Euro 2028: All you need to know

Usually the hosts or co-hosts of a European Championship qualify automatically (excluding Euro 2020, which was held across Europe).

But no tournament, bar Euro 2020, has been held in more than two countries – and it is thought Uefa would not give out more automatic spots than two. The British and Irish FAs are still waiting for a ruling.

It is possible that all five nations – England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland – go through qualifying as normal, with a safety net for two teams if they miss out.

Qualifying has a new format, with smaller groups and more of them.

There will be 12 groups of four or five teams, running from March to November 2027.

Group winners will qualify automatically, with runners-up going through automatically or facing play-off matches with teams who qualify via the Uefa Nations League.

Euro 2028 itself will have the same format as 2016, 2020 and 2024.