Euro 2024 Play-Off Draw: Pairings and Final Hosts Determined for 12 National Teams
On November 23, in the Swiss city of Nyon, the draw for the Euro 2024 play-offs took place. Twelve national teams, including Ukraine, are vying for the last three spots in the tournament. This includes winners of League A, B, and C Nations League groups who did not qualify for Euro 2024, as well as the highest-rated teams from these divisions that also missed out on qualification. The results of the draw are now available on the UEFA website.
In Path A, the semifinals will see Poland vs. Estonia and Wales vs. Finland. Ukraine, placed in Path B, will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the semifinals. The winner of this tie will play against the winner of the Israel vs. Iceland match in the final. As for Path C, no draw was needed, as the match pairings were already known, and only the final host was determined.
The semi-finals are scheduled for March 21, 2024, with the finals taking place on March 26, 2024. The draw results are as follows:
Path A:
- A1: Poland vs. Estonia
- A2: Wales vs. Finland
- Final to be held at the winner of A2
Path B:
- B1: Israel vs. Iceland
- B2: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Ukraine
- Final to be held at the winner of B2
Path C:
- C1: Georgia vs. Luxembourg
- C2: Greece vs. Kazakhstan
- Final to be held at the winner of C1
It is worth noting that Ukraine's national team failed to secure a direct spot in Euro 2024. In the crucial match against Italy in Leverkusen, Germany, Ukraine needed a victory to claim the second spot in their qualifying group and qualify for the final stage of the European Championship. However, the match ended in a 0-0 draw, and Italy secured the second spot in the group based on head-to-head results.
Additionally, UEFA has already selected the host countries for the 2028 and 2032 European Football Championships. The 2028 tournament will be hosted by the United Kingdom and Ireland, with matches held in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, London (two stadiums), Manchester, and Newcastle.
In 2032, the tournament will take place in Turkey and Italy, with specific host cities yet to be determined. Out of 20 potential venues, ten will be selected by October 2026, with five from each country.