Euro 2024 Qualifying: A Comprehensive Review
The Euro 2024 Qualifying stage concluded in November 2023, determining the 23 national teams that will compete in the UEFA European Championship in Germany. Twenty teams secured their spots through the qualifying process, joining the host nation Germany. Three additional teams will qualify through the play-offs in March 2024. The qualified teams have been drawn into six groups of four for the tournament’s group stage.
The final tournament draw, held in Hamburg on December 2nd, 2023, resulted in the following groups:
Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland
Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania
Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England
Group D: Poland, Netherlands, Austria, France
Group E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine
Group F: Türkiye, Georgia, Portugal, Czechia
The qualifying process consisted of ten matchdays, spanning from March to November 2023. Each team played every other team in their group twice, once at home and once away. The top two teams from each group automatically qualified for Euro 2024.
The first matchday kicked off on March 23rd, 2023, with several exciting encounters. Notable results included England’s 2-1 victory over Italy in Group C and Portugal’s dominant 4-0 win against Liechtenstein in Group J.
Subsequent matchdays witnessed thrilling matches and unexpected outcomes. Scotland surprised Spain with a 2-0 victory on March 28th, 2023. England delivered a resounding 7-0 win against North Macedonia on June 19th, 2023.
France showcased their attacking prowess with a 14-0 demolition of Gibraltar on November 18th, 2023.
The qualifying campaign also saw its share of dramatic moments. The match between Belgium and Sweden on October 16th, 2023, was abandoned at half-time due to a tragic incident, with the 1-1 scoreline declared as the final result. Several matches were postponed and rescheduled due to unforeseen circumstances, adding to the complexity of the qualifying process. Ultimately, the Euro 2024 qualifying stage provided a captivating spectacle of football, setting the stage for a thrilling tournament in Germany.
The final three spots for the Euro 2024 tournament will be determined through the play-offs scheduled for March 2024. These play-offs will involve teams that performed well in the UEFA Nations League but did not secure automatic qualification through the traditional qualifying groups. The Euro 2024 finals will commence on June 14th, 2024, with the final match taking place on July 14th, 2024.
The tournament will be held across ten venues in Germany. The opening match and the final will be played in Munich’s Allianz Arena. Other host cities include Berlin, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Cologne, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Düsseldorf. The Euro 2024 tournament promises to be a spectacular event, showcasing the best of European football.