Euro 2021 tiebreakers: How groups were decided if teams were tied on points

Simon Borg

Euro 2021 tiebreakers: How groups were decided if teams were tied on points image

We’ve reached the Euro 2021 knockout rounds with the group stage producing 16 teams that advanced and eight teams heading home.

The teams qualifying for the Round of 16 were the top two teams in each of the six groups, plus the four best third-place finishers.

Tiebreakers were used in those cases that teams were even on points in the group stage. Here are the Euro 2021 tiebreakers that were used if two or more teams finished with the same points total in their group (we had just one three-way tiebreaker in Group B):

  1. Most points obtained in the matches played among the teams in question
  2. Superior goal difference resulting from the matches played among the teams in question
  3. Most goals scored in the matches played among the teams in question
  4. Superior goal difference in all group matches
  5. Most goals scored in all group matches
  6. Most wins in all group matches
  7. Lowest total disciplinary points in all group matches
  8. Position in the overall European Qualifiers rankings

The tiebreakers are outlined on page 17 of the official Euros competition rulebook.

MORE: How the third-place qualifiers are determined

It’s important to note that in the case that more than two teams were even on points (e.g. the three-way tie in Group B), if there were still teams deadlocked after applying tiebreakers Nos. 1-3 above, then Nos. 1-3 were reapplied to the specific teams that remained tied, and exclusively to the matches between them. And if that still didn't break the tie, then Nos. 4-8 were applied to those same remaining teams.

Euro 2021 Group Standings

(X = advances to Round of 16 knockouts)

Group A

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
Italy-X 9 3 3 0 0 7 0 +7
Wales-X 4 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1
Switzerland-X 4 3 1 1 1 4 5 -1
Turkey 0 3 0 3 0 1 8 -7

Group B

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
Belgium-X 9 3 3 0 0 7 1 +6
Denmark-X 3 3 1 2 0 5 4 +1
Finland 3 3 1 2 0 1 3 -2
Russia 3 3 1 2 0 2 7 -5

Group C

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
Netherlands-X 9 3 3 0 0 8 2 +6
Austria-X 6 3 2 1 0 4 3 +1
Ukraine-X 3 3 1 2 0 4 5 -1
North Macedonia 0 3 0 3 0 2 8 -6

Group D

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
England-X 7 3 2 0 1 2 0 +2
Croatia-X 4 3 1 1 1 4 3 +1
Czech Republic-X 4 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1
Scotland 1 3 0 2 1 1 5 -4

Group E

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
Sweden-X 7 3 2 0 1 4 2 +2
Spain-X 5 3 1 0 2 6 1 +5
Slovakia 3 3 1 2 0 2 7 -5
Poland 1 3 0 2 1 4 6 -2

Group F

Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD
France-X 5 3 1 0 2 4 3 +1
Germany-X 4 3 1 1 1 6 5 +1
Portugal-X 4 3 1 1 1 7 6 +1
Hungary 2 3 0 1 2 3 6 -3

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.