England fans will already be plotting their side’s best and worst routes to the Euro 2024 final – despite the fact the tournament hasn’t even started yet.
Predicting a team’s way through the tournament tree is all part of the fun and games of a major international competition, and those who have already undertaken the task will note the importance of England winning the group instead as finishing as runner-up.
Gareth Southgate’s men will be quietly confident of securing top spot in the group, with Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia joining them in Group C.
And should they indeed make it out of their group, the Three Lions would then be just four games away from winning their first-ever European Championship – and just their second-major trophy in their history.
Let’s take a look at who England could play on their route to the Euro 2024 final – and a warning, it does get quite complicated…
England’s best route to the Euro 2024 final – as group winners
Should England finish top of Group C, they will play the third-placed side in Group D, E or F, depending on which teams rank amongst the top four of the six best-performing third-place teams.
Given the current FIFA world rankings, this is how Groups D, E and F currently shape up:
Group D – France (2), The Netherlands (7), Austria (25), Poland (28)
Group E – Belgium (3), Ukraine (22), Romania (46), Slovakia (48)
Group F – Portugal (6), Czechia (36), Turkey (40), Georgia (75)
Should the groups finish in accordance with the world rankings, then England would play either Austria, Romania or Turkey in the Round of 16.
In the event that England win that match, they would then play the team who wins the last 16 game between the runner-up of Group A and runner-up of Group B.
Group A – Germany (16), Switzerland (19), Hungary (26), Scotland (39)
Group B – Spain (8), Italy (9), Croatia (10), Albania (66)
Assuming that Group A and Group B finishes in order of the world rankings, England would play Switzerland or Italy in the quarter-finals.
Victory in the last eight would see the Three Lions progress to the semi-finals, with France or Belgium, on paper at least, the most likely opponents.
Predicting England’s potential final opponents is tricky, but Germany, Spain or Portugal could indeed face England for a shot at European Championship glory on July 14.
England’s possible route to final as Group winners
Round of 16: England vs Austria/Romania/Turkey – Sunday, June 30 (Gelsenkirchen)
Quarter-final: England vs Italy/Switzerland – Saturday, July 6 (Dusseldorf)
Semi-final: England vs France/Belgium – Wednesday, July 10 (Dortmund)
Final: England vs Germany/Spain/Portugal – Sunday, July 14 (Berlin)
England’s worst route to the Euro 2024 final – as group runners-up
England will be desperate to finish first in Group C, given a runner-up spot would see them play the winner of Group A.
That would likely set up a clash against their old rivals Germany, assuming they top their group ahead of Switzerland, Hungary and Scotland.
Should the Three Lions get one over the hosts, or indeed one of the other potential Group A winners, they would play the winner of Group B; Spain, Italy or Croatia, or one of the third-placed sides from Groups A, D, E or F.
Portugal or the Netherlands would then be England’s most likely opponents in the semi-finals.
And should the other side of the draw progress as planned, France or Belgium would await at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
England’s possible route to final as Group runner-up
Round of 16: England vs Germany – Saturday, June 29 (Dortmund)
Quarter-final: England vs Spain/Italy/Croatia – Friday, July 5 (Stuttgart)
Semi-final: England vs Portugal/Netherlands – Tuesday, July 9 (Munich)
Final: England vs France/Belgium – Sunday, July 14 (Berlin)
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