How do the Euro 2024 play-offs work?

Everything you need to know as the final six teams target places at this summer’s tournament

Harry Latham-Coyle
Tuesday 26 March 2024 16:33 GMT
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There are now just six teams in the running for the final three spots at the Euros
There are now just six teams in the running for the final three spots at the Euros (Getty Images)

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The final three places at Euro 2024 are up for grabs as we’re down to just six teams competing for a spot at the tournament.

They will look to join the 21 nations already drawn into groups for the European Championship in Germany this summer.

There have been play-offs for six of the last seven Euros in a variety of formats, with this year’s competitors decided by the results of the 2022/23 Nations League.

Initially,12 teams were split into three paths, with one spot available from each, but after the semi-finals last week, we’re down to the final six.

Here’s how it works.

There were four teams each in Path A, Path B and Path C, split into two semi-finals in each. These were contested over a single leg last week and the six winning semi-finalists will now meet in three single-legged finals on Tuesday to decide who reaches Euro 2024.

The fixtures and results are as follows:

Semi-finals (Thursday 21 March)

Path A: Poland 5-1 Estonia, Wales 4-1 Finland

Path B: Israel 1-4 Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Ukraine

Path C: Georgia 2-0 Luxembourg, Greece 5-0 Kazakhstan

Finals (Tuesday 26 March)

Path A: Wales vs Poland

Path B: Ukraine vs Iceland

Path C: Georgia vs Greece

Rob Page’s Wales will hope to progress into Group D
Rob Page’s Wales will hope to progress into Group D (Getty Images)

What groups do the three teams go into?

The final draw for Euro 2024 took place in December, meaning all involved are aware of which group they will end up in should they progress.

Group D: Path A winners, Netherlands, Austria, France

Group E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Path B winners

Group F: Turkey, Path C winners, Portugal, Czechia

When is Euro 2024?

This summer’s tournament will be held in Germany. It begins on 14 June and concludes with the final in Berlin on 14 July.

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