Article 18 Group formation – final tournament group stage - EURO

18.01

The following 24 teams participate in the final tournament:

1. The 20 teams that qualify directly via the qualifying group stage

2. Up to 2 host association teams that do not qualify via the qualifying group stage (see Paragraph 14.04)

3. Between 2 and 4 teams that qualify via the play-offs (see Paragraph 16.01)

18.02

A draw is conducted to divide the 24 teams into six groups of four, as shown below.

Group positions, used for scheduling purposes, are unrelated to the pots the teams are drawn from and are assigned by the draw, with the following exceptions:

1. If qualified at the time of the final draw, a designated position is reserved for the host teams of Wales (A1), England (B1), Republic of Ireland (E1) and Scotland (F1), as well as for Northern Ireland (D1). If a play-off path or tie contains one or more of these five teams, the relevant placeholder(s) will be assigned to the corresponding group(s), but not to position 1.

2. A pot 1 team will be drawn into Position C1 and into any other position 1 not filled by a host team or Northern Ireland.

18.03

The following principles and conditions apply to the final tournament draw:

1. Teams are seeded according to the overall European Qualifiers rankings (see Article 23), with the following exceptions:

   1. If England has qualified for the final tournament at the time of the draw, it will be allocated to pot 1, irrespective of its position in the overall European Qualifiers rankings.

   2. If neither the Republic of Ireland, Scotland or Wales is allocated to pot 1 based on the overall European Qualifiers rankings, a position in pot 1 will be given to the highest-ranking of the three.

2. The teams that qualify via the play-offs are represented by placeholders and allocated to pot 4.

Additional principles and conditions may apply, subject to approval by the UEFA Executive Committee.