Euro 2024 stars cut in half during games, due to bizarre advertising glitches

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Supporters have noticed some odd glitches during Euro 2024 coverage over the past few weeks

Denzel Dumfries of the Netherlands clears the shot from Phil Foden of England off the line during the UEFA EURO 2024 semi-final match between Netherlands and England at Football Stadium Dortmund on July 10, 2024 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Any experienced FIFA player will be used to the odd visual glitch that sees a player hilariously lose a limb, grow a second head or pass through a solid object. 

But in a case of life imitating video games, it would appear that Euro 2024 viewers have been experiencing real-life glitches while watching on TV. 

Thankfully, no players have been harmed in the making of these glitches, but instead it’s all to do with virtual advertising and the localisation of different adverts to different markets.

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These glitches were picked up by LinkedIn user Jana Reske, who shared a clip of a Slovakia player from the Beglium group game appearing to vanish completely after attempting to make a clearance and falling into his own net, just in front of an advertising board.

The virtual advertising boards used at Euro 2024 allow TV viewers to see different adverts in different countries and are being used at a European Championship for the first time.

"The virtual advertising feeds allow us to have local sponsors in Germany with local perimeter board space,” UEFA Events’ director of marketing Guy-Laurent Epstein explained. “So we can manage a very strong local program together with a very strong international program".

The current tournament features four sets of broadcast signals, the international public signal, plus exclusive signals for hosts Germany, China and the United States, with viewers not seeing adverts for companies that do not operate in their country.

So, if Bukayo Saka appears to have fallen through to another dimension when he skirts too close to the sideline in Sunday night’s final, England fans don’t need to be worried.

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Joe Mewis
Joe Mewis

For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.