Euro 2021 third-place rules: How best 3rd-place teams advanced from groups

Simon Borg

Euro 2021 third-place rules: How best 3rd-place teams advanced from groups image

The group stage at the 2021 Euros delivered 16 teams that have advanced to the knockout rounds. 

In addition to the top two teams in each of the six groups (12 in total), the four best third-place finishers also qualified to the Round of 16. 

To make it easy, we created a separate standings table (below) for the third-place teams. The lucky four teams to move on were determined by the following criteria established by UEFA in this specific order:

  1. most points
  2. superior goal difference
  3. most goals scored
  4. most wins
  5. fewest disciplinary points in group stage matches
  6. position in the overall European Qualifiers rankings

Switzerland was the first team to mathematically advance as a third-place team. And the Swiss were soon joined by the Czech Republic. Slovakia's lopsided 5-0 loss to Spain dashed its chances and that result automatically clinched a berth for Ukraine. Portugal claimed the final spot with its 2-2 draw against France, officially eliminating Finland in the process.

Third-Place Teams (top 4 advance)

Team Group PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
1. Portugal-X F 4 3 1 1 1 7 6 +1
2. Czech Republic-X D 4 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1
3. Switzerland-X A 4 3 1 1 1 4 5 -1
4. Ukraine-X C 3 3 1 2 0 4 5 -1
5. Finland-E B 3 3 1 2 0 1 3 -2
6. Slovakia-E E 3 3 1 2 0 2 7 -5

(PTS=points, W=Wins, L=Losses, D=Draws, GF=Goals For [Scored], GA=Goals Against [Allowed], GD=Goal Difference)

X = advances to Round of 16 / E.= eliminated

Once we learned all four 3rd-place teams that advanced, the next step was to figure out their respective opponents in the Round of 16.

UEFA had previously outlined the Round of 16 matchups based on the groups from which the third-place teams would emerge (page 19 of tournament regulations). The predetermined permutations follow below, but only one won out and it features the third-place teams from Groups A, C, D and F. 

Round of 16 Pairings

3rd-Place Teams vs. B1 vs. C1 vs. E1 vs. F1
A, B, C, D A3 D3 B3 C3
A, B, C, E A3 E3 B3 C3
A, B, C, F A3 F3 B3 C3
A, B, D, E D3 E3 A3 B3
A, B, D, F D3 F3 A3 B3
A, B, E, F E3 F3 B3 A3
A, C, D, E E3 D3 C3 A3
A, C, D, F F3 D3 C3 A3
A, C, E, F E3 F3 C3 A3
A, D, E, F E3 F3 D3 A3
B, C, D, E E3 D3 B3 C3
B, C, D, F F3 D3 C3 B3
B, C, E, F F3 E3 C3 B3
B, D, E, F F3 E3 D3 B3
C, D, E, F F3 E3 D3 C3

Here's the full Round of 16 schedule with TV and streaming assignments in the USA:

Euro 2021 - Round of 16

Date Match Time (TV channels) Stream
Sat, June 26 Wales vs. Denmark 12 pm ET (ESPN) fuboTV , ESPN app, PrendeTV
Sat, June 26 Italy vs. Austria 3 pm ET (ESPN) fuboTV , ESPN app, PrendeTV
Sun, June 27 Netherlands vs. Czech Republic 12 pm ET (ESPN) fuboTV , ESPN app, PrendeTV
Sun, June 27 Belgium vs. Portugal 3 pm ET (ABC, Univision, TUDN) fuboTV , ESPN app, ESPN3, TUDN.tv
Mon, June 28 Croatia vs. Spain 12 pm ET (ESPN) fuboTV , ESPN app, PrendeTV
Mon, June 28 France vs. Switzerland 3 pm ET (ESPN) fuboTV , ESPN app, PrendeTV
Tues, June 29 England vs. Germany 12 pm ET (ESPN) fuboTV , ESPN app, PrendeTV
Tues, June 29 Sweden vs. Ukraine 3 pm ET (ESPN, Univision, TUDN) fuboTV , ESPN app, TUDN.tv

Simon Borg

Simon Borg Photo

Simon Borg is a senior editor at The Sporting News who has covered football/soccer for over a decade. A supporter of Italian club Parma Calcio from his years growing up in Europe, he was previously a long-time member of Major League Soccer's digital media team, as a multimedia content producer, on-air personality, and Editor-in-Chief. Based in New York City, Borg is multilingual and has covered the domestic and global scene for TSN since 2021.