Euro 2016 is here, and this edition of the European Championships should be the most unpredictable one in a long time. The field has expanded to 24 teams, the biggest in the history of the competition. Hosts France will expect to make a deep run, but the field around them is wide open.
Spain is the defending champion, but faltered at the World Cup two years ago. They're still one of the best teams in the tournament, but hardly the unstoppable juggernaut they once were. Defending World Cup champion Germany is also among the favorites, but injuries and the international retirement of Philipp Lahm mean their squad won't be quite as strong as it was in 2016. Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal had their easiest major tournament qualifying run in a decade, and there's hope that he can finally grab an international trophy.
There are five debutantes at this edition of the European Championships -- Albania, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia and Wales. Two other teams -- Austria and Ukraine -- secured their first qualification. This will be the first European Championships they participate in without hosting it.
If you're looking for the Netherlands, they're not here. They stunningly failed to qualify, just barely missing out along with some other teams you might be used to seeing at major tournaments like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Slovakia, Denmark and Greece.
The format
With the field expanding to 24 teams for the first time, it's quite a bit easier than ever before for teams to get out of their groups. There are six groups of four teams apiece, which were seeded and drawn together back in December. France automatically got a top seed, while Spain, Germany, England, Portugal and Belgium joined them in Pot 1. Teams play everyone else in their group once, with the top two automatically advancing to the Round of 16. The top four third-placed teams will also make the knockout stage.
From the Round of 16 all the way through to the final, knockout games will go to two 15-minute periods of extra time if tied at the end of 90 minutes, to be played in their entirety. If the score is still deadlocked after that, the teams go to a penalty shootout.
Bracket
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The teams
Group A
France
Romania
Albania
Switzerland
Group B
Group C
Germany
Ukraine
Poland
Northern Ireland
Group D
Spain
Czech Republic
Turkey
Croatia
Group E
Belgium
Italy
Republic of Ireland
Sweden
Group F
Schedule and results (all times Eastern)
Friday, June 10
France 2-1 Romania -- Recap
Saturday, June 11
Albania 0-1 Switzerland -- Recap
Wales 2-1 Slovakia -- Recap
England 1-1 Russia -- Recap
Sunday, June 12
Turkey 0-1 Croatia -- Recap
Poland 1-0 Northern Ireland -- Recap
Germany 2-0 Ukraine -- Recap
Monday, June 13
Spain 1-0 Czech Republic -- Recap
Republic of Ireland 1-1 Sweden -- Recap
Belgium 0-2 Italy -- Recap
Tuesday, June 14
Austria 0-2 Hungary -- Recap
Portugal 1-1 Iceland -- Recap
Wednesday, June 15
Russia 1-2 Slovakia -- Recap
Romania 1-1 Switzerland -- Recap
France 2-0 Albania -- Recap
Thursday, June 16
England 2-1 Wales -- Recap
Ukraine 0-2 Northern Ireland -- Recap
Germany 0-0 Poland -- Recap
Friday, June 17
Italy 1-0 Sweden -- Recap
Czech Republic 2-2 Croatia -- Recap
Spain 3-0 Turkey -- Recap
Saturday, June 18
Belgium 3-0 Republic of Ireland -- Recap
Iceland 1-1 Hungary -- Recap
Portugal 0-0 Austria, -- Recap
Sunday, June 19
Romania 0-1 Albania -- Recap
Switzerland 0-0 France -- Recap; France progresses in 1st, Switzerland progresses in 2nd
Monday, June 20
Russia 0-3 Wales -- Recap; Wales progresses in 1st
Slovakia 0-0 England -- Recap; England progresses in 2nd, Slovakia progresses in 3rd
Tuesday, June 21
Ukraine 0-1 Poland -- Recap; Poland progresses in 2nd
Northern Ireland 0-1 Germany -- Recap; Germany progresses in 1st, Northern Ireland progresses in 3rd
Czech Republic 0-2 Turkey -- Recap
Croatia 2-1 Spain -- Recap; Croatia progresses in 1st, Spain progresses in 2nd
Wednesday, June 22
Iceland 2-1 Austria -- Recap; Iceland progresses in 2nd
Hungary 3-3 Portugal -- Recap; Hungary progresses in 1st, Portugal progresses in 3rd
Italy 0-1 Republic of Ireland -- Recap; Italy progresses in 1st, Ireland progresses in 3rd
Sweden 0-1 Belgium -- Recap; Belgium progresses in 2nd
Saturday, June 25
Switzerland 1-1 (4-5 penalties) Poland -- Recap
Wales 1-0 Northern Ireland -- Recap
Croatia 0-1 Portugal AET -- Recap
Sunday, June 26
France 2-1 Ireland -- Recap
Germany 3-0 Slovakia -- Recap
Hungary 0-4 Belgium -- Recap
Monday, June 27
Italy 2-0 Spain -- Recap
England 1-2 Iceland -- Recap
Thursday, June 30
Poland 1-1 (4-5 penalties) Portugal -- Recap
Friday, July 1
Wales 3-1 Belgium -- Recap
Saturday, July 2
Germany 1-1 (5-6 penalties) Italy -- Recap
Sunday, July 3
France 5-2 Iceland -- Recap
Wednesday, July 6
Portugal 2-0 Wales -- Recap
Thursday, July 7
Germany 0-2 France -- Recap
Sunday, July 10
Portugal 1-0 France (AET) -- Recap