The 15th edition of the European soccer championship, which kick off Friday with host France taking on Romania, figure to one of the most tightly contested Euros in recent memory. World champion Germany, two-time defending continental champion Spain and the host will all fancy their chances, along with a host of dark horses.
But first, the field of 24, expanded from 16 for this quadrennial, must be winnowed to 16 through six group stages. Here’s an early look at the favorites to advance, with the top two teams from Groups A through F automatically qualifying for the knockout round, plus the four best third-ranked sides across all six groups.