Paris (AFP) – Hosting the Euro 2016 football tournament cost France less than 200 million euros ($211 million) but brought some 1.22 billion euros into the country, according to figures released by the ministry of sports Tuesday. There was controversy over the public funds poured into the tournament, with some 24 million euros — double […]

Paris (AFP) – The European Championship ended Sunday with Portugal's stunning victory over France in the final — the last shock in a tournament of giant-killing romance, vicious and gentle fans, the rise of Antoine Griezmann as an international star and Cristiano Ronaldo stretchered off in tears and still winning. Euro 2016 was not a […]

Paris (AFP) – Around 40 people were arrested in Paris after police used tear gas and water cannon against football fans hurling glass bottles at officers at the Eiffel Tower during the Euro 2016 final. Crowds of supporters, some donning French or Portuguese flags, gathered at the base of the Paris landmark before and after Portugal's […]

Paris (AFP) – French police arrested around 40 people for violence and other offences before and after France's defeat to Portugal in the Euro 2016 final in Paris on Sunday, police said. Police used tear gas and rounded up supporters who pelted them with bottles at the foot of the Eiffel Tower after they were […]

Saint-Denis (France) (AFP) – Following Portugal's victory over France in Sunday's Euro 2016 final, here are five of the best goals scored at the tournament: Dimitri Payet (France 2 Romania 1) France were heading towards a dispiriting 1-1 draw against Romania in their opening match when the ball found its way to Dimitri Payet on […]

Paris (AFP) – At the end of the European Championships, AFP looks at five players who shone over the last month in France: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) This will be remembered as Ronaldo's tournament, for good and for bad. It did not start well for him and he was stretchered off injured in the first half […]

Paris (AFP) – The Stade de France was invaded by swarms of moths ahead of Sunday's Euro 2016 final between Portugal and France. Hundreds of large black moths flew around the stands of the 80,000-capacity stadium north of Paris as well as by the pitch in temperatures which even at 1830 GMT hovered around 28 […]

Saint-Denis (France) (AFP) – Supporters of hosts France and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal sought shade as they were met by baking temperatures and high security upon arriving at Stade de France for Sunday's Euro 2016 final. With the mercury hitting 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit) in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, fans arriving early at the […]

London (AFP) – Ricardo Quaresma's eyecatching teardrop tattoo may be coated with real tears come the final whistle of the Euro 2016 final on Sunday but it could do wonders for the burgeoning body art business. The Portuguese star has never explained why he has two drops under his right eye — a tattoo which […]

Paris (AFP) – The Stade de France pitch for the Euro 2016 final will be good but not excellent, a top UEFA official warned Tuesday. The pitches at three Euro venues have been criticised and the Lille pitch had to be relaid in mid-tournament. The pitches at Marseille, to be used for Thursday's semi-final between […]

Paris (AFP) – French police have made more than 1,000 football-related arrests since the start of Euro 2016 and 34 people have been ordered expelled, the interior minister said in an interview published Monday. "Since the start of the competition, (police) have carried out more than 1,000 arrests, leading to 600 custody orders and 56 […]

Paris (AFP) – World champions Germany are seeking to end an eight-game winless run against Italy in the standout clash of the Euro 2016 quarter-finals, while Iceland's fairytale run continues against hosts France. Here, AFP Sports looks at all four quarter-final ties. Poland v Portugal – Thursday June 30, Marseille Two of Europe's most prolific […]

The first two weeks of the newly expanded 24-team European Championship from France, outside of a handful of truly memorable moments, failed to consistently spark. Now, though, the real fun begins. The knockout stages, beginning with the first Round of 16 in this competition’s history, are here. Below are previews and predictions for all eight […]

Lille (France) (AFP) – The playing surface at Lille's Euro 2016 stadium was replaced on Thursday after severe criticism of the state of the pitch. UEFA admitted the pitch had suffered "irreversible damage" due to severe weather in recent weeks. The 50,000 capacity stadium will host Germany's last 16 tie with Slovakia on Sunday and […]

Paris (AFP) – At the end of the European Championship group phase, here are five players who shone in the first round: Gareth Bale (Wales) Bale arrived in France fresh from winning a second Champions League title with Real Madrid and the 26-year-old forward has lived up to his pre-tournament billing as one of the […]