Expanded Euro format did Portugal a favour

Portugal's winning EURO 2016 team appear with the cup, in this still image grabbed from video, outside their base camp in Marcoussis, France, July 11, 2016. REUTERS/Noemie Olive

PARIS (Reuters) - The expanded European football Championship format with 24 teams in the finals instead of 16 contributed to fairytale runs by so-called minnows at Euro 2016 but also helped Portugal lift their first major trophy.

The new formula introduces an extra knockout stage, the round of 16, with the top two teams in each of the six groups going through as well as the four best third-placed sides.