Euro 2016: England avoid Spain, Germany, Italy and Netherlands after being confirmed among qualifying seeds

Roy Hodgson's side cannot play Portugal, Greece, Russia and Bosnia-Herzegovina either

Spain captain Iker Casillas lifts the Euro 2012 trophy (GETTY IMAGES)

England will be among the top seeds for the draw for the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, UEFA has announced.

It means England will be sure of avoiding the other eight top seeds Spain, Germany, Italy, Holland, Portugal, Greece, Russia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

There will be eight groups of six teams and a ninth group of five teams with 23 sides to join hosts France in the final tournament.

The seedings, decided by UEFA's coefficient system which is different to FIFA's world ranking, will see the Republic of Ireland among the pot of second seeds, Scotland and Wales in the pot of the fourth seeds, and Northern Ireland in the pot of fifth seeds.

The draw will take place in Nice on February 23.

PA