Picture Credit: UEFA
The countdown for the 2024 Euros kick-started after UEFA announced the draw for the Euro qualification fixtures of the tournament. The draw has already given football fans some incredible fixtures like the Euro 2021 final rematch between England and Italy. While France will square off against the Netherlands in Group B.
Another interesting and entertaining fixture slated to produce a lot of goals is between Norway and Georgia. The Group B game would see Erling Haaland lock horns with Georgian sensation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Both these strikers have been tearing up their respective leagues and could produce a goal-scoring spectacle.
Now every team in a group plays with each other twice. Later, the top two in each group will be qualifying automatically for the finals alongside hosts Germany. The remaining three spots will be decided via the playoffs.
The teams for the play-off spots will be selected via the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League, as per the regulations. Twelve teams will be selected based on their 2022/23 Nations League performance. These would include group winners of Leagues A, B and C, but if they have already qualified, they will be replaced by the next best-ranked team in their league. If there are not enough non-qualified teams in the same league, teams finishing in League D will be considered.
The tournament will start on 25 March 2023 with the Qualifying matches. This will be followed by the Play-off stage scheduled to begin on 21 March 2024. The UEFA EURO 2024 will start with the opener on 14 July 2024 and will conclude on the same date a month later.
Qualification Draw for the 2024 Euros:
Group A - Spain, Scotland, Norway, Georgia, Cyprus
Group B - Netherlands, France, Republic of Ireland, Greece, Gibraltar
Group C - Italy, England, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Malta
Group D - Croatia, Wales, Armenia, Turkey, Latvia
Group E - Poland, Czech Republic, Albania, Faroe Islands, Moldova
Group F - Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Estonia
Group G - Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Lithuania
Group H - Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Northern Ireland, San Marino
Group I - Switzerland, Israel, Romania, Kosovo, Belarus, Andorra
Group J - Portugal, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Iceland, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Liechtenstein
