Euro 2025 Qualifying: Full draw revealed and new format explained | OneFootball

Hey, Siri, define ‘Group of Death’. The draw for Euro 2025 qualifying has taken place, and it hasn’t been overly kind to England.

Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses have been handed a tough group in their quest to defend their European crown in Switzerland next summer. England, who previously lifted the trophy on home soil in 2022, have been drawn into Group A3 along with France, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.

Three of the four Euro 2022 semi-finalists and three of the top five FIFA ranked sides. Some prospect.

The other home nations also learned their fate in this new-look qualifying format, which is based on teams’ performances in the recently concluded Nations League.

Let’s take a closer look at the groups following this week’s qualifying draw.

UEFA Euro 2025 qualifiers explained

Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are all in League B. Group B2 contains Scotland, along with Serbia, Slovakia, and Israel.

Northern Ireland, looking to qualify for a second Euros, have been placed in Group B3 with Portugal, Bosnia Herzegovina, and Malta.

Wales, who are still searching for a maiden qualification to a major tournament, will have Croatia, Ukraine, and Kosovo to contend with in Group B4.

The new qualifying format will see the top two teams in each League A group qualify directly for next summer’s finals. The teams in third and fourth will then go into the play-offs. In League B, the top three sides will qualify for the play-offs. However, no side will qualify automatically.

Embed from Getty Images

If hosts Switzerland — who have been drawn into Group B1 alongside Hungary, Turkey, and Azerbaijan — finish in a top three spot, their play-off spot will go to the team in fourth with the best record.

The teams in League C have been split into five groups. The top team in each group will then advance to the play-offs, along with the three best ranked runners-up.

The play-offs

In the first round of the play-offs, the eight teams from League A will face the eight teams from League C. With the League B sides, the six higher ranked teams will be drawn against the six lower ranked teams. The 14 winners from those ties will then advance to the next round.

The winners of the matches involving the seven highest ranking League A teams will be seeded and then drawn against the remaining seven first round winners. Those seven winners will join the eight automatic qualifiers, and Switzerland, in the finals next summer.

As Marge Simpson’s art teacher once said: “It’s just that easy!”

Embed from Getty Images

The draw in full

Take a look at the groups in full following the Euro 2025 qualifying draw.

League A

Reigning champions England will face a tough group while the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Germany and others compete elsewhere in League A.

League B

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are in League B, joined by hosts Switzerland.

League C

The likes of Greece, Kazakhstan and the Faroe Islands will battle it out in their respective League C groups.

MORE from Her Football Hub: