The path to Euro 2024 glory has been outlined.

The group stage draw for next summer’s tournament was conducted Saturday in Hamburg, Germany, offering up some enticing matchups involving the continent’s perennial titans.

Reigning European champion Italy, which barely avoided another qualifying disaster just to reach the competition, was rewarded with a place in arguably the most difficult of the six groups. The Azzurri will have to navigate a quartet that includes Spain and Croatia as they bid to retain their crown. Italy beat Spain in a penalty shootout in the semifinals en route to its Euro 2020 triumph.

France, always among the favorites at any international tournament, was handed a tricky test in Group D alongside the Netherlands and Austria.

Meanwhile, England and Denmark will meet in Group C in a rematch of the Euro 2020 semifinals, a game the Three Lions won in extra time.

Euro 2024 begins with host nation Germany taking on Scotland on June 14. The Germans, who lost six of their 11 friendly matches and changed their coach this year, won’t play another competitive game until the tournament opener in Munich.

The tournament final is slated for July 14 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Here are the groups in full:

Group A

Match schedule (kickoffs in ET)

• June 14: Germany vs. Scotland – 3 p.m.
• June 15: Hungary vs. Switzerland – 9 a.m.
• June 19: Germany vs. Hungary – 12 p.m.
• June 19: Scotland vs. Switzerland – 3 p.m.
• June 23: Switzerland vs. Germany – 3 p.m.
• June 23: Scotland vs. Hungary – 3 p.m.

Group B

Match schedule (kickoffs in ET)

• June 15: Spain vs. Croatia – 12 p.m.
• June 15: Italy vs. Albania – 3 p.m.
• June 19: Croatia vs. Albania – 9 a.m.
• June 20: Spain vs. Italy – 3 p.m.
• June 24: Albania vs. Spain – 3 p.m.
• June 24: Croatia vs. Italy – 3 p.m.

Group C

Match schedule (kickoffs in ET)

• June 16: Slovenia vs. Denmark – 12 p.m.
• June 16: Serbia vs. England – 3 p.m.
• June 20: Slovenia vs. Serbia – 9 a.m.
• June 20: Denmark vs. England – 12 p.m.
• June 25: England vs. Slovenia – 3 p.m.
• June 25: Denmark vs. Serbia – 3 p.m.

Group D

Match schedule (kickoffs in ET)

• June 16: Playoff winner A vs. Netherlands – 9 a.m.
• June 17: Austria vs. France – 3 p.m.
• June 21: Playoff winner A vs. Austria – 12 p.m.
• June 21: Netherlands vs. France 3 p.m.
• June 25: Netherlands vs. Austria – 12 p.m.
• June 25: France vs. Playoff winner A – 12 p.m.

Group E

Match schedule (kickoffs in ET)

• June 17: Romania vs. Playoff winner B – 9 a.m.
• June 17: Belgium vs. Slovakia – 12 p.m.
• June 21: Slovakia vs. Playoff winner B – 9 a.m.
• June 22: Belgium vs. Romania – 3 p.m.
• June 26: Slovakia vs. Romania – 12 p.m.
• June 26: Playoff winner B vs. Belgium – 12 p.m.

Group F

Match schedule (kickoffs in ET)

• June 18: Turkey vs. Playoff winner C – 12 p.m.
• June 18: Portugal vs. Czechia – 3 p.m.
• June 22: Playoff winner C vs. Czechia – 9 a.m.
• June 22: Turkey vs. Portugal – 12 p.m.
• June 26: Playoff winner C vs. Portugal – 3 p.m.
• June 26: Czechia vs. Turkey – 3 p.m.

The top two nations in each group, along with the four best third-placed finishers, advance to the knockout stages of the competition, which opens on June 29. Kickoff times for the group matches will be finalized at a later date.

Why isn’t the entire field confirmed?

The three outstanding tournament berths will be determined by the qualification playoffs.

The 12 teams that reached the playoffs have been split into three sections – Paths A, B, and C – and will compete in four-team tournaments. The single-elimination semifinals are scheduled for March 21, 2024, with the decisive finals in each path taking place on March 26.

As outlined above, the eventual winners from each path will already know their allocated tournament group upon qualifying.

The playoff matchups are as follows:

Path A: Poland vs. Estonia, Wales vs. Finland
Path B: Israel vs. Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Ukraine
Path C: Georgia vs. Luxembourg, Greece vs. Kazakhstan

Star French striker Kylian Mbappe can win the Ballon d’Or in “any team”, Ronaldinho told AFP Sunday, but the Brazilian would like him to win it with Paris Saint-Germain, “a big club”.

“A great player like him can have the opportunity to win the Ballon d’Or in any team, but as I love PSG, I would like him to do it with PSG,” the 2002 World Champion said.

“I hope he will win it. He is a good friend and a very great player. I like his style of play,” he said during an interview with AFP in Thailand.

The prestigious award still eludes the French captain, who finished this year in third place — his best ranking to date.

“Winning the big competitions will help him a lot,” said Ronaldinho, who wore No.10 for PSG from 2001 to 2003.

“PSG is a great club,” the Brazilian said during a visit to Bangkok as an ambassador for Teqball, a novelty sport combining football and table tennis.

Next year promises to be both busy and potentially uncertain for Mbappe.

The 24-year-old could see a possible run to the finals of the Champions League, as well as the Euro 2024 with PSG.

“As every year, it is very difficult (to win the Champions League). But PSG has a great coach, very great players, and therefore, everything is possible,” the former Barcelona and Milan player said.

But Paris coach Luis Enrique — under whom Ronaldinho played for a season at Barca in 2003 and 2004 — is a “very good coach.”

“As a player, he was very strong. I saw what he accomplished. I hope things go very well for him,” he said.

Mbappe also has to negotiate an uncertain contract, which could see his departure from Paris in June.

Real Madrid, which has been courting him for several years, appears best placed to attract him.

Bayern Munich were held to a 0-0 draw by FC Copenhagen on Wednesday, the home side having what could have been a match-winning penalty overturned by VAR in injury time.

Bayern, who scored two late goals to come from behind and win 2-1 in Denmark in October, looked to turn the game late again when the referee pointed to the spot in added time for a handball against Frans Kratzig.

After a VAR review showed contact with the upper arm and shoulder, referee Stephanie Frappart withdrew the penalty, despite the protests of striker Harry Kane and home manager Thomas Tuchel.

Bayern veteran Thomas Muller told DAZN the decision was inconsistent with the controversial handball decisions given against Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund in Tuesday’s fixtures.

“I’m no friend of the rule, but when you compare it to yesterday, it’s pretty weird.

“I think the rule makers want to try and make handball calls objective, but you can’t do that.”

Despite Bayern dropping points in the Champions League group stages at home for the first time since 2018, the German champions qualify for the last 16 in first place.

Tuchel said his side “can do better and we’ve done better recently, but we can check that box and move past it”.

“We weren’t fluid enough and we didn’t take enough risks.”

The result, combined with Manchester United’s 3-3 draw at Galatasaray, means Copenhagen sit second in the group with a match remaining.

The Danish side can qualify for the last 16 for just the second time in their history by avoiding defeat at home to Galatasaray in December.

After making no substitutions in the weekend’s win over Cologne despite complaints about player strain, Tuchel shuffled his deck, benching Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry, but keeping Kane up front with first place secured.

A hip complaint ruled Kim Min-Jae out, pushing midfield stalwart Leon Goretzka into central defence, while Muller was given a first Champions League start of the campaign.

Kane quiet

Despite 22 goals in 17 matches for Bayern before kick-off, Kane was quiet early on.

The home side however had several early chances through Muller and Mathys Tel, the France teenager 16 years the Bayern veteran’s junior, building a budding partnership up front.

Muller created an early chance for Tel only for the teenager to blast over, scuffing his shot with his shin.

Tel then found Mueller directly in front of goal, but the 2014 World Cup winner’s attempt was kept out by a desperation save from Kamil Grabara.

Grabara was on the spot again midway through the second stanza, keeping a Kane shot out of goal with his fist.

Muller, playing 90 minutes for just the second time this season in all competitions, went down in the box late under attention of the visiting defence but the referee waived his claims of a penalty away.

“From the images, it doesn’t look so wild… it’s a small push but an obvious one at the right moment. You can give it” Muller said.

Through to the knockouts for the 16th straight year, Bayern will travel to Manchester in December, with the hosts sitting last in the group.

Despite the draw, which ended Bayern’s run of 17 straight group stage wins, the home side continued their unbeaten run in the group stage to a record 39 games.