What all teams need to qualify from the group stage

Soccer

The Euro 2020 group stage is almost halfway through, with 16 of the 24 nations going through to the knockout rounds.

Euro 2020: News and features | Live on ESPN | VAR watch

The top two teams in each group qualify, along with the best four of the six third-placed teams. At Euro 2016, two teams advanced in third with three points.

The first tie-breaker for teams level on points is head-to-head record, followed by overall goal difference.

JUMP TO: How third-placed teams fill out the bracket

Here’s what every team needs to go through with one round of games remaining. (We’ll add more groups as the games continue.)

Qualified for round of 16: Belgium, Italy, Netherlands

Eliminated: North Macedonia

GROUP A

June 20: Italy vs. Wales, Switzerland vs. Turkey (6 p.m. CET, midday ET)

Italy
– Have qualified with a game to spare and need a draw at home to Wales on Sunday to top the group. A convenient draw would send both through in first and second.

Wales
– Need a point in Rome to guarantee qualifying. If Wales win they top the group.
– Will also go through in second with a defeat if Switzerland fail to win.
– If Wales lose and Switzerland win it will go down to overall group goal difference. If Wales lose 3-0 and Switzerland win 2-0, the teams will have identical records and it will go to disciplinary record. If that’s level, Switzerland finish second on qualifying ranking.
– Even if Wales lose and finish third, four points is likely to be enough as one of the best third-placed teams.

Switzerland
– Must win to have a chance of finishing second, but would need Wales to lose and a goal-difference swing of at least five goals.
– A victory should be enough with four points in third. A draw almost certainly won’t be enough on two points in third with -3 goal difference.
– Cannot qualify with a defeat.

Turkey
– Must beat Switzerland to finish third, and hope three points is enough. But with a goal difference of -5, there is probably only a small chance of staying in the competition.

GROUP B

June 21: Finland vs Belgium, Russia vs. Denmark (9 p.m. CET, 3 p.m. ET)

Belgium: Are through and need a point against Finland to secure top spot. They can lose top spot with a defeat if Russia fail to beat Denmark OR Russia win and Belgium lose by three or four goals (Finland top in both scenarios). There is an unlikely scenario whereby Belgium can finish third, which would require them to lose by at least six goals and Russia to win.

Russia: Victory in Denmark will guarantee progress. A draw will take them through if Finland fail to beat Belgium, though even if Finland win and Russia finish third then four points should be enough. Russia’s only chance of going through with a defeat is if they lose by any one-goal scoreline other than 1-0 to finish third and hope three points is enough. If they lose 1-0, Finland must lose to Belgium by 4+ goals. If they lose 1-0 and Finland are beaten 3-0, third place will be decided first on disciplinary record and then on Euro 2020 qualifying (Russia 12th, Finland 20th). Cannot top the group.

Finland: Know they will definitely be through in first or second if they beat Belgium, and would top the group if Russia also fail to win OR if Russia win Finland win by at least three goals. A draw would be enough to go through if Russia lose (though four points should still be good enough in third if Russia win). If Finland lose and Russia win or draw, Finland must wait to see if three points is enough in third. See below for additional scenarios if Finland lose, in addition to those in the Russia section.

Denmark: Must beat Russia to stand any chance of progressing, but if they do win and Finland lose to Belgium they finish second in almost all scenarios.

– If Denmark win and Finland win or draw, the Danes will finish third and will have to hope that is enough to go through on three points.

– If Denmark win and Finland lose, three teams will be locked on three points. Positions 2-4 will be decided on results between the three teams. If Denmark win by any scoreline other than 1-0, they will finish second in the group. If Denmark win by any other one-goal scoreline than 1-0, Russia will be third and Finland bottom. If Denmark win by more than one goal, Finland will be third and Russia bottom.

If Denmark win 1-0 and Finland lose, the group will be decided on overall goal difference and goals scored, and Denmark can finish no lower than third. If Denmark win 1-0 and Finland lose 1-0 or by two goals, Denmark will finish second and Finland third. If Finland lose 2-1, goal difference and goals scored will be identical and second place will be decided on disciplinary points. If disciplinary points are level, Denmark will be second on the overall ranking in Euro 2020 qualifying (Denmark 15th, Finland 20th). Any other one-goal Finland defeat (2-3, 3-4 etc) it’s Finland in second and Denmark third.

GROUP C

June 21: North Macedonia vs. Netherlands, Ukraine vs. Austria (6 p.m. CET, midday ET)

Netherlands: Have qualified as group winners.

Ukraine: Will go through in second if they avoid defeat to Austria. If they lose, they must wait to see if three points will be enough in third.

Austria: Must beat Ukraine to go through in second, though a draw to finish with four points in third will almost certainly be good enough. Lose, and they must wait and see on three points in third.

North Macedonia: Have been eliminated.

GROUP D

June 22: Croatia vs. Scotland, Czech Republic vs. England (9 p.m. CET, 3 p.m. ET)

Czech Republic: Need a point to qualify which will secure top spot in the group. Can only finish third in the group if they lose and Croatia win and finish above them on overall goal difference.

England: Also need a point to be sure of going through, but must win to top the group. Will also qualify with a defeat if Scotland do not win to better their goal difference, and even then four points should be enough to qualify in third.

Croatia: Only hope of finishing second is if they beat Scotland, Czech Republic lose and they finish with better group goal difference. But a win is almost certain to take them through in third on four points anyway, and there is a small chance they could go through with a draw on two points in third.

Scotland: Must win and England must lose, and Scotland better the overall goal difference, to take second. Again, a win is highly likely to take them through in third on four points.

GROUP E

June 23: Slovakia vs. Spain, Sweden vs. Poland (6 p.m. CET, midday ET)

Sweden: Need a point against Poland to secure qualification in the top two and will win the group if they beat Poland or both games are a draw. The only way Sweden will definitely go through in second with a defeat is if they lose by any other one-goal scoreline than 1-0 and Slovakia-Spain is a draw. If Sweden lose 1-0 or by more than one goal and Slovakia-Spain is a draw, Sweden will finish third on four points. Four points should be enough to go through in third anyway, which they should know before they play, and they cannot finish bottom.

Slovakia: Must beat Spain to be be sure of qualifying, and they would top the group if Sweden draw or lose. A point is also enough if Sweden win or draw, or if Poland win 1-0 or by 2+ goals (though four points should take them through in third). Have a chance of going through in third with three points as long as Poland do not win.

Spain: Have to beat Slovakia to guarantee qualification, and that will be as group winners if Sweden lose (could finish also top on goal difference if Sweden draw). If they draw, their only hope is as a best third-placed team on three points, but they would finish bottom if Poland win. Cannot realistically qualify if they lose, though there is a small mathematical chance they could go through on two points as one of the best third-placed teams with a one-goal defeat (would need Switzerland-Turkey and Croatia-Scotland both to be draws).

Poland: Need a victory over Sweden, and that will send them through as group winners if Slovakia-Spain is a draw and they win by any scoreline other than 1-0. If Poland win 1-0 and Slovakia-Spain is a draw, Poland go through in second and Slovakia win the group. Guaranteed to finish second if they win and Slovakia-Spain isn’t a draw. Again, there is a chance of going through on two points with a draw if Spain lose and Poland have the better overall group goal difference.

GROUP F

June 23: Germany vs. Hungary, Portugal vs. France (9 p.m. CET, 3 p.m. ET)

France: A win against Portugal guarantees top spot, but they only need a point to qualify. Will definitely go through with a defeat if Germany-Hungary is a draw; could also finish second with a loss if Hungary win depending on goal difference. Four points should be enough for a best-third place if they are beaten and Germany win. They can also finish top with a point as long as Germany don’t win.

Germany: Will be guaranteed of qualifying if they beat Hungary in Munich. A point will also be enough for top two as long as Portugal do not win. Germany’s only hope of going through with a loss is if France beat Portugal and three points is enough in third. Can finish top of they win and France draw or lose.

Portugal: In a precarious position with France to play in their final game. Victory will guarantee they are through, and as group winners if Germany draw or lose. A draw will also be enough as long as Germany lose. But if Portugal lose, to finish on three points, they need to hope Hungary do not win so they finish third. Then it would likely come down to goal difference for a best third-placed slot, so a heavy loss to France could see them eliminated. With Group F last to complete, Portugal (and France) will know exactly what’s at stake to go through, or be knocked out, in third.

Hungary: Must beat Germany to have any chance of qualifying, and they will be through if Portugal lose. If Portugal win, they would need to finish with better goal difference than France with both countries on four points. They cannot make the top two if France-Portugal is a draw, but four points should be enough to go through in third.

How 3rd placed teams fill out the bracket

Third-placed teams will play the winners of Groups B, C, E and F, as shown across the top of the grid. The ties will be decided by which combination of groups supply the four best third-placed teams.

So for instance, if the best third-placed teams are from Groups B, D, E and F, then the winners of Group B (WB) will place the third-placed team from Group F (3F).

BRACKET – ROUND OF 16

Saturday, June 26
37- Runners-up Group A vs. Runners-up Group B (Amsterdam; noon ET, 6 p.m. CET) – ESPN
38 – Winners Group A vs. Runners-up Group C (London; 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CET) – ABC

Sunday, June 27
39 – Netherlands vs. 3rd in D/E/F (Budapest; noon ET, 6 p.m. CET) – ESPN
40 – Winners Group B vs. 3rd in A/D/E/F (Seville; 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CET) – ABC

Monday, June 28
41 – Runners-up Group D vs. Runners-up Group E (Copenhagen; noon ET, 6 p.m. CET) – ESPN
42 – Winners Group F vs. 3rd in A/B/C (Bucharest; 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CET) – ESPN

Tuesday, June 29
43 – Winners Group D vs. Runners-up Group F (London; noon ET, 6 p.m. CET) – ESPN
44 – Winners Group E vs. 3rd in A/B/C/D (Glasgow; 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CET) – ESPN

BRACKET – QUARTERFINALS

Friday, July 2
45 – Winners Match 41 vs. Winners Match 42 (Saint Petersburg; noon ET, 6 p.m. CET) – ESPN
46 – Winners Match 37 vs. Winners Match 39 (Munich; 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CET) – ESPN

Saturday, July 3
47 – Winners Match 38 vs. Winners Match 40 (Baku; noon ET, 6 p.m. CET) – ESPN
48 – Winners Match 43 vs. Winners Match 44 (Rome; 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CET) – ABC

BRACKET – SEMIFINALS

Tuesday, July 6
49 – Winners Match 45 vs. Winners Match 46 (London; 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CET) – ESPN

Wednesday, July 7
50 – Winners Match 47 vs. Winners Match 48 (London; 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CET) – ESPN

BRACKET – FINAL

Sunday, July 11
Winners Match 49 vs. Winners Match 50 (London; 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CET) – ESPN

Products You May Like

Articles You May Like

How tough love (and disrespect) fuels Paolo Banchero
Westbrook, Washington ejected in chippy Game 3
Former Giants OL Cunningham dies at age 28
Brewers lose LHP Miley to Tommy John surgery
Arsenal shrug off derby pressure to beat Spurs and send Man City a title warning

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *