Euros Format Explained
The Euros run a 24-team format with a quirk that matters when you bet. Here is how it is structured, and what each part means for your wagers.
The 24-team format
The 24 teams are drawn into six groups of four and play a single round-robin — three group games each. The top two from every group advance automatically, and they are joined by the four best third-placed teams across the six groups, giving 16 sides for the round of 16. From there it is straight knockout: round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final, with knockout ties settled in extra time and, if needed, penalties. This expanded format was introduced when the Euros grew from 16 teams to 24.
What the format means for betting
The third-placed rule is the key betting wrinkle: a team can finish third and still go through, which is why the to qualify market behaves differently from group-winner betting. The single round of 16 adds a knockout stage and more 'to qualify' and extra-time markets — and because knockout ties can go to extra time or penalties, remember that standard match markets settle on the 90-minute result. See the Euros betting page for those settling rules and the Euros guide for every market.
Frequently asked questions
How many teams play at the Euros?
Twenty-four, drawn into six groups of four. The top two from each group plus the four best third-placed teams reach a round of 16, then the quarter-finals, semis and final.
What happens to third-placed teams at the Euros?
The four best third-placed teams across the six groups advance to the round of 16 alongside the group winners and runners-up. So finishing third does not always mean elimination.