With two rounds of Euro 2024 group stage fixtures in the books, there are a lot of head-scratching permutations to work through...
Scott McTominay celebrates scoring his side's goal against Switzerland at Euro 2024.(Image credit: Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
With two rounds of group stage fixtures in the books at Euro 2024, it’s crunch time.
With one game left for every side in the group stage, just three teams - Germany, Spain and Portugal - have sealed their spot in the last 16, while just one more - Poland - have been eliminated.
That leaves a whopping 20 teams vying for 13 last-16 places over the next few days, with the top two from each of the six groups being joined by the four best third-placed sides. But how are they worked out? FourFourTwo is here to walk you through it…
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How are the four best third-placed teams decided at Euro 2024?
If you delve deep into the UEFA handbook, the answer to this question is nettled in article 21.03. These are the criteria for how the third-placed teams are ranked:
1. Highest number of points
2. Superior goal difference
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3. Highest number of goals scored
4. Highest number of wins
5. Lowest disciplinary points today from all groups matches (red cards = 3 points, yellow cards - 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points)
How are the third-placed teams ranked going into the final round of games?
Austria are currently the pick of the third-placed teams (Image credit: Getty Images)
With every team having played two matches, we know how the table of third-placed finishers looks as things stand. However, expect plenty of twists over the next few days.
But, if the group stages ended today, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia and Albania would qualify, while the Czech Republic and Scotland would miss out.
That's because Austria and Slovakia have the most number of points (three), while Slovenia's two points has them as the third-best third-placed side. The other three teams currently third in their groups all have one point - but Albania have scored the most goals.
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.
