UEFA confirm draw pot seedings for Euro 2016
UEFA have confirmed the seedings for the Euro 2016 draw after the completion of the group stage of qualifiying. The draw will be in Paris on 12 December when the groups for the initial stage of Euro 2016 will be decided.
20 teams have been confirmed for the finals to be held in France next year, however, only 15 have been placed in their pots, the 9 vacant places will be filled after the playoffs for the 4 more teams to qualify for the tournament.
The pot seedings were determined by the standing of the teams in UEFA national team coefficient rankings. There are only 2 exceptions to this rule – France as hosts are automatically placed in Group A and Spain make it to Pot 1 irrespective of their standing in UEFA’s official rankings by virtue of being defending champions.
Also in Pot 1 are Germany, England, Portugal, and Belgium all of who also topped their respective qualifying groups. The pot only contains 5 teams becaus eFrance’s place in the groups is already decided and the draw takes the same into account.
Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Austria and Croatia all make it to Pot 2. They will be joined by another national team once the playoffs have concluded as Bosnia and Herzegovina are now among the third-placed group teams going into playoff and if they make it through, that will be their position. If they lose and Ukraine win, then the sixth spot in Pot 2 will be theirs. If both these teams fail to qualify, Czech Republic – who have already secured qualification – will occupy that spot.
None of the places in Pot 3 have been decided yet, but Iceland, Wales, Albania and Northern Ireland will surely be in Pot 4 as they are the teams with lowest UEFA ranking. 2 more slots are available in that pot and it will remain so untill the playoffs are completed.
The 5 remaining teams who have already qualified Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the best third-placed team among the 9 groups - Turkey will have to wait for the other 4 teams to be confirmed before they take their places in their respective pots.
The playoffs
The teams that go into playoffs are Denmark, the Republic of Ireland, Norway and Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Sweden and Hungary. Turkey qualified as previously mentioned by being deemed the best third placed team of the 9 groups.
The 8 teams will be divided into 2 groups, a mix of seeded and unseeded teams. The seeded sides are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Sweden and Hungary and the unseeded ones are Denmark, the Republic of Ireland, Norway and Slovenia. The draw for the playoffs will be held on Sunday, October 18. The games will then be played between 12-17 November 2015.