Euro 2020 knockouts: How do third-placed teams qualify?

The group stage schedule in Euro 2020 is set to end this week. With the slots for the knockouts all but decided, the question that comes up is how third-place teams will qualify for Euro 2020 knockouts.

As it stands, only Group A and Group C have had their winners disclosed. Italy, currently on a 30-game unbeaten run, finished as group A winners with three wins and zero goals conceded. The Netherlands, meanwhile, top Group C following wins over Ukraine and Austria and join Italy, Wales and Belgium as the teams to earn early tickets to the knockout round.

As per the rules, the top two teams from each of the six Euro groups will automatically qualify for the knockouts. Accompanying them will be the four third-placed teams who have a good record from the group stage round.

How are the four third-placed teams decided?

Based on the following criteria, the third-placed teams in each of the six groups in Euro 2020 will be decided.

Maximum points
Superior goal difference
Most goals scored
Most wins
Disciplinary record
Overall European qualifiers rankings

Furthermore, the rule of a head-to-head record - used to determine the top two teams in a group - will not be applicable.

Who will the four third-placed teams face in the knockouts

Each of the four third-placed teams that qualify will play the team that won a group in the knockouts. However, the sides who played earlier in the group stage won’t face each other in the upcoming round.

Here are the permutations of how the round-of-16 schedule should look:

Third-placed teams	Winner (Group B)	Winner (Group C)	Winner (Group E)	Winner (Group F)
ABCD	3A	3D	3B	3C
ABCE	3A	3E	3B	3C
ABCF	3A	3F	3B	3C
ABDE	3D	3E	3A	3B
ABDF	3D	3F	3A	3B
ABEF	3E	3F	3B	3A
ACDE	3E	3D	3C	3A
ACDF	3F	3D	3C	3A
ACEF	3E	3F	3C	3A
ADEF	3E	3F	3D	3A
BCDE	3E	3D	3B	3C
BCDF	3F	3D	3C	3B
BCEF	3F	3E	3C	3B
BDEF	3F	3E	3D	3B
CDEF	3F	3E	3D	3C