EM: Advance if there is a tie

Advance at the EM

• At the EM, the teams are drawn into different groups. 4 teams play in each group. Each team plays against each participant in the group, so they play 3 games.
• For a win the team gets 3 points, for a draw each team gets one point and for a defeat there is no point. The two teams in each group with the most points advance.
• If, in the last game in a group, two teams with a tie and no other team meet Points, this game is ended in the event of a tie with a penalty shoot-out to result in a tie impede.
• Theoretically, it is still possible that two, three or even all teams have the same score. If there is a tie, some additional rules apply to progress. These are referred to as criteria a-h.

Rules in the event of a tie between two teams

1. Assuming two teams are equal in points, the so-called direct comparison decides. Example Teams A and B have the same number of points, A against B was won by A, then A moves on. This is criterion a from the statutes, the number of points from the direct comparison is considered.


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2. Now this game could have ended in a draw. In that case the score in a direct comparison would be 1: 1 and would not lead to a decision. Then criterion d would be applied and the goal difference calculated from all the games in the group. For each team, the difference between the goals scored and the goals received is determined. The one with the greater difference gets further.
3. If regulation d does not lead to a decision either, criterion e is used. The team that has scored more goals in all games in the group will advance.
4. If criterion e does not allow a decision either, then the UEFA coefficient ranking will be used. If this criterion is also not sufficient, a decision will be made on the basis of fair play behavior in the final round. Only if all of the criteria are not sufficient will the lot decide.

More than 2 teams have the same points

If the problem arises in a group at the European Championship that more than 2 teams are tied on points, the same procedure will be used to decide whether to advance. But there is a difference:

• The first decision rule is again criterion a, the direct comparison of points, if there are several teams with the same points rule b is now applied and the goal difference from the direct comparison used.
• If this does not allow a decision, a decision is made according to c and the greater number of goals scored from the direct comparison is used.
• Before the criteria d to h are applied, a to c is applied again, but this time only the games of the teams are taken into account. If A, B and C have the same score, matches A-B, A-C and B-C are taken into account, but games A-D, B-D and C-D are not.

Summary of the criteria

• If two teams have the same number of points at the EM: Score direct comparison-> goal difference all Group matches-> number of goals scored in all group matches-> UEFA national team coefficient ranking-> fair play behavior Final round-> go.
• If more than two teams are tied, the following applies: number of points direct comparison-> goal difference direct comparison-> number of goals scored Direct comparison -> number of points involved teams -> goal difference involved teams -> number of goals scored involved Teams-> goal difference in all group matches-> number of goals scored in all group matches-> UEFA coefficient ranking National teams-> fair play behavior final round-> go.