Spain helps England with early qualification for the Euros RO16
June 25, 2024
With one group match remaining, England has advanced to the round of 16 of Euro 2024 after Spain defeated Albania 1-0 on Monday.
With a win, Luis de la Fuente’s team advances from Group D into the knockout stage, along with the Netherlands and France.
The Three Lions play Slovenia in Cologne on Tuesday at 20:00 BST to wrap up their Group C campaign, but they already know they will advance to the next round.
After a 1-0 victory over Serbia and a 1-1 draw with Denmark, Gareth Southgate’s team has four points; however, Albania’s defeat guaranteed that England would finish in the top four.
If Denmark loses to Serbia and England draws, they will lead Group C, but only if they defeat Slovenia.
The two teams will share first and second place based on overall goal difference, overall goals scored, and disciplinary points if England draws and Denmark wins.
In Group C, England cannot place lower than third.
England would have needed to wait until Tuesday to possibly qualify if Albania had defeated Spain, but the 1964, 2008, and 2012 European champions were simply too formidable.
In the event that England wins the group, they will play a third-place team from either Group D, Group E, or Group F on Sunday in Gelsenkirchen at 17:00 BST.
With one round of games remaining, Romania, Belgium, Slovakia, and Ukraine are all tied for third place in Group E, while the Czech Republic is currently in third place in Group F, level on points but with a superior goal differential over Georgia, who is in fourth place. Austria is currently ranked third in Group D.
If England finishes second in the group, it will be easier since they will play Germany in Dortmund on Saturday at 20:00 BST, the hosts.
In the event that England finishes third in Group C, they will play either Portugal, the champions of Group F, in Frankfurt on Monday, July 1 at 20:00 BST, or Munich, the winners of Group E, on Tuesday, July 2 at 17:00 BST.