Euro 2024 play-off draw LIVE: Wales to meet Finland in first match of the final qualification stage
12 teams take part in a small qualifying play-off to determine which three will reach Euro 2024 next summer
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Your support makes all the difference.Wales have been drawn against Finland in the Euro 2024 play-offs, where three of 12 nations will secure a place at the tournament in Germany next summer.
Consecutive 1-1 draws against Armenia and Turkey during the most recent international break meant Wales slipped beneath Croatia in Group D and now face a further play-off battle to reach the tournament. They have been drawn against Finland, and should they emerge victorious they will face the winner of Poland vs Estonia for a place in the main draw.
Rob Page’s side are no strangers to using this route of qualification for major tournaments having reached the 2022 World Cup by beating Austria in a home semi-final before overcoming Ukraine in Cardiff.
Ukraine themselves will be hoping for a better outcome this time around as they face the play-offs once more along with several of the best third place finishers from qualifying, and will travel to Bosnia-Herzegovina before a potential final against the winners of Israel vs Iceland. With a minimum of four sides needed for each of the three play-off paths, teams from lower Nations League tiers make up the numbers.
The play-off semi-finals will be held on Thursday 21 March before the finals take place five days later on Tuesday 26 March.
Follow the Euro 2024 play-off draw live below:
Euro 2024 play-off draw
So now Wales and Ukraine both know what they have to do to qualify.
Path B could be interesting as it remains to be seen if Israel or Ukraine will be able to host the other team.
But that is the end of the draw.
Euro 2024 play-off draw
Now onto the hosts of the final of each path:
The winner of Georgia or Luxembourg will play the final of path C at home against the winner of Greece vs Kazakhstan.
The winner of Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Ukraine will host the winner of Israel vs Iceland.
Whoever comes out on top between Wales vs Finland will host the winner of Poland vs Estonia.
Euro 2024 play-off draw
Wales will take on Finland in their semi-final in path A, so in order to qualify for Euro 2024, they will have to beat Finland and then the winner of Poland and Estonia.
Euro 2024 play-off draw
Ukraine is the second team drawn and they will play Bosnia-Herzegovina in the semi-final in path B.
Euro 2024 play-off draw
Iceland are the first team drawn into Path B, and as the lowest-ranked team they will play Israel in semi-final one.
Euro 2024 play-off draw
We will start with path C, where no draw is needed.
Georgia will play Luxembourg and Greece will play Kazakhstan at the semi-final stage, with the winners playing in a final for a spot in Euro 2024.
Euro 2024 play-off draw
The draw is just being explained, with the play-offs due to take place in March. 12 teams will be in the play-offs.
UEFA nations league group winners who did not reach the main tournament through the qualifying groups are in the draw, as are others who are in on merit from the Nations League.
Nations League group winners of groups C and D cannot be in a path with a higher league.
The path’s have a single-leg semi-final and then a final.
Euro 2024 play-off draw
Here is a bit more background explaining the play-offs:
The Euro 2024 play-offs offer one last chance for European nations to reach next summer’s major tournament in Germany. The three remaining spots will be contested by 12 teams in the play-offs in March, but how those dozen teams were decided is complicated, and contentious too.
The 2022/23 Uefa Nations League standings were used to select those 12 teams, with four each entering the play-offs from Nations Leagues A, B and C, setting up three paths to three different finals, for the chance to reach the Euros.
Why winless Iceland are in Euro 2024 play-offs and 10-point Norway are not
Iceland flunked the Nations League while Norway flew, but only one have earnt a place in the Euro 2024 play-offs as result – and it’s not Norway
Euro 2024 play-off draw
Steffen Freund is about to join Giorgio Marchetti on stage to help with the draw.
He won the trophy with Germany back in 1996.
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