Unprecedented Qualification Challenges Await Euro 2028 Co-Hosts
For Euro 2028, co-hosts England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales must qualify like any other team. UEFA reserves two spots if they fail, with 12 winners and the top eight runners-up directly advancing. Remaining spots are decided via playoffs. The tournament will be held across nine UK and Irish venues.
In a surprising deviation from tradition, England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales will not have automatic berths for the 2028 European Championship despite being co-hosts. Instead, these nations must participate in the qualifying rounds to secure their spots in the tournament.
This decision, announced by UEFA's executive committee in Bilbao, marks a shift from recent Euro protocols, excluding the 2020 edition, where automatic qualifications were not provided due to multi-city hosting. The unique arrangement allows two potential fallback spots for the best-performing host nations failing to qualify through the standard process.
The qualifying mechanism involves 12 group winners and the eight highest-ranked runners-up moving directly to the finals, while playoffs will determine the remaining positions. The 2028 Euros promise thrilling challenges, set against the nine iconic venues across the United Kingdom and Ireland.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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