The group stages of the European Championship conclude on Wednesday with Group E and Group F yet to be finalised.

Group E is particularly notable as all four teams are level on three points going into the final round of matches, with none of the sides yet qualified for the round-of-16 stage or eliminated from the tournament.

Belgium play Ukraine in Stuttgart while Romania take on Slovakia in Frankfurt. Both matches will kick off simultaneously, at 5pm BST (6pm local).

The top two teams from the group will automatically qualify for the last 16 while the bottom-placed side will be eliminated from the tournament. The third-placed side will qualify for the knockout stages should they be one of the top four best-ranked sides to finish third from the six groups.

The third-placed side from Group E appears favourably placed to advance, with Group B’s third-placed Croatia registering just two points — while all Group E sides have already surpassed that total.

In Group F, third-placed Czech Republic currently have just two points going into their final match against Turkey. If the third-placed side in Group E finishes on four points, they will advance to the knockouts. If they finish on three points but a goal difference better than -3 — that of Hungary, the third-placed side from Group A — they will advance.

What that all crucially means is that if Slovakia and Romania draw, both sides will be guaranteed of a top-three group finish on four points and progression through to the round of 16.

The same cannot be said of Belgium’s match against Ukraine, as Sergiy Rebrov’s side are currently bottom of Group E on goal difference and if both games ended in draws, they would be eliminated. If Ukraine lost but still finished third, they may be eliminated on goal difference (theirs is currently -2).

Both Slovakia and Romania’s managers, however, have stated their teams will try and win their group in order to advance to the knockouts.

“We want to win the group,” Romania’s Edward Iordanescu said. “If we win the group at least theoretically you have a certain advantage, especially in terms of extra rest days and also of the opponents.

“But the most important thing is to qualify, this is what our objective is.”

uro 2024 best third-place teams ranking table

*Updated as of games played on June 25, 2024.

The final third-place ranking will only be officially confirmed once all the groups are concluded and the third-placed teams are decided.

However, a number of teams have put themselves in a strong position. Netherlands and Slovenia have completed their group stage and will qualify as two of the four best third-places teams.

Hungary finished third in Group A with three points, but their goal difference of minus three could work against them.

Croatia have been eliminated after England failed to win their final group fixture.