International football newboys Gibraltar were handed a dream draw in the Euro 2016 qualifiers on Sunday, as the continent's leading sides avoided any stern tests. Tiny Gibraltar, who played their first official friendly after being accepted as a UEFA member in November last year, were drawn in Group D in their first major competition.
There they will take on the might of Germany, who will be bidding to qualify for a 12th consecutive European Championship finals. The British Overseas Territory were also drawn with Scotland, as well as the Republic of Ireland, Gerogia and Poland in what looks set to be an unforgiving section, but elsewhere Europe's leading powers were largely spared.
Group A:
Netherlands
Czech Republic
Turkey
Latvia
Iceland
Kazakhstan
Group B:
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Belgium
Israel
Wales
Cyprus
Andorra
Group C:
Spain
Ukraine
Slovakia
Belarus
Macedonia
Luxembourg
Group D:
Germany
Ireland
Poland
Scotland
Georgia
Gibraltar
Group E:
England
Switzerland
Slovenia
Estonia
Lithuania
San Marino
Group F:
Greece
Hungary
Romania
Finland
Northern Ireland
Faroe Islands
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International football newboys Gibraltar were handed a dream draw in the Euro 2016 qualifiers on Sunday, as the continent's leading sides avoided any stern tests. Tiny Gibraltar, who played their first official friendly after being accepted as a UEFA member in November last year, were drawn in Group D in their first major competition.
There they will take on the might of Germany, who will be bidding to qualify for a 12th consecutive European Championship finals. The British Overseas Territory were also drawn with Scotland, as well as the Republic of Ireland, Gerogia and Poland in what looks set to be an unforgiving section, but elsewhere Europe's leading powers were largely spared.
Group A:
Netherlands
Czech Republic
Turkey
Latvia
Iceland
Kazakhstan
Group B:
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Belgium
Israel
Wales
Cyprus
Andorra
Group C:
Spain
Ukraine
Slovakia
Belarus
Macedonia
Luxembourg
Group D:
Germany
Ireland
Poland
Scotland
Georgia
Gibraltar
Group E:
England
Switzerland
Slovenia
Estonia
Lithuania
San Marino
Group F:
Greece
Hungary
Romania
Finland
Northern Ireland
Faroe Islands
Group G:
Russia
Sweden
Austria
Montenegro
Moldova
Liechtenstein
Group H:
Italy
Croatia
Norway
Bulgaria
Azerbaijan
Malta
Group I:
Portugal
Denmark
Serbia
Armenia
Albania
(Hosts France, already qualified, will complete the group but their results will not count)
Euro 2016, which will be held in France, will see 24 nations advance to the finals for the first time in the history of the European Championship. Only eight nations participated in the finals when France last hosted the competition in 1984, before the number of finalists was increased to 16 in 1996. The decision to increase the number of finalists has been criticised by many who believe the quality of football on offer come the tournament itself will be diluted as a result.
However, the format means it seems almost certain that all Europe's leading nations will be there along with the French, who qualify automatically as hosts. The top two teams in each of the nine groups will advance to the finals along with the best third-placed side, while the remaining third-placed nations will play off for four more berths.
There are eight groups of six teams as well as one - Group I - that contains five nations. However, France are also allocated to that group and will play friendly matches against those teams, for which no points will be awarded.
The first qualifiers will be played on September 7 and the campaign will see matches spread over six days, from Thursday to Tuesday, during every international break in a format that UEFA have championed as the 'Week of Football'. The finals themselves will run from June 10 to July 10, 2016.
