The Romanian Football Federation confirmed that the upcoming Euro 2024 preliminary matches against Israel and Kosovo will be played at the National Arena in Bucharest. The two matches are scheduled for September 9 and 12, respectively, and will be part of Romania's bid to qualify for the European Championships.

The National Arena, with a capacity of over 55,000 seats, has been the home ground for the Romanian national team since its opening in 2011. Located at Bulevardul Basarabia in the capital, it has hosted numerous important football matches throughout the years, including the UEFA Europa League final in 2012 and several matches during the Euro 2020 tournament, which was held across Europe.

In its previous two games, Nicolae Stanciu and co. managed to secure back-to-back three points. They opened their qualifying campaign with a solid 0-2 away win against Andorra and continued the masterclass at the National Arena in Bucharest in a dazzling display of a 2-1 demolition of Belarus. 

The upcoming matches in September will be crucial for Romania's chances of qualifying for Euro 2024, as they currently sit in third place in their group, behind Switzerland and Denmark. The tricolors will be hoping to secure maximum points from these two home matches to improve their position in the group standings and increase their chances of qualifying for the tournament.

Before the September matches, Romania will face two crucial away fixtures in June. The first game will be against Kosovo on June 16, followed by a match against Switzerland on June 19. These games will be equally important for Romania's qualification campaign, and Edward Iordanescu's men will be looking to pick up points on the road to increase their chances of reaching the tournament.

rafly@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Frf.ro)