The play-offs of the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying tournament will decide the last three teams that will qualify for the UEFA Euro 2024 final tournament in Germany.[1] The twelve participants of the play-offs were selected based on their performance in the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League. The teams were divided into three paths, each containing four teams, with each play-off path featuring two single-leg semi-finals, and one single-leg final. The three play-off path winners will join hosts Germany and the twenty other teams already qualified for UEFA Euro 2024.[2]
The twelve teams were selected based on their performance in the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League.[3] These teams were divided into three paths, each containing four teams, with one team from each path qualifying for the final tournament.[1][4]
The format is similar to that of the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying play-offs. However, given there is one fewer qualifying spot available (as no host qualified automatically for Euro 2020), and the UEFA Nations League was restructured from the 2018–19 season, the play-offs now feature only three paths, with the now-downsized League D no longer given its own path.
Based on the Nations League rankings, the twelve selected teams were chosen as follows, starting with League C and working up to League A:[1]
The twelve selected teams were then allocated to paths of four teams each. The draw to allocate teams to the different paths was subject to the following general conditions:[1]
With these conditions, the general draw procedure was as follows, starting with League C and working up to League A:[5]
Each play-off path will feature two single-leg semi-finals, and one single-leg final, taking place in March 2024. In the semi-finals of each path, based on the Nations League rankings, the best-ranked team will host the fourth-ranked team, and the second-ranked team will host the third-ranked team. The host of each final was decided by a draw between the two semi-final pairings.
The play-offs are played in single-leg knockout matches. If scores are level at the end of normal time, 30 minutes of extra time is played, followed by a penalty shoot-out if the scores remain tied.[1]
The team selection process, using a set of criteria, determined the twelve teams that will compete in the play-offs based on the Nations League overall rankings.[6]
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Key
The qualifying play-off draw took place on 23 November 2023, 12:00 CET, at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.[7][8][9] The draw followed the path formation rules to determine the paths in which the non-group winners will participate. Three separate draws determining the host of the play-off final of each path also took place between the winners of the semi-final pairings (identified as semi-final 1 for seed 1 v 4, and semi-final 2 for seed 2 v 3).[10]
Due to the specificity of the draw, the exact procedure could only be finalised following the conclusion of the qualifying group stage.[11] No restrictions were applied to the draw, as none of the clashes prohibited by UEFA for political reasons could occur.[note 1] Based on the twelve teams that advanced to the play-offs, the three play-off paths were formed following the path formation rules, starting with League C and working up to League A:[4][12]
The following three non-group winners from League B (ordered by Nations League ranking) took part in the draw, with two being drawn into Path B, while the remaining team was allocated to Path A:
The two teams drawn into Path B occupied positions B3 and B4, following their Nations League ranking, while the team drawn into Path A occupied position A3.
The following is the composition of the play-off paths:
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The following semi-final winners were drawn to host the play-off final:
The semi-finals will take place on 21 March, while the final matches will take place five days later on 26 March 2024.[4] The losing semi-finalists in each path will still compete in an international friendly on the day of the final, hosted by the team that was drawn to hold the play-off final.[13]
Times are CET (UTC+1), as listed by UEFA (local times are in parentheses).[14]
The winner of Path A will enter Group D in the final tournament.
Semi-finals | Final | |||||
21 March 2024 – Cardiff | ||||||
Wales | ||||||
26 March 2024 – Cardiff or Helsinki | ||||||
Finland | ||||||
Wales or Finland | ||||||
21 March 2024 – Warsaw | ||||||
Poland or Estonia | ||||||
Poland | ||||||
Estonia | ||||||
Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
---|---|---|
Semi-finals | ||
Poland | 21 Mar | Estonia |
Wales | 21 Mar | Finland |
Final | ||
Wales or Finland | 26 Mar | Poland or Estonia |
The winner of Path B will enter Group E in the final tournament.
Semi-finals | Final | |||||
21 March 2024 – Zenica | ||||||
Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||||||
26 March 2024 – Sarajevo or Wrocław | ||||||
Ukraine | ||||||
Bosnia and Herzegovina or Ukraine | ||||||
21 March 2024 – Budapest | ||||||
Israel or Iceland | ||||||
Israel | ||||||
Iceland | ||||||
Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
---|---|---|
Semi-finals | ||
Israel | 21 Mar | Iceland |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 21 Mar | Ukraine |
Final | ||
Bosnia and Herzegovina or Ukraine | 26 Mar | Israel or Iceland |
Bosnia and Herzegovina or Ukraine | v | Israel or Iceland |
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Report |
The winner of Path C will enter Group F in the final tournament.
Semi-finals | Final | |||||
21 March 2024 – Tbilisi | ||||||
Georgia | ||||||
26 March 2024 – Tbilisi or Luxembourg City | ||||||
Luxembourg | ||||||
Georgia or Luxembourg | ||||||
21 March 2024 – Athens | ||||||
Greece or Kazakhstan | ||||||
Greece | ||||||
Kazakhstan | ||||||
Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
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Semi-finals | ||
Georgia | 21 Mar | Luxembourg |
Greece | 21 Mar | Kazakhstan |
Final | ||
Georgia or Luxembourg | 26 Mar | Greece or Kazakhstan |
A player is automatically suspended for the next match for the following offences:[1]
Cautions that did not result in a suspension expired on completion of the qualifying group stage, and are not carried forward to the play-offs.[1]
The following suspensions will be served during the qualifying play-offs:
Team | Player | Offence(s) | Suspended for match(es) |
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Bosnia and Herzegovina | Renato Gojković | in Group J vs Slovakia (19 November 2023) | Semi-finals vs Ukraine (21 March 2024) |
Georgia | Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | in Group A vs Spain (8 September 2023) in Group A vs Scotland (16 November 2023) in Group A vs Spain (19 November 2023) |
Semi-finals vs Luxembourg (21 March 2024) |
Kazakhstan | Nuraly Alip | in Group H vs Northern Ireland (19 June 2023) in Group H vs Denmark (14 October 2023) in Group H vs Slovenia (20 November 2023) |
Semi-finals vs Greece (21 March 2024) |
Luxembourg | Danel Sinani | in Group J vs Liechtenstein (19 November 2023) | Semi-finals vs Georgia (21 March 2024) |