Hungary vs Switzerland: Euro 2024 Clash in Cologne

Hungary and Switzerland face off in their first Group A match at Euro 2024 in Cologne. Switzerland aims for a strong start, while Hungary comes into the tournament with an impressive undefeated qualifying record. The match highlights include team news, historical context, and concerns over fan behavior.

Hungary and Switzerland square off on Saturday in Cologne, Germany, for their inaugural match in Group A of Euro 2024. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 pm local time (1300 GMT/9 am EST).

Switzerland aims to start strong, hoping to secure a spot in the knockout stages for the third consecutive European Championship.

Hungary enters the tournament with a stellar unbeaten qualifying run but recently faced a setback with a pre-tournament friendly loss to Ireland. Their fanbase will be under scrutiny due to past incidents of racist and homophobic behavior.

In team news, Hungary's star midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, recovering from a minor injury, is expected to play. Switzerland, dealing with a calf injury to winger Steven Zuber, may see Xherdan Shaqiri step in. The Swiss have also lodged a formal complaint about their training field's conditions.

Historically, it's been 70 years since Switzerland hosted a World Cup and Hungary lost the final to West Germany. Their last competitive match saw Switzerland triumph 5-2 during World Cup qualifying in 2017.