There has even been talk of moving up to 32 teams, which would eliminate the need for third-place teams going through but would see most of Europe at the tournament. Maybe this was the plan all along. UEFA can announce that a 24-team event is awkward, and invite a further eight sides along. More countries will be happy with the governing body, and more money will roll in. But the 24 team format was awkward and clumsy at Euro 2016 and it has proven to broken at Euro 2020. On Sunday, Switzerland beat Turkey 3-1 to secure third place in Group A, behind Wales and Italy. The Swiss must now wait until Wednesday, when the group stages are completed, to see if they have advanced to the last-16. Meanwhile, the teams in Groups B, C, D, E and F, know that if they finish third in their respective groups with four points and a goal difference better than minus one, they will advance to the knockout stages. This is nonsensical. The teams in Groups A, B and C, and even D, are at a disadvantage when it comes to the third-place rankings. The nations in Groups E and F will know exactly what will be required to advance by the time their final group game comes along. This isn’t right, the quality of games suffers and the system isn’t working fairly for all the teams. These drawbacks are symptomatic of the format of the 24-team tournament. Increase the 2024 European Championships, to be held in Germany, to 32 teams. It would make qualification largely redundant – or even more so – but the tournament itself wouldn’t be as convoluted. Yes, there would be weaker sides at the tournament. But it would be better to have eight more teams at the finals than have a format that is fundamentally weak. It would be preferable to have, for example, Norway and Ireland at the final tournament than for a team to wait four days to find out if they have advanced to the knockout stages. The expanded format would consist of eight groups containing four teams, with two from each group advancing to the last-16. Crucially, this format, which mirrors the current World Cup format, would not mean more games for teams. The two teams that reach the final would still play three group games and four knockout matches. It would also eliminate the current format of four third-best placed sides reaching the last-16, and some teams not knowing what is required of them when they play their final group game.
There are 55 UEFA members. You want to go through qualifying to eliminate 23 teams and have more teams in the final tournament than got eliminated? I'd rather they go back to 16 teams. But w€ a££ know that'$ not happ€ning anytim€ $oon, if €v€r.
16 would be better, but I'd rather have 32 teams than 24 If they expand to 32 teams, best thing would be to scrap the qualifiers completely and just include the teams from leagues A and B of the NL. The free matchdays could be used for a new competition, perhaps the "nations league cup", maybe including guest non-uefa sides.
Yes, it can not stay at 24. That they expanded to 24 means they must continue to 32 and sooner is better.
No, I prefer to go back to 16 and stop this nonsense. There shouldn't be any easy or low quality games at a euro cup. No offense to any of the team I might be alluding to being easy. I'd rather have this thing shorter and more intense.
Even 16 teams is a lot. If you look at the final between Italy and France at Euro 2000, look at who scored the goals. Delvecchio, Totti and Pessotto combined for Italy to open the score. Wiltord equalized for France right at the death and then Pires combined with Trezeguet for the winner in extra-time. They were the most consequential players of that game and none of them were regular starters at those Euros. They had the freshest legs on the pitch. Italy's defense was too tired to defend against France in the last few minutes of the game and in extra-time. The game against Netherlands and Portugal killed these guys. Both teams even rested players in the group stages. It's very difficult for teams to keep fit and in top condition by the time of the final if they have to play 7 games in a 24/32-team tournament, never mind 6 games in a 16-team tournament.
Need to stop with this nonsense of wanting to go back 16, will never happen it's going to stay as it is now or expand
Nope, not even a fan of the 24 team format. 16 was perfect - Also made the quali waaaay more intense.
24 makes the group stage more interesting than 32 as very rarely can you be eliminated after two games in the 24-team format. However, the 24-team format leads to the knockout rounds having an easier half of the bracket and more difficult half of the bracket which results in matchups happening earlier than they should (Germany-England for example). A 32-team format would likely result in a more even bracket. However, qualification would be easier and more pointless for a 32-team tournament. All of that being said, it is 24 for now but will likely expand to 32 at some point.
If the Euros do go to 32 teams, maybe UEFA could go for a longer Nations League with bigger groups and just fully integrate it into Euro qualification.
I'd like to see 32. If nothing else I am convinced that the lesser lights at Euro 2020 have shown that the quality pool is still deeper than being given credit. 32 with the top 2 advance - give more nations an opportunity to have the tournament feel to grow and adapt. Hungary and Wales were clearly two of the weakest 8 on paper at both 2016 and 2020, but showed spirit and caused surprises. You will still have the knockout stage for the 'casual' fans to show up only to see. Better for money, better for development of the game as well. As far as qualification process goes, CONMEBOL has a marathon World Cup qualifying but everyone still in the Copa America - so what if Euro qualifiers are less, it will be fine - every two years we get top class international football for a month (World Cup/Euros). Players won't mind, the so called smaller countries' players can play with the passion the Finns or North Macedonians have. Serbia, Romania, Norway, Bosnia, Iceland, Greece, Albania, Slovenia have all been to major tournaments in relatively recent past.
Which is why I hope we get 32 at least by 2024 or 2028 hopefully...with top 2 advancing out of every group because then that means it will just make EURO all the more intense and competitive
It seemed to make little sense...but the current format has been actually great so far. I'm happy with keeping it this way, what I do hope is that we revert to the single host format for future editions.
Just draw the pairings after the last 16 and you kill this bracket issue. If you place well in the group, you get one potentially easier match. After that it's random.
By 2024? Not a chance, mate. The venues, format, etc have all been determined already. Will be the same as Euro 2020: https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/news/0257-0e13b161b2e8-4a3fd5615e0c-1000/
Not sure about that. In a 32 team format it usually makes a big difference if you finish first or second in your group. For a 24-team format, not so much. By my count, 9 of the 24 teams in these Euros had very little or nothing to play for in their final group game. That's a lot!
Shorter yes , but more competitive as well. There was very little room for error as the groups were usually highly concentrated in talent due to the level of difficulty qualifying because of less available spots . Then also add very little room for error as teams coudnt progress to the KOs as 3rd placed group finishers , so no chance at the KO rounds finishing if 3rd . That created a tournament where even in the group stage it was essential to start well from the beginning . Very important games from the get go with very little chance at redemption from a poor start. For the most part only the top teams of Europe usually qualified with the odd exception here and there . In 1980 when they first expanded the Euro from 4 teams to 8 teams and added a group stage it was during that time very hard for a lot of top teams in Europe to qualify consistently , which is why they expanded the format to 16 teams eventually. Sixteen teams provided enough room for the best Nations to still have a chance at making the tournament. At 8 teams prior you had a lot of top caliber Nations not being present quite often . And prior to 1980 when it was 4 teams it was almost impossible to qualify for the final Euro tournament with those 4 team tournaments missing some great and very good teams . I think the level of play was perfect at 16 teams . At 16 it allowed for just the right amount of qualification spots to create a better tournament, with an odd team here and there making it . And the brackets in the knockout rounds were balanced , unlike what we see now since 2016 and this tourney. . With 24 teams it just incentivizes for too much complacency early on and thereby it awards mediocrity of play for a third-place finish in the group .