Structure
What is the Community Shield Game?
The FA Community Shield is the traditional opening game of the English football season. But what is it, exactly? Who plays in it? And when and where does it happen? Let's break it down. First, the FA is the Football Association, the governing body of English football. They run the FA Cup and lots of…
What is the Copa del Rey?
(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning Groundhopper Guides may receive some compensation if you make a purchase after clicking one of these links.) The Copa del Rey, or King's Cup, is the domestic cup competition in Spanish football -- the equivalent of the English FA Cup, or the Coppa Italia or…
What is the Coppa Italia?
The Coppa Italia, or Italian Cup, is the domestic soccer cup competition in Italy. You can think of it as the FA Cup of Italy, but there are some important and interesting differences. Coppa Italia History The Coppa Italia was first played in 1922, but it didn't happen again until 1935. It then ran through…
When and Where is Euro 2024?
The 2024 Men's European Championships, known simply as Euro 2024, will be held June 14 to July 14, 2024, in Germany. For some background on the European Championships, read our post about Euro 2020. Which Countries Will Play in UEFA Euro 2024? A total of 24 countries will compete for Euro 2024, including Germany, who…
What is the DFB-Pokal?
The DFB-Pokal is the domestic cup competition in Germany -- their version of the FA Cup, if you will, but with significant differences. Here's a bit more about this annual competition. Why is it Called DFB-Pokal? Pokal is a German word for cup, and DFB stands for Deutscher Fußball-Bund, or German Football Federation. So a…
What is the FA Trophy?
The easiest way to think about the FA (Football Association) Trophy is that it's just like the FA Cup, only for semipro and amateur English football clubs. Let's learn more about the FA Trophy -- currently known as the Buildbase FA Trophy, as it is sponsored by the builders' supply chain -- starting with a…
Promotion and Relegation in German Football
Promotion and relegation in German football is generally similar to English football, but there are some differences. Promotion to the Bundesliga involves a playoff as it does for the Premier League in England, but in Germany, one team must win a relegation playoff to stay up. German Football League Structure As in England, Germany has…
English Football Promotion, Relegation and European Places: 2021-22 Season
Which English soccer teams have been promoted and relegated after the 2021-22 season? Who's in the Football League playoffs? Which Premier League teams have made it into Europe? We're going to track everything here until it's all said and done. But first, some quick background. Updated June 5, 2022 with all results. How Does Promotion…
What is the UEFA Nations League?
The UEFA Nations League is a biennial international soccer competition featuring the senior men’s national teams of the 55 member associations of UEFA, the football confederation of Europe. Also, the UEFA Nations League is not actually a league; it's a tournament. We've tried to explain it in the simplest terms below. (Disclaimer: Some of the…
What Does it Mean in English Soccer to “Get Into Europe”?
As each English Premier League season winds down, there is a phrase that will be tossed around quite a bit: "Get into Europe." What does this mean? (Updated January 31, 2022) The short answer here is that "making the top four" means "Qualify for European club competition next season." But let's go just a little…