Group E
26 June: Slovakia (3) vs Romania (3), Ukraine (3) vs Belgium (3)
Romania will be through to the round of 16, in the top two, if they avoid defeat by Slovakia. Romania will win the group if they win and Belgium do not beat Ukraine. Romania will be unable to reach the round of 16 if they lose and Ukraine avoid defeat.
Belgium will be through to the round of 16, in the top two, if they avoid defeat by Ukraine. Belgium will win the group if they win and Slovakia do not beat Romania. Belgium will be unable to reach the round of 16 if they lose and Romania avoid defeat.
Slovakia will be through to the round of 16, in the top two, if they beat Romania. Slovakia will finish third if they draw. Slovakia will finish first if they win and Ukraine do not beat Belgium. Slovakia will be unable to reach the round of 16 if they lose and Belgium avoid defeat.
Ukraine will be through to the round of 16, in the top two, if they beat Belgium. Ukraine will finish first if they win and Romania do not beat Slovakia. Ukraine will finish third if they draw and the other game is not drawn. Ukraine will be unable to reach the round of 16 if they lose and Slovakia avoid defeat.
In the event that both games are drawn, the four teams will finish equal on four points. The following scenarios would then come into play:
A) If the two draws have the same scoreline, or if Belgium vs Ukraine is a draw with fewer goals than Slovakia vs Romania, the group ranking would be based on goal difference and goals scored and would be:
1) Romania
2) Belgium
3) Slovakia
4) Ukraine
B: If the two draws have different scorelines, the following scenarios are anticipated:
If Belgium vs Ukraine ends 1-1 and Slovakia vs Romania ends 0-0, or any pair of results where Belgium score exactly one more goal than Romania in their draw, Belgium and Romania would occupy the first two positions in the group but would be equal on goal difference and goals scored. In that case, as per article 20.01d of the official competition regulations, the head-to-head criteria is reapplied exclusively to those two teams, which would mean Belgium ahead of Romania as they won their direct match. Slovakia would be third and Ukraine fourth on goal difference.
In all other scenarios, Romania and Belgium would occupy the top two spots in the group, split on goals scored. Belgium will win the group if they score two (or more) goals more than Romania in their draw; Romania would win the group if they score more goals than Belgium in their draw. Slovakia would finish ahead of Ukraine in third place based on goal difference.
In all of these scenarios, the situation stipulated in article 20.02 of the competition regulations (penalty kicks in case of perfect equality) could not apply. Equally, the situations stipulated in articles 20.01g and 20.01h (disciplinary points and European Qualifiers rankings) could not apply.
Group F
26 June: Georgia (1) vs Portugal (6), Czechia (1) vs Türkiye (3)
Portugal are through to the round of 16 as group winners.
Türkiye will be through to the round of 16, as group runners-up, if they avoid defeat against Czechia. Türkiye will be unable to reach the round of 16 if they lose and Georgia beat Portugal.
Czechia will be through to the round of 16, as group runners-up, if they beat Türkiye and Georgia do not beat Portugal. If Czechia and Georgia both win, they will be split for second and third place on overall goal difference, then overall goals scored, then disciplinary points, then European Qualifiers rankings. Czechia will finish third if they draw and Georgia do not win. Czechia will be unable to reach the round of 16 if they lose.
Georgia will be through to the round of 16, as group runners-up, if they beat Portugal and Czechia beat Türkiye, provided Georgia finish ahead of Czechia on the criteria described above. Georgia will be unable to reach the round of 16 if they lose, or if they draw and Czechia avoid defeat.
Fan Fictions
