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The draw for the qualifying rounds of Euro 2016 (to be held in France)
Euro 2016 will feature 24 teams instead of 16 teams, and the top two sides from each of the nine qualifying groups will qualify automatically. The expansion also helps one lucky team, which can even finish third in its respective group, and qualify automatically without the play-offs .
Reigning champions Spain, who would start the campaign with an eye on their 3rd successive European Championship triumph, have a relatively easy group consisting of Ukraine, Slovakia, Belarus, Macedonia and Luxembourg.
Euro 2012 runners-up Italy, will meet Croatia, Norway, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan and Malta in a bid to reach the tournament proper as they try to go one better than last time.
The draw which was held in Nice in France, saw Gibraltar, the newest team to associate with the UEFA get drawn with Germany, Ireland, Poland, Scotland and Georgia, in what looks like to be the Group of Death. Gibraltar were previously drawn in the group of reigning champions Spain, but were later moved to to Group D because of political tensions between the two countries.
Group E sees England paired up with Switzerland, Slovenia, Lithuania, Tstonia and San Marino, which looks like a relatively easy draw for England, making it a pretty straightforward path to the Euros. During qualification for this summer’s World Cup, England and San Marino had been drawn together, and England thrashed San Marino, 5-0 at home and 8-0 away.
53 teams in total were drawn in 9 groups, eight of which contain 6 teams, with the last consisting of only 5 teams. France being the hosts have been awarded automatic qualification to the Finals. The nine group winners along with the runners-up will automatically qualify for the Finals, along with one lucky third-placed team.
The remaining eight teams, who will be third-placed in their respective groups will meet each other in the playoffs, out of which the four winning teams will go on to the Finals. The qualifying begins in September this year, and will last for 13 months.
Here are the groups in full:
