Euro 2024 Finals Draw & Playoff Recap

You may recall a few weeks back that we took a closer look at the European Football Championship, also known as Euro 2024.

That article came on the eve of the last set of qualifiers for next summer’s football tournament in Germany and following on from that final set of games, we knew the identity of 21 of the 24 teams that will compete in next summer’s event.

We also knew for sure which 12 teams would be competing in the Playoffs in March. Three sets of games where four teams will each play on a separate path, playing two semi-finals and a final to decide which three teams will make it into the remaining three qualifying spots.

Just a few days after all this had been decided, the draw for the Euro 2024 Finals Group Stage took place in Hamburg in Germany, with representatives of all the 21 qualifiers in attendance to see who they would get in their group.

After the draw, the Outright winner market for the finals at bet365 Sport remained pretty stable with England and France remaining the 7/2 joint favourites ahead of hosts Germany (6/1), Spain (7/1), Portugal (8/1), Belgium (14/1) and Netherlands and Italy (both 16/1) 33/1 bar.

Let’s now begin with a look at how the playoffs look, before we take a look at all of the six groups drawn for the finals.

Euro 2024 Finals – Playoffs Draw

After the completion of the Euro 2024 Qualifying campaign, 12 teams that failed to qualify from that tournament were handed a playoff berth by virtue of their Nations League ranking.

The 12 teams are divided into three Paths, A, B and C, with one team from each Path qualifying for the Euro 2024 finals next summer.

Each Path will see the four teams play one semi-final (over one leg) and the winners then contest the final, with the winner of the final claiming a spot at the finals.

All semi-final fixtures will take place on the 21^st March 2024, with the three finals on the 26^th March 2024.

Here’s how the Euro 2024 Playoffs Paths look:

Path A

• Poland v Estonia
• Wales v Finland (winner will host the final)

Path B

• Israel v Iceland
• Bosnia & Herzegovina v Ukraine (winner will host the final)

Path C

• Georgia v Luxembourg (winner will host the final)
• Greece v Kazakhstan

For the purposes of the Euro 2024 Finals Draw, Placeholders of Path A Winner, Path B Winner and Path C Winner were used in the draw to signify the winners of each pathway.

Bet365 Sport has Poland as the even money favourites to win Path A, with Wales 6/4. Ukraine are even money to win Path B, with Israel & Bosnia-Herzegovina 7/2 and lastly, Greece are 11/10 to win Path C ahead of Georgia at 2/1.

Euro 2024 Finals Draw

A host of star names from the world of football were in attendance in Germany to help with the Euro 2024 draw including the likes of Steve McManaman, Brian Laudrup and Gianluigi Buffon and this is how the draw turned out:

Group A

• Germany
• Scotland
• Hungary
• Switzerland

Euro 2024 Fixtures

14^th June

• Germany v Scotland (8pm) – Allianz Arena, Munich

15^th June

• Hungary v Switzerland (2pm) – RheinEnergie Stadion, Cologne

19^th June

• Germany v Hungary (5pm) – MHP Arena, Stuttgart
• Scotland v Switzerland (8pm) – RheinEnergie Stadion, Cologne

23^rd June

• Switzerland v Germany (8pm) – Waldstadion, Frankfurt
• Scotland v Hungary (8pm) – MHP Arena, Stuttgart

What a baptism of fire for Scotland as they are drawn in Group A alongside Germany, Hungary and Switzerland. Hungary are the form team in this group but the Scots are good enough to perhaps spring a surprise here and maybe make it through to the Round of 16.

• Prediction – 1. Germany 2. Hungary, 3. Scotland, 4. Switzerland

Group B

• Spain
• Croatia
• Italy
• Albania

Euro 2024 Fixtures

15^th June 2024

• Spain v Croatia (5pm) – Olympiastadion, Berlin
• Italy v Albania (8pm) – Westfalenstadion, Dortmund

19^th June 2024

• Croatia v Albania (2pm) – Volksparkstadion, Hamburg

20^th June 2024

• Spain v Italy (8pm) – Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen

24^th June 2024

• Albania v Spain (8pm) – Menkur Spiel-Arena, Dusseldorf
• Croatia v Italy (8pm) – Red Bull Arena, Leipzig

The Group of Death of this draw sees Spain, Italy and Croatia face off with Albania, who will no doubt be the massive underdogs here. You can make a case for any of the other three teams to win this group and I can see plenty of twists and turns happening here to decide who goes through.

• Prediction – 1. Croatia, 2. Spain, 3. Italy, 4. Albania

Group C

• Slovenia
• Denmark
• Serbia
• England

Euro 2024 Fixtures

16^th June 2024

• Slovenia v Denmark (5pm) – MHP Arena, Stuttgart
• Serbia v England (8pm) – Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen

20^th June 2024

• Slovenia v Serbia (2pm) – Allianz Arena, Munich
• Denmark v England (5pm) – Waldstadion, Frankfurt

25^th June 2024

• England v Slovenia (8pm) – RheinEnergie Stadion, Cologne
• Denmark v Serbia (8pm) – Allianz Arena, Munich

This draw could have been better for England, but it also could have been much worse, so I feel Gareth Southgate will be satisfied. England will start as favourites, but it could be a real battle royale between the other three teams to claim an available qualification spot.

• Prediction – 1. England, 2. Denmark, 3. Serbia, 4. Slovenia.

Group D

• Path A Winner (Wales, Finland, Poland, or Estonia)
• Netherlands
• Austria
• France

Euro 2024 Fixtures

16^th June 2024

• Path A Winner v Netherlands (2pm) – Volksparkstadion, Hamburg

17^th June 2024

• Austria v France (8pm) – Merkur Spiel-Arena, Dusseldorf

21^st June 2024

• Path A Winner v Austria (5pm) – Olympiastadion, Berlin
• Netherlands v France (8pm) – Red Bull Arena, Leipzig

25^th June 2024

• Netherlands v Austria (5pm) – Olympiastadion, Berlin
• France v Path A Winner (5pm) – Westfalenstadion, Dortmund

Group D is a really intriguing one. France and Netherlands were in the same qualifying group so they will be familiar, while Austria are a quickly improving team. Path A will see either Poland or Wales most likely but I think they will be the team to prop up the table here.

• Prediction – 1. France, 2. Netherlands, 3. Austria, 4. Path A Winner.

Group E

• Belgium
• Slovakia
• Romania
• Path B Winner (Israel, Iceland, Bosnia & Herzegovina, or Ukraine)

Euro 2024 Fixtures

17^th June 2024

• Romania v Path B Winner (2pm) – Allianz Arena, Munich
• Belgium v Slovakia (5pm) – Waldstadion, Frankfurt

21^st June 2024

• Slovakia v Path B Winner (2pm) – Merkur Spiel-Arena, Dusseldorf

22^nd June 2024

• Belgium v Romania (8pm) – RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne

26^th June 2024

• Slovakia v Romania (5pm) – Waldstadion, Frankfurt
• Path B Winner v Belgium (5pm) – MHP Arena, Stuttgart

You won’t hear Belgium complaining too much about this group. Path B is likely to be either Ukraine or Greece I feel, but even so, this looks like a group that Belgium should win, although the race for second spot in the group should be very interesting.

• Prediction – 1. Belgium, 2. Path B Winner, 3. Romania, 4. Slovakia

Group F

• Turkey
• Path C Winner (Georgia, Luxembourg, Greece, or Kazakhstan)
• Portugal
• Czech Republic

Euro 2024 Fixtures

18^th June 2024

• Turkey v Path C Winner (5pm) – Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
• Portugal v Czechia (8pm) – Red Bull Arena, Leipzig

22^nd June 2024

• Path C Winner v Czechia (2pm) – Volksparkstadion, Hamburg
• Turkey v Portugal (5pm) – Westfalenstadion, Dortmund

26^th June 2024

• Path C Winner v Portugal (8pm) – Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen
• Czechia v Turkey (8pm) – Volksparkstadion, Hamburg

Portugal will be happy with this group. Czechia and Turkey are awkward teams but neither have the class or quality of the Portuguese and with the weakest team in the playoffs likely to come from Path C, it would be a huge surprise if Portugal do not win this group comfortably.

• Prediction – 1. Portugal, 2. Turkey, 3. Czechia, 4. Path C Winner.

Who Qualifies from the Group Stages?

A total of 16 teams from the six groups will qualify for the Round of 16 knockout phase of the tournament. This is who will qualify.

• All Six Group Winners
• All Six Group Runners Up
• Four teams with the best record that finished in third place each group

Who each team will play from the Round of 16 onwards is pre-determined in the draw.

The draw has certainly whetted the appetite for England and Scotland fans but Wales could still join them in Group D if they win through the playoffs.

We’ll bring you news of the tournament nearer the summer, including a look at the squads for the major teams involved, as well as tips and previews of the big matches at each stage of the tournament.