Scotland, Hungary, Slovakia and North Macedonia came through play-offs on Thursday to book their spots at the rescheduled Euro 2020 and complete the 24-strong field.
So how will everyone fare next summer in the country-hopping extravaganza?
sportextral takes a look at each group…
Table of Contents
GROUP A
Turkey
Italy
Wales
Switzerland
Host venues: Rome, Italy and Baku, Azerbaijan
Group A kicks off the action on June 11, with Turkey and Italy meeting in Rome. Italy are certainly the favourites to reach the round of 16, buoyed by home advantage, but there are some intriguing match-ups here.
Turkey will have two games in Azerbaijan, their neighbouring country with whom there are strong linguistic and cultural ties, and showed their pedigree by beating France in qualifying. With the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale, Wales cannot be ruled out as a dark horse once again, having reached the semi-finals four years ago, and Switzerland have a compact defence and only lost one game in qualifying. It promises to be an open group.
GROUP B
Denmark
Finland
Belgium
Russia
Host venues: Copenhagen, Denmark and Saint Petersburg, Russia
Sitting atop the FIFA rankings, Belgium are the overwhelming favourites to progress in first place from this group and it is no surprise, with the likes of Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku at their disposal. But the battle for second could well be interesting. Russia surprised many with a good run on home soil in the 2018 World Cup and they will be similarly boosted by home support next summer.
But Denmark also have their own supporters in attendance (hopefully) and went unbeaten in qualifying, finishing second in their group behind Switzerland courtesy of one too many draws. Finnish fans will undoubtedly make the pilgrimage to their Nordic neighbours and a win over France in the November international break hints at a team capable of causing a surprise or two.
De Bruyne – Belgium
Image credit: Getty Images
GROUP C
Netherlands
Ukraine
Austria
North Macedonia
Host venues: Amsterdam, Netherlands and Bucharest, Romania
While the Netherlands appeared to have turned a corner after failing to qualify for the last World Cup, Frank de Boer’s appointment after Ronald Koeman took the Barcelona job has stalled results, with the former Ajax and Inter manager winless in his first four matches in charge.
That opens the door for other teams. Ukraine bettered defending European Championship and Nations League champions Portugal in qualifying, finishing their group unbeaten, and recently beat Spain, spurred on by their frugal defence. Austria have a worthy talisman in David Alaba and are looking to get out of the group stage for the first time in their history. Meanwhile, North Macedonia have qualified for a major tournament finals for the first time ever and will be unfancied.
GROUP D
England
Croatia
Scotland
Czech Republic
Host venues: London, England and Glasgow, Scotland
With all of their group games at home and an exciting array of young talent, England are the favourites for the group, along with Croatia, the team who ended their World Cup dream at the semi-final stage in Russia.
But Scotland will undoubtedly look to spoil their neighbours’ party, appearing in their first major tournament since 1998. The Czech Republic will have their work cut out and recorded the worst defeat in their history against England at Wembley in qualifying just 20 months ago.
Scotland celebrate their shootout win
Image credit: Getty Images
GROUP E
Spain
Sweden
Poland
Slovakia
Host venues: Bilbao, Spain and Dublin, Republic of Ireland
On paper, Spain are certainly the favourites but have hit an unsteady patch of form in recent weeks, having recorded just one win in their last four. They still have talent in spades and while there is still a soap opera involving their management, their preparations will surely be better than it was ahead of Russia 2018, when Julen Lopetegui was dismissed hours before the tournament.
The second spot is likely to be filled by either Sweden or Poland. The latter dropped just five points in qualifying, spurred on by the goals of Robert Lewandowski, and the Swedes faced Spain in qualifying and almost beat the 2008 and 2012 champions in Solna, with the visitors needing a stoppage-time equaliser to claim a draw.
GROUP F
Hungary
Portugal
France
Germany
Host venues: Munich, Germany and Budapest, Hungary
A group that truly needs no introduction. Between them, France, Germany and Portugal have won every major tournament they were eligible to win since 2014. Joachim Low’s side, disappointing in the last World Cup, will be desperate to put their group-stage exit in Russia behind them, and have a new-look squad, with the long-serving manager having dispensed with some mainstays in the last two years.
France are, of course, the world champions and beaten finalists last time out. With the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and Paul Pogba, they possess some of the world’s best players and there will be huge names left at home by Didier Deschamps. Portugal are still dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo but some of the attacking slack will be taken off the evergreen Juventus star by the emergence of Joao Felix and Diogo Jota.
The outlook looks bleak for Hungary, though they were of course close to eliminating Portugal at the group stage in 2016, were it not for a Lazarus act from Cristiano Ronaldo, who helped his nation rescue a draw with a brace
Euro 2020: Group stage draw
The finals draw was held at the ROMEXPO in the Romanian capital of Bucharest on Saturday November 30, 2019. The 20 qualified teams and the four would-be qualifiers (which finally sealed their places in November 2020!) were placed into six groups of four according to seedings.
Seven of the ‘host’ nations who qualified are bolded, while the host cities for each group are in brackets. The four ‘play-off path’ winners were also allocated groups prior to their qualification.
Group A (Italy/Azerbaijan): Turkey, Italy, Wales, Switzerland
Group B (Russia/Denmark): Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Russia
Group C(Netherlands/Romania): Netherlands, Ukraine, Austria, North Macedonia
Group D(England/Scotland): England, Croatia, Scotland, Czech Republic
Group E(Spain/Rep. Ireland): Spain, Sweden, Poland, Slovakia
Group F(Germany/Hungary): Hungary, Portugal, France, Germany
Euro 2020 Finals: Fixture schedule, kick-off times & TV channels
*kick-off times not yet confirmed for all matches. Those that are have been listed, in BST.
Group stage
Friday, June 11
Group A – Turkey v Italy, Rome
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 2000 BST
Saturday, June 12
Group A – Wales v Switzerland, Baku
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 1400 BST
Group B – Denmark v Finland, Copenhagen
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 1700 BST
Group B – Belgium v Russia, St Petersburg
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 2000 BST
Sunday, June 13
Group D: England v Croatia, Wembley
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 1400 BST
Group C – Austria v North Macedonia, Bucharest
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1700 BST
Group C – Holland v Ukraine, Amsterdam
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 2000 BST
Monday, June 14
Group D – Scotland v Czech Republic, Glasgow
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 1400 BST
Group E – Poland v Slovakia, Dublin
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1700 BST
Group E – Spain v Sweden, Bilbao
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 2000 BST
Tuesday, June 15
Group F – Hungary v Portugal, Budapest
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1700 BST
Group F – France v Germany, Munich
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 2000 BST
Wednesday, June 16
Group B – Finland v Russia, St Petersburg
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 1400 BST
Group A – Turkey v Wales, Baku
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1700 BST
Group A – Italy v Switzerland, Rome
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 2000 BST
Thursday, June 17
Group C – Ukraine v North Macedonia, Bucharest
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1400 BST
Group B – Denmark v Belgium, Copenhagen
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1700 BST
Group C – Holland v Austria, Amsterdam
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 2000 BST
Friday, June 18
Group E – Sweden v Slovakia, Dublin
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 1400 BST
Group D – Croatia v Czech Republic, Glasgow
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 1700 BST
Group D – England v Scotland, Wembley
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 2000 BST
Saturday, June 19
Group F – Hungary v France, Budapest
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 1400 BST
Group F – Portugal v Germany, Munich
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1700 BST
Group E – Spain v Poland, Bilbao
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 2000 BST
Sunday, June 20
Group A – Switzerland v Turkey, Baku
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1700 BST
Group A – Italy v Wales, Rome
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1700 BST
Monday, June 21
Group C – North Macedonia v Holland, Amsterdam
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1700 BST
Group C – Ukraine v Austria, Bucharest
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1700 BST
Group B – Russia v Denmark, Copenhagen
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 2000 BST
Group B – Finland v Belgium, St Petersburg
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 2000 BST
Tuesday, June 22
Group D – Croatia v Scotland, Glasgow
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 2000 BST
Group D – Czech Republic v England, Wembley
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 2000 BST
Wednesday, June 23
Group E – Slovakia v Spain, Bilbao
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1700 BST
Group E – Sweden v Poland, Dublin
TV channel & kick-off time: ITV, 1700 BST
Group F – Portugal v France, Budapest
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 2000 BST
Group F – Germany v Hungary, Munich
TV channel & kick-off time: BBC, 2000 BST
Round of 16
Saturday, June 26
Winner Group A v Runner-up Group B, Amsterdam (MATCH 38)
TV Channel & kick off-time: 1700 BST (TV TBC)
Runner-up Group A v Runner-up Group C, Wembley (MATCH 37)
TV Channel & kick off-time: 2000 BST (TV TBC)
Sunday, June 27
Winner Group C v Third Place Group D/E/F, Budapest (MATCH 40)
TV Channel & kick off-time: 1700 BST (TV TBC)
Winner Group B v Third Place Group A/D/E/F, Bilbao (MATCH 39)
TV Channel & kick off-time: 2000 BST (TV TBC)
Monday, June 28
Runner-up Group D v Runner-up Group E, Copenhagen (MATCH 42)
TV Channel & kick off-time: 1700 BST (TV TBC)
Winner Group F v Third Place A/B/C, Bucharest (MATCH 41)
TV Channel & kick off-time: 2000 BST (TV TBC)
Tuesday, June 29
Winner Group D v Runner-up Group F, Dublin (MATCH 44)
TV Channel & kick off-time: 1700 BST (TV TBC)
Winner Group E v Third Place A/B/C/D, Glasgow (MATCH 43)
TV Channel & kick off-time: 2000 BST (TV TBC)
Quarter-finals
Friday, July 2
Winner Game 41 v Winner Game 42, St Petersburg (QF 2)
TV Channel & kick off-time: 1700 BST (TV TBC)
Winner Game 39 v Winner Game 37, Munich (QF 1)
TV Channel & kick off-time: 2000 BST (TV TBC)
Saturday, July 3
Winner Game 40 v Winner Game 38, Baku (QF 4)
TV Channel & kick off-time: 1700 BST (TV TBC)
Winner Game 43 v Winner Game 44, Rome (QF 3)
TV Channel & kick off-time: 2000 BST (TV TBC)
Semi-finals
Tuesday, July 6
Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 2, Wembley
TV Channel & kick off-time: 2000 BST (TV TBC)
Wednesday, July 7
Winner QF 3 v Winner QF 4, Wembley
TV Channel & kick off-time: 2000 BST (TV TBC)
Final
Sunday, July 11
Winner SF1 v Winner SF 2, 8pm, Wembley
TV Channel & kick off-time: 2000 BST (TV TBC)
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