Woon-Mo Sung

June 12, 2024, 11:02 am | Read time: 5 minutes

Euro 2024 in 4K? These Resolutions Await Soccer Fans

Those who can’t follow this year’s European Championship games in the stadium will have to rely on various broadcasting technologies. Whether via linear TV or streaming, the expectation is the same for everyone: The game should be in the best possible quality. Therefore, the question arises whether Euro 2024 will be available in 4K or not.

This year, ARD, ZDF, MagentaTV, and RTL will broadcast the tournament. The four broadcasters will share the matches for live broadcasts or streams among themselves. Here’s how they are set up in terms of quality.

Also interesting: Where to stream all Euro 2024 soccer games

What ZDF Says About Euro Broadcasting

TECHBOOK inquired with ZDF to find out if Euro 2024 will be shown in 4K. The broadcaster’s response indicates that the organizing soccer association UEFA acts as the host broadcaster and is responsible for quality and resolution. The following formats are offered:

• 1080p/HDR
• 1080p/SDR
• 1080i50

Of these three options, ZDF chooses the 1080i50 resolution. While this is HD quality, it is unfortunately not 4K or UHD. ZDF further states: “UHD is not offered. A UHD-HDR broadcast via linear transmission paths is not currently planned at ZDF.” There is no separate statement regarding streaming. It is assumed that the same resolution will be used here.

Also interesting: The difference between UHD and 4K on TV

ARD Also Without 4K Broadcast

In response to a TECHBOOK inquiry, ARD stated that it will stream in 1080p50. Generally, there are no plans for linear UHD broadcasts, and even in the media library, only selected videos are available in this quality level. Furthermore, a spokesperson for the broadcaster said:

“In satellite broadcasting and DVB-T2, ARD relies on HD, considering the market-standard receiver populations in households, e.g., AVC 720p50 for satellite and HEVC 1080p50 via DVB-T2. The picture and sound quality in DVB-C in cable networks are determined by the cable network operators.”

ARD Spokesperson

MagentaTV with 4K Rights

In response to a TECHBOOK inquiry, an RTL spokesperson stated that the Cologne-based broadcaster will also broadcast its Euro games in 1080p50. There was no separate streaming notice. Although they emphasize that selected live sports events are also shown in UHD, the exclusive rights for the European Championship lie with MagentaTV, as RTL mentioned to us.

We have made a corresponding inquiry to Deutsche Telekom but have not yet received a response. However, it is assumed that they will work with upscaling methods–after all, they must rely on the same source material from UEFA as the other broadcasters. How the result will look in the end remains to be seen.

The resolution remains the same for viewers in this case. The “p” and “i” refer to the image construction. “p” stands for “Progressive Scan,” meaning that the entire image is replaced with each frame. “i,” on the other hand, stands for “Interlaced” and describes a process where two half-images are combined into one. The image is divided into two fields with alternating pixel rows. Thus, a frame replacement does not replace the entire image but only half of it. The refresh rate in the interlaced standard is often given in “fields per second.” To convert to “frames per second,” this value must be halved.

Today, most content is recorded “progressively.” However, due to many older devices, linear television often still broadcasts “interlaced.”

Euro 2024 Not in 4K Surprises

That UEFA will not produce the Euro 2024 games in 4K is surprising. As reported by “IBC,” among others, this represents a step back after nearly ten years of experience with high-resolution broadcasts. Since 2015 and 2016, respectively, the Champions League final and the European Championship have been shown in the best quality.

Possible reasons include that 4K production is generally more expensive and technically complex. This leads many broadcasters not to adopt this resolution. At the same time, overall audience demand has not been very high, especially since many providers charge extra for 4K content–for example, this quality is only available on Netflix with the most expensive premium subscription. Additionally, those who want to receive private channels at home in better quality must pay extra. Furthermore, the quality jump from Full HD to the next higher level, 4K, is not significant or obvious enough for many.

Especially younger people place less value on resolution, as they often consume media on the go and on small screens like smartphones. However, the upcoming Olympics in Paris is expected to establish 4K as a long-term top standard. Additionally, the industry is continuously working on possibilities for 8K broadcasts.