For the 13th time Europe's finest will battle it out for the right to lift the competition's Henri Delaunay trophy. The Euro 2008 UEFA Cup starts today.
However, it was unlucky for some, with no representatives from Britain qualifying for the tournament, which is being co-hosted by Switzerland and Austria.
The Swiss will get the competition off and running when they meet Czech Republic in the opening game in Basel at 1700 BST on Saturday.
Over the next 23 days the tournament will cram in 31 games at eight different stadiums across the two countries.
Until 1980 only four teams competed in the European Championship finals, but since then it has grown into the third largest sporting event in the world after the World Cup and Olympic Games.
The build-up to the tournament has been relatively low key but Michel Platini, president of European football's governing body UEFA, said: "The party is about to start.
"What is really important is the feeling and emotion of the supporters."
Euro 2008 has cost nearly £500m to stage but is expected to generate revenues of over £1bn - 50% more than the previous tournament, according to UEFA.
The final will take place at the Ernst Happel stadium in the Austrian capital of Vienna on 29 June.
Greece are the reigning champions after producing one of the biggest shocks in international football history by winning Euro 2004 in Portugal.
But the Greeks will be outsiders once again in 2008, despite having the best qualifying record and retaining a number of key players from four years ago, as well as their inspirational coach Otto Rehhagel.
World champions Italy are in the so-called 'group of death' - along with France, champions in 2000, the 1988 winners Holland and unfenced Romania.
Spain, who were winners in 1964, have been heavily tipped to end their 44-year wait for another major tournament victory.
Germany, who are three-time winners of the trophy, are expected to be one of the teams battling out for the crown once again.
They have not won a game in the tournament since their victory in the 1996 final, but they have been handed a relatively easy draw by being grouped with Poland, Croatia and Austria.
Croatia are one of the tournament's dark horses along with Czech Republic and Russia.
The Armenian Public Television and "Nor Alik" will ensure live broadcast of all the matches of Euro 2008.
Source: By Public Radio of Armenia Sports
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