Euro 2024: How the four best group stage third-placed teams are decided

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)

6. Position in the overall European Qualifiers rankings, which can be found here.

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.

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