UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
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This page describes the qualification procedure for the 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, also called Euro 2008.
Seedings
Qualification coefficients were used to rank the teams according to their results in the 2004 European Championships qualifying stage, and the 2006 World Cup qualifying stage. Only the group matches, and not any additional playoffs, count towards the coefficients, also determining which pot a national team is put in. Some points to note:
- Greece are European Champions, and so are automatically seeded in the top pool.
- Portugal did not have to qualify for Euro 2004 as the hosts.
- Germany did not have to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2006, as the hosts. Their record from the qualifying stage of the 2002 World Cup is used instead.
- Kazakhstan have never competed in the European Championships, so only their World Cup record is used. The team's last continental qualifying was for the 2000 Asian Cup. Its record in that competition (P4,Pts6) is not used.
The draw took place on 27 January, 2006 in Montreux, Switzerland and the draw procedure is explained here.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot 5 | Pot 6 | Pot 7 | |
Tie-Breakers
If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following criteria are applied to determine the rankings.
- Higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question.
- Superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question.
- Higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question.
- Higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question.
- If, after applying criteria 1) to 4) to several teams, two or more teams still have an equal ranking, the criteria 1) to 4) will be reapplied to determine the ranking of these teams. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria 6) and 7) will apply.
- Results of all group matches: 1. Superior goal difference 2. Higher number of goals scored 3. Higher number of goals scored away from home 4. Fair play conduct.
- Drawing of lots.
Groups
The qualifying process started in August 2006. Austria and Switzerland have already qualified for the tournament finals as host nations.
The Qualifying Format has been changed compared to the previous tournament. The winners and runners-up from seven groups will automatically qualify for the Championship, with the hosts filling the other two slots in the 16-team tournament. The move means there will no longer be play-offs between teams finishing in second place in the groups. Six of the qualifying groups will contain seven teams, and the other eight.
As the official successor of the previous football association, Serbia will inherit the position originally allotted to Serbia and Montenegro in Group A prior to the disolution of the state union. Montenegro is currently applying for membership to UEFA and will not participate in Euro 2008.
Please see discussion of UEFA's head-to-head rules, and understand the Tie-Breakers section, above, before editing tables below, to avoid errors.
Group A
Match summaries
Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Anderlecht Attendance: 15,495 Referee: Courtney (Northern Ireland)
Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade Attendance: 0[1] Referee: Kircher (Germany)
Stadion Zawiszy Bydgoszcz im. Zdzisława Krzyszkowiaka, Bydgoszcz Attendance: 17,000 Referee: Duhamel (France)
Tofik Bakhramov Stadium, Baku Attendance: 18,000 Referee: Szabo (Hungary)
Hrazdan Stadium, Yerevan Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Lehner (Austria)
Olympic Stadium, Helsinki Attendance: 38,015 Referee: Plautz (Austria)
Stadion Wojska Polskiego, Warsaw Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Poll (England)
Almaty Central Stadium, Almaty Attendance: 18,000 Referee: Trivkovic (Croatia)
Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade Attendance: 35,000 Referee: Messina (Italy)
FixturesGroup A fixtures were negotiated at a meeting between the participants on 10 February 2006.
Group B
Match summaries
Svangaskard Stadium, Toftir Attendance: 2,114 Referee: Ross (Northern Ireland)
Celtic Park, Glasgow Attendance: 50,059 Referee: Egorov (Russia)
Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi Attendance: 65,000 Referee: Wegereef (Netherlands)
Stadio San Paolo, Naples Attendance: 60,000 Referee: Hansson (Sweden)
Olympic Stadium, Kiev Attendance: to come Referee: Jara (Czech Republic)
S.Dariaus ir S.Girėno Stadium, Kaunas Attendance: 6,500 Referee: Hrinak (Slovakia)
Stade de France, Saint-Denis Attendance: 78,800 Referee: Fandel (Germany)
Tórsvøllur Stadium, Tórshavn Attendance: 1,982 Referee: Buttimer (Ireland)
Hampden Park, Glasgow Attendance: 52,500 Referee: Busacca (Switzerland)
Stadio Olimpico, Rome Attendance: 49,149 Referee: Vassaras (Greece) FixturesGroup B fixtures were decided with a random draw conducted on Thursday March 92006, because fixtures could not be agreed between delegates. Ukraine were unhappy with what they saw as an unfair fixtures advantage given to France and Italy by the other countries.[citation needed]
Group C
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