All matches in the qualifying competition are played in the form of mini-tournaments of three or four teams hosted by one of the participating associations.
The number of mini-tournaments to be staged depends on the number of entries.
Each team plays each of the other teams in the group once, with three points awarded for a win, one for a draw and none for a defeat.
If a preliminary round is held, all the group winners qualify for the main round, together with one or several runners-up depending on the number of entries.
The main round mini-tournament winners and, if required, the best runners-up qualify for the final tournament.