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When is the Euro 2020 playoffs draw?
The draw will take place on on Friday, Nov. 22 (11 a.m. UK, 6 a.m. ET).
Which nations will take part in the Euro 2020 playoffs?
The 16 best-performing nations from the UEFA Nations League who do not qualify automatically for Euro 2020 will get a playoff place, and the paths are now starting to take shape.
There are 20 teams who can still take part in the playoffs, with four automatic places to be decided.
*Guaranteed to take part in playoffs
Teams in bold are currently in a playoff position
League A: Iceland*
League B: Bosnia and Herzegovina* , Wales , Slovakia , Republic of Ireland* , Northern Ireland*
League C: Scotland* , Norway* , Serbia* , Bulgaria* , Israel* , Hungary, Romania*
League D: Georgia* , Macedonia* , Kosovo* , Belarus*
What is the format of the Euro 2020 playoffs?
Each League path will have two semifinals and a final. All games are one-off matches, and not two-legged.
In the semifinals, the best-ranked team from the Nations League path will be at home to face the fourth-ranked team, and the second-ranked team will host the third-best team.
We know for certain that:
League A: Iceland will have a home tie
League B: Bosnia and Herzegovina will have a home tie
League C: Norway vs. Serbia; Scotland will have a home tie
League D: Georgia vs. Belarus, North Macedonia vs. Kosovo
When will the playoff games be played?
The semifinals will be played on Thursday, March 26, 2020.
The finals will take place on Tuesday, March 31, 2020.
The standard kickoff time, as with the group stage, is 7.45 p.m. CET
How will the playoff draw work?
Part 1) Composition of playoff paths
Taking into account the decisions of UEFA Emergency Panel (with regards to the route for host nations), there will be a draw to decide which teams from League C, and possibly League B, move into the League A path.
Part 2) Draw the home team in the final
The winners of one of the two semifinals in each path will be drawn at home. For instance, the winners of Semifinal 2 (North Macedonia vs. Kosovo) may be drawn at home to the winners of Semifinal 1 (Georgia vs. Belarus).
Part 3) Define hosts home matches
If both paired hosts in a group qualify directly, there will be a draw to determine which gets the home game between the two.
This will definitely happen in Group B (Denmark) or Group E (Republic of Ireland). The draw will decide if Denmark/Russia or Spain/Republic of Ireland get three home games in the group.
It will also happen in Group F, if Hungary join Germany in qualifying automatically.
Part 4) Define playoff winners’ group allocation
If a playoff path has one host nation, the path will automatically be assigned to the host group.
However, if a path has more than one host, or if there are prohibited clash considerations, the UEFA administration will put measures in place for the finals draw.
How will UEFA decide the playoff paths?
There are two over-riding principles of the playoffs:
1) UEFA Nations League group winners cannot play a team from a higher path
This means that, as it stands:
- Bosnia and Herzegovina are guaranteed to be in the League B path with three other League B teams
- Scotland, Norway and Serbia will be in League C with one other League C team
- The League D path is complete with four UEFA Nations League winners
2) Where possible, a playoff path will be formed with four teams from each path
This means that:
- The League B path will be formed of four League B teams and cannot have League C teams draw into it
What are the special conditions for host nations?
A key condition is set out in UEFA’s playoff draw procedure and a meeting of the UEFA Emergency Panel will this week determine how and where this condition needs to be applied.
1) To give a fair chance to all hosts to qualify to the Final tournament, the host teams may be allocated to different paths
If Hungary qualify automatically, then in League C hosts Scotland and Romania will require a playoff. Scotland, as Nations League group winners, will remain in League C.
It means that Romania are expected to move from the League C path to League A because, as hosts, they require a playoff route to the finals that does not include another host. Bulgaria and Israel would then draw for who takes the remaining slot in the League C path and who also moves to League A.
In League B , Republic of Ireland will require a playoff as hosts. If Hungary qualify automatically, there would be five nations in League B requiring a playoff, so one will need to move to League A. It is expected that Republic of Ireland would remain in League B so it has a host path. There would then be a draw to decide which of Slovakia, Wales and Northern Ireland move to League A. Bosnia would remain in B as Nations League winners.
The situation will be slightly different if Hungary do not qualify automatically.
The League B path would be set with four nations: Bosnia, Republic of Ireland, Wales/Slovakia and Northern Ireland.
The League C path would have three hosts Scotland, Romania and Hungary. It means that it is unavoidable that either the League A or League C path would have two hosts (determined by random draw).
How do the fixtures look at the moment?
This is based on teams in playoff places as it stands. The only way this scenario can now happen is if both Wales and Slovakia fail to qualify automatically. The teams involved may yet change through the final few days of qualifying.
Teams in bold are locked in, guaranteed a playoff in that path. League D is now confirmed.
League A
Iceland vs. Romania
Wales/Slovakia/Northern Ireland vs. Bulgaria/Israel
League B
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Republic/Northern Ireland
Wales vs. Slovakia/Republic of Ireland
OR
Slovakia vs. Republic of Ireland
League C
Scotland vs. Bulgaria/Israel
Norway vs. Serbia
League D
Georgia vs. Belarus
North Macedonia vs. Kosovo
***If Slovakia or Wales qualify automatically, the playoffs would look like this:
Teams in bold are locked in, guaranteed a playoff. League D is now confirmed.
League A
Iceland vs. Romania/Hungary
Bulgaria/Israel vs. Israel/Romania
League B
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Northern Ireland
Wales/Slovakia vs. Republic of Ireland
League C
Scotland vs. Bulgaria/Israel/Romania/Hungary
Norway vs. Serbia
League D
Georgia vs. Belarus
North Macedonia vs. Kosovo
When will the venues be known?
Nations have until Dec. 20 to announce their chosen stadia for the semifinals and final.
How will the playoffs affect the finals draw?
If there is only one host nation in a particular playoff path, the winner of that playoff will automatically be assigned to their host group (regardless of the outcome of the playoff). So if Scotland are the only hosts in the UEFA Nations League C playoff path, the winners automatically go into Group D (Glasgow).
It will become complicated if there are two host nations in one path, though this is can be avoided if Hungary qualify automatically.
But what could happen if Hungary do not qualify automatically?
The UEFA Nations League C path could include both Scotland and Hungary. Scotland need to go into Group D and Hungary into Group F.
Technically, this is how it could work:
- Winners of UEFA Nations League C playoff path paired with the League D path, which contains no host
- Winners of UEFA Nations League C playoff path drawn into Group D (Scotland), League D path into Group F
- If Scotland win the playoff, the draw is unaltered
- If Hungary win the playoff, they will swap places with the League D playoff winners in Group F to be in their host group
- If a team other other than Hungary or Scotland wins the playoff, the draw is unaltered
Also, the League D playoff path (Kosovo) cannot be drawn into Russia’s group.
When is the finals draw?
The draw will be held on Saturday, Nov. 30 in Bucharest, Romania. The draw ceremony will begin at midday ET (6 p.m. CET) and is expected to last 50 minutes in total (with 20 minutes for the draw itself).
- Click here to find out how the finals draw will work
As it stands , based on teams in automatic qualifying positions , the draw pots would be:
Pot 1: Italy, Belgium, England, Germany, Ukraine, Spain
Pot 2: France, Poland, Switzerland, Croatia, Netherlands, Russia
Pot 3: Portugal, Turkey, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Czech Republic
Pot 4: Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Bosnia, Scotland, Georgia
*Highest-ranked nations are used for the playoff winners in this illustration.
One team from each pot would be drawn into the six groups.
When is Euro 2020 and where is it played?
The finals will be hosted across Europe for this edition of the European Championship, running June 12 to July 12.
If a host nation for a particular city qualifies automatically, they will be pre-drawn into that group. So if both England and Scotland do so, they will meet in the group stage of Euro 2020. If both hosts qualify automatically, there will be a draw to decide who plays at home.
Group A: Stadio Olimpico, Rome (Italy) and Olympic Stadium, Baku (Azerbaijan)
Group B: Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg (Russia) and Parken Stadium, Copenhagen (Denmark)
Group C: Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Arena Naționala, Bucharest (Romania)
Group D: Wembley Stadium, London (England) and Hampden Park, Glasgow (Scotland)
Group E: San Mames, Bilbao (Spain) and Aviva Stadium, Dublin (Republic of Ireland)
Group F: Allianz Arena, Munich (Germany) and Ferenc Puskas Stadium, Budapest (Hungary)
Round of 16: Wembley Stadium, London (England), Parken Stadium, Copenhagen (Denmark), Arena Naționala, Bucharest (Romania), Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam (Netherlands), Aviva Stadium, Dublin (Republic of Ireland), San Mames, Bilbao (Spain), Ferenc Puskas Stadium, Budapest (Hungary), Hampden Park, Glasgow (Scotland)
Quarterfinals: Allianz Arena, Munich (Germany), Olympic Stadium, Baku (Azerbaijan), Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stadio Olimpico, Rome (Italy)
Semifinals and final: Wembley Stadium, London (England)