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Euro 2020

Does Euro 2020 have third-fourth place playoff?

THE Euros has reached its semi-final stage and two lucky sides will be back at Wembley for the final on July 11.

But what happens to the two semi-final losers?

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Does Euro 2020 have a third-fourth place playoff?

Euro 2020 does NOT have a third place playoff.

Whichever teams lose in the semi-final will be treated the same as those knocked out in any other rounds and head straight back home.

Has the European Championship ever had a third-fourth place playoff?

Yes. The European Championship started in 1960 and had a third-fourth place playoff right up to 1980.

The last third-fourth place playoff saw Czechoslovakia beat Italy 9-8 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Rome.

These matches typically suffered poor attendances and were therefore ultimately scrapped.

Does the European Championship have a playoff in the group stages?

No. The European Championship does not have a playoff in the group stages of the competition.

And this is largely due to the procedures Uefa follow in order to rank teams as the group stages progress.

All of the qualified 24 teams are split up into six groups of four, and the top two qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament.

Four of the best 3rd placed teams will join them in the next stage as well.

However, in the event of two or more teams finishing level on points, head-to-head record would decide who goes through.

And if head-to-head cannot separate the two or more sides, goal difference will come into play.

Should teams be level on points, goal difference, goals scored and games won, there still wouldn’t be a play-off.

A penalty shootout would be used to separate two teams playing each other while fair play and coefficient ranking would separate two teams playing separate matches.

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Italy back at Euro 2016 is a good example of how it works.

The Azzurri finished level on points and goal difference with their continental neighbours, Belgium, in group E.

But it was Italy who topped the group due to their 2-0 win over the Red Devils.