Euro 2028: Will host nations get automatic qualification?

There are just two automatic qualifying slots up for grabs for the five host nations

Euro 2028 will be played across the UK and Ireland after Uefa announced the hosts following a meeting of it’s Executive Committee on Tuesday morning.

The UK and Ireland bid delegation included a presentation from the five Football Association leaders and Wales’ former captain Gareth Bales with six football youth ambassadors on hand to explain how they will support the development and diversity of the game around their local communities.

It was a formality that the UK and Ireland would be awarded the tournament after Turkey’s withdrawal left them as the only remaining bid for Euro 2028.

However, not all the host nations are guaranteed to be participating in their home tournament.

Usually, staging a major tournament means the hosts automatically qualify for the competition but with Euro 2028 being spread across an unprecedented five nations that is likely not going to be the case for this edition of the European Championship.

In its bid guidelines, Uefa says: “In case(s) of more than two joint-host associations, the automatic qualification of all the host teams cannot be guaranteed and shall be subject to a decision to be made in conjunction with decisions concerning the qualifying competition.”

Basically, as the UK and Ireland bid has more than two hosts Uefa will decide if all five should qualify automatically.

They are unlikely to offer more than the two automatic places already in place so, in theory, three of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland could miss Euro 2028 entirely.

But is there a way all five nations could still qualify? Yes.

The teams can qualify for the tournament through merit, making it through Uefa’s qualification rounds as though they were not hosting the tournament.

Gareth Soutghate and Harry Kane meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak following the confirmation that the UK and Ireland will host Euro 2028 (via REUTERS)

The English FA has already informed Uefa that they will be rejecting an automatic qualification spot for England.

Of the five nations involved in hosting Euro 2028, England are the most likely side to successfully make it through qualifying which also leaves the automatic spots open for two of the other sides.

The FA also believes playing competitive qualifying games would provide the team with better preparation for the tournament than a series of friendlies in the build-up, something which Euro 2024 hosts, Germany, are currently struggling with.

There is also talk about all five teams going through qualifying with the possibility of two ‘backstop’ qualification spots available for those who may miss out.

In that case, the highest-ranking nations who failed to qualify would go through or the two sides that come closest to qualifying.

However, this approach is said to have some reservations within Uefa about offering a ‘backdoor’ entry to nations who have failed to qualify, as well as its potential impact on the normal qualifying process.

As it stands, qualifying through merit seems to be the only guarantee of all five host nations featuring at Euro 2028 but time and compromise may lead to other avenues being explored.