Euro 2024 qualifying competition – all you need to know ahead of Sunday’s draw
The draw for the Euro 2024 qualifying competition takes place in Frankfurt on Sunday.
Here the PA news agency looks at what to expect.
What time is the draw due to start, and where is it happening?
The draw is scheduled to begin at 11am UK time, and will be conducted at Frankfurt’s Festhalle exhibition centre.
How will it work?
Fifty-three countries will enter the draw. Hosts Germany qualify automatically and Russia have been excluded from qualification due to the invasion of Ukraine.
There will be seven groups of five teams and three groups of six. The four countries who made it through to next summer’s Nations League finals – the Netherlands, Croatia, Spain and Italy – are guaranteed to be placed in a five-team group.
England, Scotland and Wales are in seeding pot two, while the Republic of Ireland are in pot three and Northern Ireland are in pot five out of six.
Who qualifies?
Good morning 🏴
Start your day with the highlights from last night's draw with Ukraine, which saw us gain promotion to League A.#UKRSCO pic.twitter.com/qWPRpL3rLE— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) September 28, 2022
The top two teams from each group will go through to the finals, while 12 more teams will battle it out for three additional spots via play-offs to be played in March 2024.
The winners of the groups in Leagues A, B and C of the Nations League – which includes Scotland – are guaranteed at least a play-off place if they fail to finish in the top two of their qualifying group.
Will any teams be kept apart?
Belarus and Ukraine cannot face each other. Belarus are aiding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and during the Nations League had to play their home matches behind closed doors in Serbia. Armenia and Azerbaijan will also be kept apart, as will Gibraltar and Spain.
A maximum of two countries designated as ‘winter venues’ can be drawn together – these are Belarus, Estonia, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway.
Pairings that would lead to excessive travelling have also been declared, and will be capped at a maximum of one pairing per group.
When will the matches be played?
The group stage of qualification will all take place next year, during the March, June, September, October and November international breaks.
When does Euro 2024 kick off?
The tournament starts in Munich on Friday, June 14, 2024. The final will be staged in Berlin on July 14 with 10 cities in total hosting matches.
