Tekkers* To Teaching: The Best Countries At Euro 2024 For Your TEFL Career

*Tekkers: (slang) having good football skills or technique

The European Championships is the second-most watched football tournament in the world, being held every four years to determine which country is the continent’s best at the beautiful game.  

Euro 2024 will take place from 14th June to 14th July 2024, with twenty-four nations competing across Germany in a group-to-knockout format. 

But, here at The TEFL Academy, we deal more with wanderlust than wingers. So, from beer and plastic chairs being thrown across European marketplaces to the inevitable England meltdown, we thought we would run you through the best countries at Euro 2024 that should be on your bucket list of countries for teaching English abroad. 

Spain: From Tiki-Taka To Teaching  

Spain are the joint-most successful team in Euro’s history with three titles. They are the only country to win the tournament back-to-back (2008 and 2012). Ole!

It is also one of the most popular destinations for TEFL graduates looking for teaching positions overseas. With its stunning Mediterranean climate and lively gastronomic cities, teaching English in Spain in the likes of Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Valencia is more than possible with positions available in public, private and semi-private concertado schools. 

To begin teaching in Spain, you’ll need a TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours. At The TEFL Academy, our accredited Level 3 course is the perfect first step if you want to teach English in Spain. However, competition for positions with the highest salaries can be almost as demanding as the Euro 2024 final, so why not elevate your CV with our Level 5 TEFL courses? 

EU residents can work in Spain without a visa, whereas those from outside will need either a work visa or a Working Holiday visa (for natives from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Korea only). 

Italy: It’s Coming To Rome 

Italy come into Euro 2024 as the reigning champions having won Euro 2020 at Wembley, and the Mediterranean country is still one of the major players when it comes to teaching English abroad. 

From Palermo to Pompeii to Pisa, teaching English in Italy offers incredible opportunities for travelling across one of the most beautiful countries on Earth, sampling the most incredible delicacies and kicking back with a stress-free work-life balance. 

Teaching jobs in Italy require 120 hours of TEFL certification, a Bachelor’s degree and prior teaching experience for positions in formal education, be it a public school, private language academy or a university. There are ample opportunities for teaching in summer camps to build up your experience, or even become a digital nomad teaching online! This allows you to take your teaching with you on your travels and see all il stivale has to offer. 

Croatia: Serial Dark Horses  

Croatia have qualified for the previous five European Championships coming into Euro 2024, and are one of the most exciting emerging destinations for teaching overseas. 

From the walled city of Dubrovnik to the Diocletian Palace in Split, Croatia is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites (and, no, Luka Modric’s longevity isn’t one of them). The majority of TEFL jobs in Croatia are in the capital city Zagreb and in private language schools and international academies. 

A B/A degree is considered essential for most teaching positions, as is an accredited TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours. Being a non-native speaker of English won’t see you eliminated from the competition, but you will need to demonstrate a fluent level of proficiency to be considered. 

Portugal: Nomads’ And Footballers’ Favourite

Portugal has long been considered one of the best countries for working abroad. Which makes the Euro 2024 favourites a superb choice for TEFL teachers. 

The Euro 2016 winners boast an incredible work-life balance, a thriving expat scene and countless attractive destinations that any beach-loving nomad is sure to savour. Cities like the capital Lisbon, Porto, and the cosmopolitan Braga are all stocked full of teaching opportunities at private language academies and public schools, which do require TEFL certification to secure. 

A Bachelor’s degree is required for a working visa in Portugal, and employers are required to sponsor these to legally enter the country. This is why EU citizens are sometimes given priority for teaching posts over non-EU residents. In these cases, it may be worth considering private tutoring in Portugal via teaching online. Not only does this provide a more flexible schedule for soaking in the sunshine or chasing dolphins down the Algarve, but neither prior experience nor a degree are required for this! 

Read more: The Digital Nomad Visa: A Ticket To Your Best Life

Whichever nation you’re cheering for this summer, it’s no secret that Europe boasts some of the best countries for teaching English abroad. From the dazzling beaches to the enviable work-life balance, check out our full country guides to teaching across the continent!