How were the UEFA EURO playoff teams decided?

Twelve teams have qualified for the UEFA EURO 2024 playoffs, and they battle it out for the final three spots for the final tournament in the summer. 

How do teams qualify for the UEFA EURO playoffs?

The qualification for the playoffs are a bit complicated. The first Path that is filled is Path C where there are no draws and just automatic allocations. 

This route sees the three League C group winners and the runner-up qualify. Georgia, Greece, and Kazakhstan were the winners, while Luxembourg made it through as the runner-up.

Georgia and Greece were determined as the home sides, with Luxembourg taking on the former and Kazakhstan facing the latter this week.

Path B saw the two League B group winners and two of the three League B group runners-up entering the draw. Israel and Bosnia and Herzegovina were the winners in 2023, with Finland, Ukraine, and Iceland.

The winners were handed home draws in playoffs, with a draw determining who faces whom—one of the three runners-up moving to Path A to take on Wales in the semifinal.

Also Read: UEFA Euro 2024: Teams who have qualified

As per the UEFA website, the draw was decided with the following rules:

A first ball was drawn

– If the team drawn first was Finland, the team would be allocated to Semifinal 2.

– If the team drawn first was Iceland, the team would be allocated to Semifinal 1.

– If the team drawn first was Ukraine, no allocation to the semifinal 1 or 2 could be made until the second ball had been drawn.

Also Read: When and Where to Watch Euro 2024 Playoffs

A second ball was drawn

– If the team drawn second was Finland, the team would be allocated to Semifinal 2.

– If the team drawn second was Iceland, the team would be allocated to Semifinal 1.

– If the team drawn second was Ukraine, the team would be allocated to Semifinal 1 in the event that the first team drawn was Finland or to Semifinal 2 in the event that the first team drawn was Iceland.

Path A was the final route to decide the playoff semifinals, with two from League A, the 2nd best from League D, and the final team from Path B.

Poland and Wales, who made it from League A were handed home draws in the playoff semifinals, with Estonia, who won their group in League D, drawing the former. Finland were the final team in Path A and they take on the latter.

EURO 2024 playoff draw

Semifinals – Path A: Poland vs Estonia, Wales vs Finland

Semifinals – Path B: Israel vs Iceland, Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Ukraine

Semifinals – Path C: Georgia vs Luxembourg, Greece vs Kazakhstan

Final – Path A: Wales/Finland vs Poland/Estonia

Final – Path B: Bosnia-Herzegovina/Ukraine vs Israel/ Iceland

Final – Path C: Georgia/Luxembourg vs Greece/Kazakhstan