Euro 2024 play-off draw: Live news and updates as Wales are set to find out who they will face in their bid to qualify for next summer’s tournament
Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for all the latest news and updates from the Euro 2024 play-off draw with Wales set to find out who they will face in their bid to qualify for next summer’s tournament.
Which teams have qualified for Euro 2024?
While we wait for the draw to start, here’s a reminder of the 21 teams that have already qualified for Euro 2024.
When will the play-offs be played?
The six one-off semi-finals are set for March 21 next year, with the three finals to be played five days later.
What about Path B?
Path B is where the draw gets complicated.
The League B path is formed by two League B group winners – Israel and Bosnia-Herzegovina – and two out of the three League B group runners-up entering the draw – Finland, Ukraine and Iceland.
That means Israel will be at home in the first semi-final and Bosnia will play at home in the second-semifinal.
That leaves, Finland, Ukraine and Iceland into the pot.
Helpfully, here things get even more convoluted.
If Finland are the first team drawn, they will be allocated to the second semi-final but if the first team drawn is Iceland, they will be allocated to first semi-final.
However, if Ukraine is the first team out of the pot, no allocation can be made until the second ball has been drawn.
If Finland are the second team drawn, they will play in the second semi-final and if Iceland are the second team out of the pot, they will play in the first semi-final.
If Ukraine are the second team drawn, they will play in the first semi-final if Finland were the first team out of the pot or in the second semi-final if Iceland were the first team drawn.
Crystal clear, isn’t it?
Which semi-finals are already set?
Three of the four semi-finals in Path A and C are already set, with Wales waiting to know who they will face.
Path A
Path C
How does the draw work?
The 12 teams are split in three qualifying paths, depending on their Nations League rankings within their own League. The winner of each League path qualifies for Euro 2024.
Wales and Poland are both guaranteed a home semi-final in Path A by virtue of being in League A in the Nations League.
So far, so straightforward. Unfortunately, things get a lot more complicated from hereon courtesy of UEFA’s penchant for devising Machiavellian qualifying formats.
Poland are the highest-ranked team in the draw after finishing ahead of Wales in their Nations league draw, which means they will face Estonia at home – the only team in the draw from League D.
Wales, meanwhile, will face one between Finland, Ukraine and Iceland but more on that later.
The semi-finals for League C are also already set, with Georgia hosting Luxembourg and Greece welcoming Kazakhstan.
Georgia, Greece and Kazakhstan won their respective Nations League group, while Luxembourg are the highest-ranked runner-up.
Which teams are in the play-off draw?
Twelve teams are still in with a shout to reach Euro 2024
Good morning!
Good morning and welcome to MailSport’s coverage of the Euro 2024 play-off semi-final draw, as Wales await to see who stands between them and a trip to Germany.
The draw is scheduled to get underway at 11am in Nyon, Switzerland.
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