Sweden was automatically admitted, while the other seven participating teams were determined through the elimination phase: England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland, the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. However, the political events of the time influenced the fate of the Soviets and the Slavs: the former participated under the name of the Commonwealth of Independent States after the dissolution of the USSR, while the latter were disqualified due to war conflicts and replaced by Denmark, who had finished second in their qualifying group.
Group stage
In the first group, England's elimination was surprising: the British, who had finished fourth in the last World Cup, obtained only two draws before being defeated by the hosts. France had a similar fate, also obtaining only two points. Sweden and Denmark therefore qualified for the semi-finals, the latter being reintroduced at the last moment.
The second group was won by the Netherlands, with a two-point advantage over the Germans, the holders of the world title. On the final day, Scotland, already eliminated, clearly defeated the former Soviet Union, preventing them from qualifying.
Semi-finals and final
The first semi-final saw the world champions face the host nation, with the Mannschaft winning 3-2. In the other semi-final, Denmark confirmed their role as outsiders, beating the Netherlands on penalties; the decisive error was by Marco van Basten, protagonist of the final of the previous edition.
The final was won by Denmark, who defeated Germany 2-0, winning the first trophy in their history.
