UEFA Euro 2016 playoff draw: Sweden draw Denmark, Ukraine draw Slovenia

UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino explains the rules for the UEFA Euro 2016 playoff draw

The UEFA Euro 2016 playoff draw was held in Nyon, Switzerland, today to decide who will play each other among the final eight teams vying for the final four spots in the tournament in France next year. The eight teams qualified after finishing third in their group as the first two teams qualify automatically as does the best third-placed team.

As a result, Turkey had qualified automatically after they finished ahead of Netherlands on 18 points in Group A. Although teams had more points than Turkey, points from matches against sixth-placed teams were not counted as Group I had only five teams. Turkey hence qualified with 16 points.

Thus, the other third-placed teams were Hungary (Group F – 15 points), Ukraine (Group C – 13 points), Norway (Group H – 13 points), Denmark (Group I – 12 points), Sweden (Group G – 12 points), Republic of Ireland (Group D – 12 points), Bosnia & Herzegovina (Group B – 11 points) and Slovenia (Group E – 10 points).

The seeded teams for the draw were Bosnia & Herzegovina, Ukraine, Sweden and Hungary. The unseeded teams were Denmark, Republic of Ireland, Norway and Slovenia. The seeds are decided based on their UEFA coefficient rankings.

UEFA Euro 2016 playoff draw

First leg at home		First leg away
Ukraine	vs	Slovenia
Sweden	vs	Denmark
Bosnia & Herzegovina	vs	Republic of Ireland
Norway	vs	Hungary

The first legs of the playoffs will take place on dates 12-14 November while the return legs will take place between 15-17 November 2015.

Once the final 24 teams are decided, they will be drawn into six groups with four teams in a group. The top two teams from each group qualify for the knockout stages (Round of 16) along with the four best third-placed teams also advancing.

20 teams have already qualified, namely; France (hosts), Spain, Germany, England, Portugal, Belgium (all Pot 1), Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia (all Pot 2), Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Turkey (Pots to be decided), Iceland, Wales, Albania and Northern Ireland (all Pot 4)

Facts

• Ukraine have played Slovenia four times and have never beaten them (drawn twice and lost twice). Slovenia had beaten them once before in a Euro 2000 playoff as well.
• Bosnia have played Republic of Ireland just once before in a friendly match with the Irish side coming out victors.
• Hungary and Norway have a history of playing each other numerous times. The Scandinavian side have won five of the last 16 matches between the two with Hungary winning six. But the last time Hungary beat Norway was in 1981 and have not won the last nine matches.