DRAWS for major tournaments can be confusing – and Euro 2020 looks no different.
With Wales and England both eagerly awaiting who they will face in next year’s tournament, here’s all you need to know ahead of the draw in Budapest.
Wales beat Hungary to ensure passage to the finals- but they face a tough drawCredit: EPA
What are the seeds?
TWENTY teams have already booked their place in next year’s finals after a long and eventful qualifying campaign.
Along with those nations, four more will secure their place on the plane in March when they go through the play-off schedule.
This will see sixteen teams play a one-legged semi-final before eight go head-to-head in a one-off final game for the coveted spots.
Seedings for this year’s Euro 2020 draw has been decided by the nations performance in the qualifying groups as well as a number of other factors.
These included:
- Final position in qualifying group
- Total points
- Goal difference
- Goals scored
- Away goals scored
- Number of wins
- Number of away wins
- Lower disciplinary points total (3 points for red card including for second booking, 1 point for single yellow card for a player in a match)
- Overall UEFA Nations League rankings
The twenty teams have been split into four pots, with the final pot including the four nations set to come through the play-offs.
These pots are:
- Pot 1: Belgium, Italy (hosts), England (hosts), Germany (hosts), Spain (hosts), Ukraine.
- Pot 2: France, Poland, Switzerland, Croatia, Netherlands (hosts), Russia (hosts).
- Pot 3: Portugal, Turkey, Denmark (hosts), Austria, Sweden, Czech Republic.
- Pot 4: Wales, Finland, Winner play-off Path A, Winner play-off Path B, Winner play-off Path C, Winner play-off Path D.
Being in Pot 4 means Wales face a potential Group of Death at the Euros – and could potentially face 2010 winners Spain, current world champions France and Euro 2016 kingpins Portugal.
How does the draw work?
EACH of the twenty four teams entering the competition will be divided into six groups.
All the host nations have already been drawn into their respective groups, with England in Group D.
Each nation from Pot 2 will then be drawn into a relevant group, before Pot 3 and Pot 4 follow.
Eventually, we will have six groups of four nations ready for the big kick-off on June 12.
The groups so far are:
- Group A – Italy
- Group B – Russia and Denmark
- Group C – Holland
- Group D – England
- Group E – Spain
- Group F – Germany
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
