The best apps and games for Euro 2016
The best apps and games for Euro 2016
Euro 2016 is mere moments away and whether you're jetting off to France or planning on watching the matches from the comfort of your own home, there are a huge selection of apps to help you stay up to date, get in the spirit and get the most out of the tournament.
From scores, news and highlights, to tables and analysis, we've collected the ultimate selection of apps and games that will serve you well before, during and after the matches have kicked off - whether you managed to watch them or not.
But we haven't stopped there, as we've also highlighted some of the best apps to help you out if you're attending the matches in person and even thrown in a few games for good measure to help you through the horrendous times when there are no international stars trying to kick balls at one another.
Most of these apps are free and they're all available for both iOS and Android, so click through, get downloading and get ready for one of the biggest sporting events of the summer.
UEFA Euro 2016 official app
The official UEFA Euro 2016 app is an obvious choice if you want to keep up to date with all the tournament action - despite the fact we're loathe to advocate the app of 'the man'.
Wherever you plan to watch the games this app is a near-essential companion, providing full details of teams, players, matches, fixtures and standings.
The MatchCentre area will provide live information during the games, making the UEFA Euro 2016 app an ideal second screen experience and the portal promises video, audio, official statistics and the latest news throughout the championship.
UEFA Euro 2016 Fan Guide
While the UEFA Euro 2016 Official app is an easy recommendation for all football fans, the UEFA Euro 2016 Fan Guide is tailored specifically for those attending matches in person.
Along with a match calendar and information on line-ups, results and other news, the app also provides details of the host cities, including things to see and do between games.
Plus, it provides help on finding accommodation and getting around, along with an online store, in case you want some mementos from your trip.
BBC iPlayer
You can't see all the Euro 2016 matches in one place, but, as long as you're in the UK you can see them without paying a penny and BBC iPlayer will get you halfway there.
From the app you'll be able to see a selection of the matches live on your smartphone or tablet, including England's clash against Wales on June 16, so whether you're at work or on the bus you'll have no excuse to miss it.
But if your loyalties lie further afield iPlayer has you covered there too, with other matches such as Belgium v Italy and Germany v Ukraine also being broadcast.
LiveScore Euro 2016
As the name suggests, LiveScore Euro 2016 is all about scores, or more specifically live scores, as the app is constantly updated with the latest goals and results.
While it primarily acts as a fast, easy way to keep up to date with scores during Euro 2016, the LiveScore app has plenty more going for it too.
It also offers detailed match information, statistics, team sheets, news and even information on the stadiums. If you want an all-round tournament companion it's not quite as comprehensive as the official UEFA app promises to be, but for something that sells itself on scores there's a surprising amount here.
LiveSoccer - Football Scores
With a similar name and similar focus to LiveScore, LiveSoccer – Football Scores is primarily designed to be a fast and simple way to get scores in real time.
To help with that the app offers customisable push notifications, so you never miss a goal. But you can also use them to get alerted to final results, red and yellow cards, substitutions and more for any team.
If for any reason you can't watch a match you can also use LiveSoccer's Match Visualisation tool to see the flow of game events in real time.
Add to that news, statistics and match analysis, plus a comments section for each match, where you can chat to other fans, and this is a full-featured app. It even has a risk-free betting component, allowing you to predict match results and get points if you're right.
It's not specifically for Euro 2016 either; in fact LiveSoccer lets you track matches from more than 350 worldwide football leagues, so it won't stop being useful after the championship.
ITV Hub
Alongside iPlayer you'll also want ITV Hub if you plan to catch all the action live, as ITV is showing half the games, including England v Russia, England v Slovakia and Russia v Wales in the group stage. Both apps will be showing the final, so you can pick your favourite for that.
In between matches you can use ITV Hub to pass the time with everything from Family Guy to Coronation Street, and the app offers both live and catch-up content.
So whatever your non-sporting tastes you should be able to find something to fill the emptiness after extra time - unless you're planning to spend your time researching the next wave of stats to be the king of your office's Euro Prediction league.
Onefootball Euro 2016
If you want an easy way to keep track of when each game is Onefootball Euro 2016 has you covered, with clearly laid out fixtures and calendars.
But you can also get push notifications for live scores and results, so even if you're busy with something else you can stay in the loop.
Plus, it offers match statistics and predictions, news, lineups, team and player profiles and analysis of matches, so whether you catch a game or not you'll know exactly how it played out.
Airbnb
If you're lucky enough to have snagged tickets for some of the games, or just plan to head over to France to get engulfed in the atmosphere, you're going to need somewhere to stay and if you haven't already booked a place you'll probably find most hotels are full up.
But in the age of Airbnb they're as dated as the dodo anyway. Grab the app and find crash space with locals, or even rent out a whole apartment, house or château.
The app has thousands of listings, offering a wider variety of accommodation types than a standard hotel and often at lower prices. It's also image-filled and gorgeously laid out for sofa-surfing.
FotMob Euro 2016
FotMob Euro 2016 is another slick scores app that goes well beyond just tracking the latest goals.
You'll get live scores, sure, but you'll also get full match statistics, including lineups, goals, red and yellow cards, penalties both made and missed, assists and substitutions.
There are also tables and fixtures, so you can see at a glance how the tournament is playing out and when the next matches are.
You'll also find a news section and the whole thing has a simple layout, with tabs taking you between sections and easily digestible information.
AroundMe
If you're venturing to any of the matches in person you'll find yourself in likely unfamiliar French cities, but with AroundMe you can feel like a local.
The app uses your location data to point you to the nearest bank, bar, petrol station, supermarket, taxi rank and more, so you'll never have to feel lost and can quickly make your way to the game – or stock up on supplies.
The app will show the location of whatever you're after on a map and even provide additional details, such as opening times, reviews and contact information.
Sky Sports Live Football SC
Sky Sports Live Football SC (the SC is for Score Centre) is yet another scores app, but coming from Sky you can rely on it being polished and packing the most up to date information.
Covering all European and UK cups and championships it takes you way beyond just Euro 2016, but with live scores, headlines, highlights, fixtures, tables and standings it offers all the key information.
And while it could end up cluttered the ability to set up notifications for specific teams and follow specific matches means the information you actually want is never far away.
Plus, with match reports and previews Sky Sports Live Football SC is useful before and after games too.
Football Manager Mobile 2016
Think you could lead a team to Euro victory? Well, you can prove it with Football Manager Mobile 2016.
Pick a team and take control, choosing who plays and who doesn't, deciding on tactics and building your players skills with coaching staff.
You can choose teams from 14 different nations and play through a whole season, or get into the Euro spirit by taking charge of your home country.
Football Manager 2016 is a deep, addictive management game and the mobile version is perfect on tablets or larger phones. Just try not to get so absorbed in it that you forget to tune into the real Euro 2016 matches.
Super Scores
Super Scores has a comprehensive list of different things that you can track, throughout Euro 2016 and beyond.
Scores are obviously key to it, but you can also view statistics, lineups, injuries, match analysis, transfers, both league and live tables, fixtures, top scorers, top assists, red and yellow cards, betting statistics and more, with unlimited push notifications available for many of them where applicable.
Super Scores also delivers the latest news and live match commentary, along with analysis after the final whistle has blown.
Score! Hero
Score! Hero is the complete opposite of Football Manager, in that rather than managing a whole team you take direct control of a single player.
You can customise their appearance to make them your own and get playing for some of the biggest teams in the world, including European nations.
With simple swipe controls it's built from the ground up for mobile and feels intuitive to play. But there's a surprising amount of depth too, which rewards well thought-out decisions.
There are over 380 levels to beat as you build your player from teenage upstart to a football legend, so there's a lot of content to keep you going throughout the tournament.
FIFA 16 Ultimate Team
Want to manage a whole team rather than just a single player - but get more hands on than Football Manager allows? Then FIFA 16 Ultimate Team is your game.
Build and manage a team, choosing formation, kits, play style and more, choosing from over 10,000 players and 500 teams, then take direct control in matches and put your skills to the test.
For even more of a challenge you can face off against other players and with detailed graphics too FIFA 16 Ultimate Team is just about the closest thing you can get to a real game of football on your phone.