The current tournament format favors teams that play later. Because they know more than everyone else, they have a decisive advantage.
June 26, 2024, 3:16 p.m.
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The new format of the European Championship with 24 teams creates injustices, as the four best third-placed teams advance to the round of 16, but not all teams play at the same time. Teams in groups E and F have an advantage because they know what result is enough to advance. Some teams, such as Hungary and Austria, were able to benefit from this and prepare specifically for their games, while others were left in the dark.
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Hungary’s Martin Ádám certainly doesn’t like the tournament format either. © Carl Recine/Getty Images
The problem comes from this number: 24. Since 2016, 24 teams have taken part in the European Championships instead of 16. That means more money and is good for smaller nations. Georgia would probably not have made it to the European Championships for the first time under the old format. But the six groups of four make it difficult to fill a round of 16 fairly. Normally, the two best teams in each group advance to major tournaments, but that would only be 12 teams. However, 16 are needed for a round of 16, the first knockout round. And so since 2016, the four best third-placed teams in each group qualify – and that is exactly what makes the European Championship format unfair.
