When are the Euro 2024 qualifying play-offs? Teams involved, dates and how it works

Plenty of nations have already reserved their place at the 2024 European Championship, but others are still waiting on qualification.

As tournament hosts, Germany were always certain of a place at next summer’s competition, but the qualification group stage hands 20 other teams automatic passage to Euro 2024 – the winners and runners-up in each of the ten groups.

However, there are still three places up for grabs at Euro 2024 after the qualification group stages, but teams will have to go through the nerve-wracking play-offs to ensure their place at the tournament.

The play-off system is needlessly complicated, so let’s break down the details of just how it works and which teams will be involved.

Euro 2024 will take place in Germany next summer, beginning on Friday 14 June and finishing on Sunday 14 July.

There will be ten host cities, including Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt, with the tournament made up of 24 European nations.

Host nation Germany have been assured of their spot since winning the bidding process back in September 2018.

Current European champions Italy just about made it after a draw with Ukraine in their final qualifier, while last tournament’s runners-up England will get the chance at redemption after breezing through the process.

Unsurprisingly, Spain, Portugal, France, Netherlands and Belgium will all be at Euro 2024, while last tournament’s semi-finalists Denmark have also booked their ticket to Germany.

Scotland were one of the first teams to secure their spot at the tournament after an impressive qualification campaign, with Albania and Romania two of the more surprising sides to qualify.

Full list of qualified teams for Euro 2024

The Euro 2024 play-offs are made up of 12 nations that didn’t qualify automatically for next summer’s tournament. The dozen sides in the play-offs are decided based on their performances at the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League.

The 12 teams are, on paper, the winners of each group in League A, B and C, but if said group winners have already qualified for Euro 2024 then they will be replaced by the next highest-ranked side in their group that didn’t qualify.

If fewer than four teams from each league can enter the play-offs, then the best-ranked side in League D will take their place.

Any slots remaining are then offered to the leftover sides that have the highest ranking in the Nations League, based on the provision that group winners from League A, B and C cannot be in a play-off path with a team in a higher league than them.

When the 12 teams are confirmed, they will be split into three distinct ‘paths’, with each bracket made up of a pair of semi-finals before a decisive final, with the three victors progressing to Euro 2024.

The draw for the play-offs will take place at The House of European Football in Switzerland on Thursday 23 November, commencing at 11:00 (GMT).

Despite the official draw for next summer’s Euro 2024 group stage taking place in December 2023, play-offs will not commence until March 2024.

The six semi-finals will take place on Thursday 21 March 2024, with the finals to be played on Tuesday 26 March.

At present, 11 teams have booked their place at the play-offs for Euro 2024 and they will be joined by either Croatia or Wales depending on which nation qualifies for the tournament automatically in their final group stage game.

The biggest underdogs in the play-offs will be Estonia, ranked 118th in the world. They picked up just one point in the Euro 2024 qualifying group stages but finished as the highest-ranked group winner in League D of the Nations League after successive victories over Malta and San Marino.

The highest-ranked team currently certain of a play-off place are Ukraine – 22nd in the world. They were unfortunate not to qualify automatically after their goalless draw with Italy in the final group game, denied a blatant stoppage-time penalty that would have sent them to Euro 2024 if converted.

READ THE LATEST EURO 2024 NEWS, PREVIEWS & PLAYER RATINGS

Read More: World News | Entertainment News | Celeb News
90Mins