#EURO2016 kicks off on Twitter

#EURO2016 gets underway on Friday and fans will be able to get closer to the action than ever through Twitter, Vine & Periscope.

Since the last major men’s football summer tournament, World Cup 2014, the creative possibilities on Twitter have evolved hugely. Alongside new features such as GIFs, polls & Twitter Moments, it’s now possible to broadcast video through our live-streaming app Periscope.

As excitement around the tournament reaches fever pitch, we wanted to share a few things we have in store to enrich the fan experience throughout #EURO2016:

Emojis
To celebrate UEFA EURO 2016 we’ve launched a selection of hashtag triggered emojis that are exclusive to Twitter:

Any Tweet sent throughout the tournament that includes the official tournament hashtag - #EURO2016 - will automatically trigger an emoji of the trophy.

Fans will also be able to Tweet their support for their country with a special national flag emoji. For example, simply include #ENG or #TogetherForEngland and your Tweet will be brought to life with the inclusion of a football containing the St George’s Cross. This exciting feature will be available for all competing nations (e.g For Spain - #ESP or #VamosEspaña)

Tweets light up the Eiffel Tower

From the first match day up until the final, Twitter conversation will light up the Eiffel Tower in a spectacular light show.

On the evening of every matchday, 10 minutes after the final whistle of the last game of the day, the Eiffel Tower will be illuminated with the colours of the nation that received the most support on Twitter that day.

What’s more, a selection of the best Tweets that day will also be broadcast on the Eiffel Tower, giving fans an incredible incentive to have their 140 characters projected on one of the most iconic monuments in the world.

Digital Creators take over France

Video has become an integral part of how people communicate on Twitter, Vine and Periscope. Between 10-20 of top digital creators across Europe are headed out to #EURO2016 to create exclusive, insider content.

It will be a huge range in terms of the type of thing you can expect to see over the course of the tournament, including:

• The man behind the ‘Will Grigg’s on fire’ sensation, Sean Kennedy (@KennoUTJ), will be Tweeting and Periscoping from the fan zones as he gets #ENG fans in the mood with his chants. He might even be making an appearance at England vs Russia…

• Joe Charman is renowned for his comic trick compilations on Vine, which have made him a viral sensation. He will be creating a series of trick shots in six seconds from in and around the fan zones to keep fans entertained:

• Michelin starred French chef @PierreGagnaire will be getting into the spirit of the event by creating special videos where he cooks up new recipes based on the national cuisine of teams involved on a given matchday.
• @SpencerOwen (aka Spencer FC) is one of the leading voices in the growing culture of eSports. He unique approach has gained him an enormous social following and he will be hosting Periscope broadcasts pre and post game to capture the matchday atmosphere:

These Tweets and Vines will be displayed on giant screens in France, including at all ten host stadiums.

#ASKMOTM

The Man of the match vote is always a key moment at the end of any match, let alone a massive tournament like #EURO2016.

At the end of key matches, the official tournament accounts, @UEFAEURO and @EURO2016 for French fans, will be asking followers to submit questions for the Man of the Match, with the best being put to the star man after each game. Use #AskMOTM to get involved.

Special Fan access through Vine & Periscope

Alongside Twitter, Vine and Periscope have become a huge part of how sports fans consume live video.

Both apps will be prominent throughout the tournament, granting fans a level of access in and around France that has simply never been possible in previous major summer tournaments.

@EURO2016 will have its very own dedicated Vine channel within the app, showcasing the very best six second videos that surface each day.

Live-streaming app Periscope will place fans right at the heart of action. Keep an eye out for broadcasts from UEFA accounts and UEFA team reporters that take you behind the scenes at training sessions, team base camps and much more.