Bilbao, May 21 (IANS) The UEFA Executive Committee confirmed the qualification format, after a meeting in Bilbao on Wednesday, for the 2028 European Championship which will be held across nine venues in the United Kingdom and Ireland with 24 participating teams.

As in the current 2024-26 European Qualifiers, twelve qualifying groups will be formed of four or five teams. Hosts England, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales will also participate in qualifying, drawn into separate groups.

The 12 group winners and 8 best runners-up (20 teams) will advance directly to the final tournament.

Two spots in the final tournament will be reserved for the two best ranked host nations who are not qualified as group winners or best runners-up after the completion of the qualifying group stage.

The remaining spots will be assigned via play-offs between the remaining runners-up in the qualifying groups and the best ranked 2026-27 UEFA Nations League non-qualified group winners.

Depending on the number of spots used by the host nations, the number of final tournament spots decided by play-offs may vary between two and four, in three potential scenarios.

If both reserved qualifying slots for the hosts are used then Eight teams will compete in two paths for two final tournament spots, with single-leg semi-finals and finals.

If one reserved qualifying slot for the hosts is used, then 12 teams will compete in three paths for three final tournament spots, with single-leg semi-finals and finals.

If no reserved qualifying slot for the hosts is used, then eight teams contest four home-and-away play-off ties, with the winners advancing to the final tournament.

UEFA also announced that the tournament regulations with all remaining details will be published by the end of the year.

–IANS

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