17.00 (BBC) Republic of Ireland v Sweden

20.00 (BBC) Belgium v Italy

Tuesday 14 June

17.00 (ITV) Austria v Hungary

20.00 (BBC) Portugal v Iceland

Wednesday 15 June

14.00 (BBC) Russia v Slovakia

17.00 (ITV) Romania v Switzerland

20.00 (ITV) France v Albania

Thursday 16 June

14.00 (BBC) England v Wales

17.00 (ITV) Ukraine v Northern Ireland

20.00 (ITV) Germany v Poland

Friday 17 June

14.00 (ITV) Italy v Sweden

17.00 (BBC) Czech Republic v Croatia

20.00 (ITV) Spain v Turkey

Saturday 18 June

14.00 (ITV) Belgium v Republic of Ireland

17.00 (BBC) Iceland v Hungary

20.00 (BBC) Portugal v Austria

Sunday 19 June

20.00 (BBC) Romania v Albania

20.00 (BBC) Switzerland v France

Monday 20 June

20.00 (ITV) Russia v Wales

20.00 (ITV) Slovakia v England

Tuesday 21 June

17.00 (BBC) Northern Ireland v Germany

17.00 (BBC) Ukraine v Poland

20.00 (ITV) Croatia v Spain

20.00 (ITV) Czech Republic v Turkey

Wednesday 22 June

17.00 (BBC) Hungary v Portugal

17.00 (BBC) Iceland v Austria

20.00 (ITV) Italy v Republic of Ireland

20.00 (ITV) Sweden v Belgium