1968 UEFA European Championship — 3rd European association football championship
Italy hosted and won the third UEFA European Championship, which also marked the tournament's renaming from the European Nations' Cup.
Key Facts
- Tournament edition
- 3rd UEFA European Championship
- Host and winner
- Italy
- Final tournament dates
- 5–10 June 1968
- Teams in final tournament
- 4
- Name change
- European Nations' Cup → European Championship
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
UEFA organised its quadrennial continental football championship, introducing structural reforms that replaced the two-legged knock-out qualifying rounds with a group phase, and selected Italy as host from among the four qualified nations.
The final tournament was held in Italy between 5 and 10 June 1968, contested by four nations across the semi-finals, a third-place play-off, and the final. Italy won the championship on home soil, claiming the title.
Italy became the first host nation to win the UEFA European Championship. The tournament's renaming to the 'European Championship' and its new group-stage qualifying format established the structural identity the competition would carry forward.
Result
at Italy