What Ireland Have To Do To Qualify ...

Last updated : 12 October 2011 By Footy Mad - Editor

SG

The four teams ranked highest in the UEFA national team coefficient ranking system will be seeded and then drawn against the non-seeds at the ceremony which takes place at 1200 BST in Krakow.

The ranking system takes into account performances in Euro 2012 qualification, the 2010 World Cup (finals and qualification) and Euro 2008 (finals and qualification), giving twice as much weight to the first two named tournaments.

The most recent rankings of the eight teams who have qualified for the play-offs are as follows:

Croatia 6
Portugal 8
Czech Republic 14
Turkey 17
Republic of Ireland 19
Bosnia-Herzegovina 20
Montenegro 30
Estonia 38

However, UEFA will publish a new list on Wednesday, taking this month's qualifying games into account, so the Irish could yet be seeded, particularly given they won both of their final qualifiers.

All the seeded teams will play the away leg first and the away-goals rule will be in force.

The first legs will take place on either November 11 or 12, with the second legs on November 15.

The finals draw itself, which takes place in Kiev at 1700 GMT on December 2, will see the 16 qualifiers placed into four pots of four.

Three of the four seeds, who will make up the first pot, are already known. Poland will be in Group A, with their co-hosts Ukraine in Group D. As defending champions, Spain will also be seeded.

The other seeded team will be the one highest in the UEFA national team coefficient ranking system. As the rankings stand, that would be the Netherlands, but as already indicated, the list will be updated before December's draw.

The remaining teams will be divided into pots using the coefficient ranking. England are currently fifth in the list so are on course to be in the second pot.

The finals get under way on June 8 next year with the final on July 1. Matches at the event will kick-off at 1700 and 1945 BST.

Tickets have been on sale for some time, but UEFA promise more will be released once December's draw has taken place. More details can be found by clicking here.

Finals qualifiers:

Hosts: Poland, Ukraine

Group winners: Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Spain

Best runner-up: Sweden

Play-off winners: Four from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Montenegro, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Turkey