Wales will have to qualify for Euro 2028

Euro 2028 will be held in England, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

But all four nations will still enter the qualifying campaign.

The two top ranked teams from the four host nations who do not finish as group winners or one of the eight best runners up will then be given an automatic spot in the finals.

Full details:



The UEFA Executive Committee met today in Bilbao ahead of the UEFA Europa League Final and took the following decisions:

UEFA EURO 2028 – Qualification system

The UEFA Executive Committee has confirmed the qualification format for UEFA EURO 2028, to be held across nine venues in the UK 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 EURO 2028 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 one of the three following scenarios:

• Both reserved qualifying slots for the hosts used: Eight teams compete in two paths for two final tournament spots, with single-leg semi-finals and finals.

• One reserved qualifying slot for the hosts used: Twelve teams compete in three paths for three final tournament spots, with single-leg semi-finals and finals.

• No reserved qualifying slot for the hosts used: Eight teams contest four home-and-away play-off ties, with the winners advancing to the final tournament.

The tournament schedule is expected to be released in autumn 2025. The tournament regulations with all remaining details will be published by the end of the year.

Fair enough.

Will feel odd supporting England, Scotland & N.Ireland if we are doing poorly.

Fair enough.

Will feel odd supporting England, Scotland & N.Ireland if we are doing poorly.

N. Ireland aren't in contention for a host spot but ROI are. England will qualify so we need either of Scotland or ROI to qualify or for us to be above them in the UEFA rankings at completion of the 26 27 nations league. If we stay in league A or one of them get relegate then we'll have done down it. I think we'll probably be ok.

Very good chance we will qualify then.

England will almost certainly qualify as winners or best runners up. That means not to qualify
(a) we don't finish as group winners or best runners up and
(b) Scotland and Republic don't either and
(c) We are the lowest rated of the other two.

Very good chance we will qualify then.

England will almost certainly qualify as winners or best runners up. That means not to qualify
(a) we don't finish as group winners or best runners up and
(b) Scotland and Republic don't either and
(c) We are the lowest rated of the other two.

That sums it up perfectly.

Very good chance we will qualify then.

England will almost certainly qualify as winners or best runners up. That means not to qualify
(a) we don't finish as group winners or best runners up and
(b) Scotland and Republic don't either and
(c) We are the lowest rated of the other two.

That sums it up perfectly.

If the ratings are based on the League of Nations we presumably will know our position before or at least very soon after the Euros qualification starts. It gets even better

so basically as we are currently 2nd best ranked out of the home nations we would qualify if we fail to be top 2?

Fair enough.

Will feel odd supporting England, Scotland & N.Ireland if we are doing poorly.

N. Ireland aren't in contention for a host spot but ROI are. England will qualify so we need either of Scotland or ROI to qualify or for us to be above them in the UEFA rankings at completion of the 26 27 nations league. If we stay in league A or one of them get relegate then we'll have done down it. I think we'll probably be ok.

I make this mistake all the time. Find it odd that N Ireland are a Home Nation but not involved, while ROI is a different country altogether yet is involved.

I think UEFA have done well here, doing all they can to make sure all four can play at the tournament it seems.

They couldn't give four places automatically because other countries would have complained.

I'll be amazed if England don't qualify anyway.

That will massively help us. But hopefully we'll do enough in qualifying to get there anyway.

Better for the tournament if all four nations are there.

Just noticed that Everton's new stadium is hosting games.

Wanted to go there since I saw the pictures of it, looks incredible.

Euro 2028 could be the first chance to go there because can't see us being in the same league as them before then.

If we qualify, hopefully we get a match there.

Talk today that the opening game might be in Cardiff ???

We will have to be really bad not to qualify?

We will have to be really bad not to qualify?

Even better. Assuming England qualify automatically, if either Scotland or Republic of Ireland qualify automatically it wont matter if we lose every game between now and 2028. We will still qualify!!Or at least that's the way i read it.

Talk today that the opening game might be in Cardiff ???

This seems to have gone under the radar.

The new WRU chief was talking about the stadium redevelopment a few days ago and said that the Principality will host the Euro 2028 opening ceremony.