Why is there no third-place playoff game in Euro 2024?

The FIFA World Cup has one, as do the Copa América and the Africa Cup of Nations. But there is no third-place playoff game at the European Championship, which means beaten semifinalists France and the Netherlands are already on holiday. Sunday’s Euro 2024 final between Spain and England is the only remaining match scheduled for the weekend.

The Spaniards, inspired by Lamine Yamal, came from behind to defeat an underperforming French side in Munich in the last four, with The Three Lions doing the same against the Dutch 24 hours later thanks to Ollie Watkins’ last-gasp winner.

In other competitions, France and the Netherlands would’ve then taken part in a third-place playoff game. Not, however, in the European Championship.

Why did UEFA scrap the third-place playoff game at the European Championship?

Once upon time, losing semifinalists did have the chance to finish as the third-best team in the competition, however much of an accomplishment that may be.

There was a third-place playoff game in the first six editions of the Euros between 1960 and 1980, the initial five of which had only four participants. But UEFA decided to scrap the match due to a lack of interest in it, both in terms of in-stadium attendance and TV ratings.

Are bronze medals awarded at the Euros?

Countries that finished third were awarded bronze medals up until 1980, a prize UEFA briefly revived for both beaten semifinalists at Euro 2008 and Euro 2012. That, though, has no longer been the case since the 2016 tournament, which means France and the Netherlands will be going home from Germany empty-handed.