24 not UEFA’s magic number

UEFA have conceded they are struggling to devise a format for the 24 teams in the finals of Euro 2016.

The final tournament has been expanded from 16 teams and organisers are now wrestling with the best way of having a group stage going into a knockout phase. Gianni Infantino, UEFA’s general secretary, admitted the final tournament was “not ideal” and that some teams who finish in third place in the four-team groups will go through to the round of 16 knock-out stage. Organisers also want to avoid teams being able to collude in a match so that both qualify at the expense of another team in the group.

Infantino said: “This will be done by the end of this year. It is 24 teams and that is a problem — it is not an ideal final tournament because you will have to have a few of the third ones who qualify as well for the knockout stage.