Everything you need to know about Euro 2016.
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.
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
Bracket
See our gigantic Euro 2016 preview!
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 vs. Croatia, 9 a.m.
Poland vs. Northern Ireland, 12 p.m.
Germany vs. Ukraine 3 p.m.
Monday, June 13
Spain vs. Czech Republic, 9 a.m.
Republic of Ireland vs. Sweden, 12 p.m.
Belgium vs. Italy, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, June 14
Austria vs. Hungary, 12 p.m.
Portugal vs. Iceland, 3 p.m.
Wednesday, June 15
Russia vs. Slovakia, 9 a.m.
Romania vs. Switzerland, 12 p.m.
France vs. Albania, 3 p.m.
Thursday, June 16
England vs. Wales, 9 a.m.
Ukraine vs. Northern Ireland, 12 p.m.
Germany vs. Poland, 3 p.m.
Friday, June 17
Italy vs. Sweden, 9 a.m.
Czech Republic vs. Croatia, 12 p.m.
Spain vs. Turkey, 3 p.m.
Saturday, June 18
Belgium vs. Republic of Ireland, 9 a.m.
Iceland vs. Hungary, 12 p.m.
Portugal vs. Austria, 3 p.m.
Sunday, June 19
Romania vs. Albania, 3 p.m.
Switzerland vs. France, 3 p.m.
Monday, June 20
Russia vs. Wales, 3 p.m.
Slovakia vs. England, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, June 21
Ukraine vs. Poland, 12 p.m.
Northern Ireland vs. Germany, 12 p.m.
Czech Republic vs. Turkey, 3 p.m.
Croatia vs. Spain, 3 p.m.
Wednesday, June 22
Iceland vs. Austria, 12 p.m.
Hungary vs. Portugal, 12 p.m.
Italy vs. Republic of Ireland, 3 p.m.
Sweden vs. Belgium, 3 p.m.
Saturday, June 25
Round of 16 game one, 9 a.m.
Round of 16 game two, 12 p.m.
Round of 16 game three, 3 p.m.
Sunday, June 26
Round of 16 game four, 9 a.m.
Round of 16 game five, 12 p.m.
Round of 16 game six, 3 p.m.
Monday, June 27
Round of 16 game seven, 12 p.m.
Round of 16 game eight, 3 p.m.
Thursday, June 30
Quarterfinal game one, 3 p.m.
Friday, July 1
Quarterfinal game two, 3 p.m.
Saturday, July 2
Quarterfinal game three, 3 p.m.
Sunday, July 3
Quarterfinal game four, 3 p.m.
Wednesday, July 6
Semifinal game one, 3 p.m.
Thursday, July 7
Semifinal game two, 3 p.m.
Sunday, July 10
FINAL, 3 p.m.
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