Latest news with #EuropeanQualifiers
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Clinical Norway hand Italy painful 3-0 defeat
Soccer Football - World Cup - European Qualifiers - Group I - Norway v Italy - Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway - June 6, 2025 Italy fans with flares in the stands Cornelius Poppe/NTB via REUTERS Soccer Football - World Cup - European Qualifiers - Group I - Norway v Italy - Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway - June 6, 2025 Norway's Alexander Sorloth celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates Cornelius Poppe/NTB via REUTERS OSLO - Norway stunned Italy with a 3-0 win on Friday, handing the visitors a humiliating start to their World Cup qualifying campaign. In Group I, Norway lead the standings with nine points after three matches. Italy were playing their first match in the qualifying campaign. The soaking wet home crowd had reason to cheer after 14 minutes when Alexander Sorloth timed his run perfectly onto a through ball from Antonio Nusa and slotted it home from close range. Nusa lit up the night with a moment of brilliance after 34 minutes, controlling a pass with a slick first touch, bursting past two Italian defenders with a dazzling run, and drilling it in from the edge of the box. The first-half rout continued when another through ball from Martin Odegaard found an unmarked Erling Haaland, who rounded Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to score Norway's third just before the break. The continued pouring rain cooled the match down in second-half with Norway coming closest with substitute Patrick Berg sending a screamer into the post just after the hour mark, but no more goals were scored. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hans India
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
UEFA announce Euro 2028 qualifying format, to be held across nine venues in UK and Ireland
Bilbao: 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.
Belfast Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Uefa hand Euro 2028 co-hosts a safety net but Northern Ireland must qualify as normal
The Northern Ireland was originally named as a host nation for the tournament alongside England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland with games planned for Casement Park. However, the UK Government confirmed last September that the west Belfast stadium would not be rebuilt in time for the tournament, refusing to cover the funding gap required to deliver redevelopment of the derelict GAA ground. It said the risk to the public purse of missing the tournament deadline was too high. As such, Northern Ireland will not be considered hosts for tournament, meaning they will face an uphill battle to qualify for the prestigious competition. All four co-hosts nations will enter the qualification process as usual. However, Uefa have confirmed that the two best-ranked co-hosts who do not qualify through normal means, will be handed an automatic qualification spot. In other words, if England and Scotland qualify through the normal means while Wales and the Republic of Ireland do not, the Welsh and Irish will be gifted a place in the tournament. If only one team qualifies automatically, places would then be judged on Fifa rankings. Uefa will also ensure that England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland cannot meet in the qualifiers. Previously, when the tournament had co-hosts, as was the case in 2008 (Austria and Switzerland) and 2012 (Poland and Ukraine), the host nations had automatic qualification in place. But with four co-hosts for 2028, Uefa have opted for a system where all four nations will play in the qualifiers but with a safety net that all but guarantees a place in the finals. '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,' Uefa said after their Executive Committee made their decision in Bilbao today. '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.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Euro 2028 co-hosts denied automatic qualification but will have safety net
England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland will not be handed automatic qualification for the Euro 2028 finals. However, the host nations may be able to take advantage of a safety net should they not book a place at the first time of asking. Uefa's executive committee announced after its meeting in Bilbao on Wednesday as expected that the co-hosts will take part in the qualifying phase, during which 12 groups of four or five teams will battle it out to be one of the 24 which will contest the finals. The group winners and the best eight runners-up will go straight through with further spots, should they be required, reserved for the two best-ranked hosts who have not made it into that group. A statement said: "The Uefa executive committee has confirmed the qualification format for 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, 12 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 fortunes of the host nations will dictate how many of the remaining four places are up for grabs in a play-off phase involving the remaining runners-up and the best-ranked 2026/27 Nations League non-qualified group winners. If both available berths are used by host countries, eight teams would compete in two paths for the remaining two in single-leg semi-finals and finals; if only one is needed, 12 teams would fight it out in three paths on a similar basis. Should neither be required, eight teams would play four home and away ties with the winners making it through to the tournament, the schedule for which is expected to be released in the autumn of this year. England, beaten finalists in the last two editions, had asked to be part of the qualification process in order to maintain a competitive edge heading into the finals. Scotland made it to the European stage in 2020 and 2024, with Wales qualifying in 2016 and 2020 and the Republic of Ireland getting there in 2012 and 2016. Northern Ireland, who also played at Euro 2016, were initially part of the five-nation bid, but the country will not host any games after the withdrawal of Belfast's Casement Park from the list of venues. PA
Scotsman
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Scotland learn Euro 2028 qualification fate as UEFA rule on direct entry for host nations
Safety net in place but no automatic qualification Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scotland will not be handed automatic qualification for the Euro 2028 finals along with England, Wales and Republic of Ireland, UEFA has confirmed. However, the host nations may be able to take advantage of a safety net should they not book a place at the first time of asking. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The governing body's executive committee announced after its meeting in Bilbao on Wednesday as expected that the co-hosts will take part in the qualifying phase, during which 12 groups of four or five teams will battle it out to be one of the 24 which will contest the finals. Scotland, England, Wales and Republic of Ireland will host Euro 2028 as part of a joint UK venture. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images The group winners and the best eight runners-up will go straight through with further spots, should they be required, reserved for the two best-ranked hosts who have not qualified. Steve Clarke would become the first Scotland head coach to lead the nation into three major finals were he to qualify for a third successive European Championships. A UEFA statement said: 'The UEFA executive committee has confirmed the qualification format for Euro 2028, to be held across nine venues in the UK and Ireland with 24 participating teams. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'As in the current 2024-26 European Qualifiers, 12 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 fortunes of the host nations will dictate how many of the remaining four places are up for grabs in a play-off phase involving the remaining runners-up and the best-ranked 2026-27 Nations League non-qualified group winners. If both available berths are used by host countries, eight teams would compete in two paths for the remaining two in single-leg semi-finals and finals; if only one is needed, 12 teams would fight it out in three paths on a similar basis. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Should neither be required, eight teams would play four home and away ties with the winners making it through to the tournament, the schedule for which is expected to be released in the autumn of this year. Northern Irelan were initially part of the five-nation bid, but the country will not host any games after the withdrawal of Belfast's Casement Park from the list of venues.
