Does third-place qualify for the Euro 2020 knockout stages?
Sign up to our email updates Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice  Euro 2020 begins on Friday June 11 as Turkey play Italy in Rome. However, the group stages are not straightforward, with four third-placed teams able to progress to the knockouts. There are six groups (A-F), with four teams in each group. The top two teams in each group automatically progress to the round of 16, which are followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, played on July 11. Unlike the UEFA Champions League or the FIFA World Cup which have 32-team group-stages, Euro 2020 only features 24 teams. With six groups and the top two teams from each group progressing to the knockout rounds, there are 12 teams that automatically qualify. This means that four third-placed teams will progress to the knockout stages of the Euros, to constitute the 16 teams required for the knockout stages. At the end of the group stage, the teams that finish third will be ranked according to their point totals. The top four teams will then be selected to progress to the knock-out rounds. If any of the teams are tied on points, then the teams with the highest goal difference will be selected. However, if goal difference cannot settle the matter, then the number of goals scored will determine who progresses. If the teams are tied on both goal difference and goals scored, then their fair play conduct will be considered, with yellow and red card totals taken into account. Should teams be tied on points, goal difference, goals scored and fair play conduct, then the tied teams will be separated by their place in the UEFA international coefficient rankings. The team with the highest ranking will progress to the knockouts. The round of 16 stage begins on Saturday June 26. Scotland manager Steve Clarke may well be eyeing up qualification through third spot, with England and Croatia both heavy favourites to take the top two spots in Group D.  Clarkes side are playing in their first major mens tournament for 23 years, and their match against England on Friday 18 June may prove crucial to any higher aspirations. Czech Republic is the fourth team in Group D.  The third-place qualification rule will also come as good news to teams in this years Group of Death, Group F.  Group F features current European champions Portugal alongside Germany, Hungary and World Cup winners, France. In Euro 2016, Portugal finished third in their group, after they drew all of their games, but they went on to win the tournament, with a memorable win over France in the final. Prior to the final, Portugal won a single game inside 90 minutes, beating Wales 2-0 in the semi-final. However, this year Portugal boast a far stronger squad, with superstar captain Cristiano Ronaldo supported by a number of the Premier League s best, including Manchester United s Bruno Fernandes, Manchester City s Rben Dias and Liverpool s Diogo Jota.