Last weekend’s papers featured a host of special supplements and wallcharts ahead of kick-off on Friday 11 June.
The tournament is still officially ‘Euro 2020’ despite being postponed from last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Matches will be played in 11 host cities. Glasgow’s Hampden Park will host four matches, while Wembley Stadium in London hosts eight including England's group games and the semi-finals and the final on Sunday 11 July.
Collectable sticker specialist Panini has already distributed millions of stickers and sticker albums for the tournament.
The firm prints the stickers itself in Italy, but Prinovis UK printed more than 4m copies of the accompanying collectors’ album for the UK, with covers printed by Go Inspire Eclipse, and an additional finish by Celloglas.
“As well as the Panini sticker albums we also produced some A5 32pp and 64pp supplements for the Saturday Times and Fabulous magazine. The tournament has been good for us,” said commercial director Mark Pfeiffer.
Jon Hearnden, group sales director at Walstead Group, said Walstead had also been involved with a number of additional products related to the tournament.
Tournament sponsors have also turned to print for their promotional activity.
Coca-Cola has a ‘scan, enter and win’ on-pack promotion involving QR codes and unique 10-digit codes and the chance to win thousands of prizes including branded duffel bags, beach towels and fan kits.
Heineken has launched a limited edition set of bottles featuring the flags of all the qualifying teams, as well as on-pack promotions.
And Bud Light, official sponsor of the England team, has combined print with social media for its ‘Boxheads’ campaign.
The packaging for 12 and 20-bottle packs now features the faces of England players Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier.
Fans are being encouraged to wear the empty box on their heads and to post videos on social media showing their own attempts at challenges also undertaken by the pro players, such as keepie-uppie.
Here’s something to wipe away the Monday blues 😂 #BOXHEADS pic.twitter.com/diWnukj8yr
— Bud Light UK (@BudLightUK) June 7, 2021
Wembley Stadium and its approaches have been freshly branded ahead of the tournament, and it will be able to welcome 22,500 spectators, 25% of its usual capacity, under Covid restrictions.
It has also opened its official UEFA 2020 store with a wide range of merchandise including fanwear, accessories and souvenirs covering all teams.
Printers are also getting in on the act producing wallcharts and sweepstakes kits. McAllister Litho Glasgow is running a promo with prizes and giveaways, while collecting donations for the NSPCC.
Chocolate bar Snickers is an official sponsor of both England AND Scotland, and has turned to the #OfficiallyAwkward hashtag to reflect the rivalry of the home nations.
Snickers is also currently campaigning for everyone in Scotland to have the day off on 14 June because the team’s first match takes place at 2pm on a Monday.
