Euro 2020 playoffs draw: Scotland faces Israel, Ireland set for Slovakia trek
The draw for the Euro 2020 playoffs was confirmed Friday at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, with Scotland's visit from Israel and Ireland's trip to Slovakia among eight semifinal clashes.
Sixteen nations that failed to qualify for next summer's quadrennial tournament via group play have been sorted into four quartets (Path A - Path D) based on their respective performances in the 2018-19 Nations League.
Eight one-off semifinals scheduled for March 26 will determine group finalists, with one of the four remaining spots for the 24-team field on the line.
Here's a look at the scheduled fixtures for the four groups:
Path A
| TEAM (Home) | FIXTURE | TEAM (Away) |
|---|---|---|
| Iceland | March 26 (SF1) | Romania |
| Bulgaria | March 26 (SF2) | Hungary |
| Winner (SF2) | March 31 | Winner (SF1) |
Euro 2016 debutant and shock quarterfinalist Iceland highlight this quartet after finishing third in Group H behind tournament favorites France and a defensively stingy Turkey. Romania (29th) is the highest-ranked of the 16 nations in the playoff draw.
Path B
| TEAM (Home) | FIXTURE | TEAM (Away) |
|---|---|---|
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | March 26 (SF1) | Northern Ireland |
| Slovakia | March 26 (SF2) | Republic of Ireland |
| Winner (SF1) | March 31 | Winner (SF2) |
A mouthwatering tie between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in Belfast is in play. Slovakia (31st) is the second-highest-ranked of the nations in these playoffs.
Path C
| TEAM (Home) | FIXTURE | TEAM (Away) |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | March 26 (SF1) | Israel |
| Norway | March 26 (SF2) | Serbia |
| Winner (SF2) | March 31 | Winner (SF1) |
There will be no shortage of narratives when Israel pays a visit to Hampden Park in Glasgow to face Scotland. The Scots haven't competed at the European Championship since 1996, a stretch of five successive qualifying failures. None of these four teams featured at Euro 2016.
Path D
| TEAM (Home) | FIXTURE | TEAM (Away) |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | March 26 (SF1) | Belarus |
| North Macedonia | March 26 (SF2) | Kosovo |
| Winner (SF1) | March 31 | Winner (SF2) |
The weakest of the groups, none of these four nations have qualified for a major tournament. A match between Balkan neighbors North Macedonia and Kosovo will be rife with political and sporting storylines.
Euro 2020, which will be hosted in 12 countries for the first time in the tournament's history, kicks off on June 12.