Euro Cup 2012: Important Dates, TV Info and Teams for Major Tournament

The 2012 UEFA Euro tournament features 16 teams from across the globe, and it's certainly an event you won't want to miss. 

This will be the 14th Euro Cup, and the big favorites happen to be the exact two teams who played in the finals back in 2008. 

Spain and Germany are the teams to beat, but as with every tournament in any sport, there's no guaranteed winner. 

Anything can happen, which is what makes the event so much fun. With that said, here's all the important info you need to know about the 2012 Euro Cup. 

Dates 

Group Matches - June 8 - June 19 

Quarterfinals - June 21- June 24 

Semifinals - June 27 - June 28 

Final - July 1

Group A 

Greece, Russia, Czech Republic, Poland  

Group B 

Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal 

Group C 

Spain, Italy, Ireland, Croatia

Group D 

Sweden, France, England, Ukraine 

*A bracket of the quarterfinals and beyond can be found via ESPN. 

Television 

According to UEFA.com, folks can watch the tournament in the USA on ESPN, as well as in Canada in English on TSN and TSN2 and in French on RDS and RIS. 

A quick search on ESPN3.com also reveals that you can indeed catch the tournament online if you aren't near a television, which of course is fantastic news. 

Venues 

This year, the 2012 Euro Cup will be played in eight different stadiums. Various cities in Poland and Ukraine will house the matches, and each one is listed below. 

PGE Arena - Gdansk, Poland; holds 40,000

Municipal Stadium - Poznan, Poland; holds 40,000 

National Stadium - Warsaw, Poland; holds 50,000 

Poland Municipal Stadium - Wroclaw, Poland; holds 40,000 

Donbass Arena - Donetsk, Ukraine; holds 50,000 

Metalist Stadium - Kharkiv, Ukraine; holds 35,000 

Olympic Stadium - Kiev, Ukraine; holds 60,000 

Arena Lviv - Lviv, Ukraine; holds 30,000 

Teams to Watch 

Spain 

Spain is the top favorite for the 2012 Euro Cup, but repeating as champs will be no easy task. The field is strong, so Spain has a tough challenge, but there's no denying the Spaniards' talents.  

With such deep talent on the roster, the expectations for Spain are high this year, and rightfully so.

The Spaniards play exciting football (or soccer for those in the US), which is why they're the top team to watch this year. 

Germany 

The Germans are another bunch to keep a keen eye on this year. They have very few weaknesses, which makes them a dangerous threat this summer. 

There aren't any holes on Germany's roster, so it's a no-brainer that the Germans are heavy favorites.

Since Germany is in Group B, advancing far in the 2012 Euro Cup will be difficult, so a strong start is a must. 

Netherlands 

Another strong team, the Netherlands have the unfortunate task of being placed in the same group as Germany. 

It's no secret that winning the group stage gives that team an advantage, as well as supreme confidence. 

The Netherlands' midfield isn't a strong suit, but they make up for with great offensive depth, as well as a tough and stingy defense.