UEFA has approved a revised qualification system for the 2028 European Championship. The key change is the removal of automatic qualification for the host nations. UEFA stated that the new approach aims to ensure competitive integrity and fairness in the qualification process, reports the Baltimore Chronicle.
The tournament is scheduled to be hosted by five nations: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. Unlike previous editions, where host countries were guaranteed places in the final tournament, all five teams will now be required to qualify through the regular process alongside other national teams.
However, UEFA has reserved the right to allocate up to two places in the final tournament to host nations that fail to qualify, based on rankings and other criteria. These decisions will be made separately and will not be automatic.
The overall qualification format will remain largely unchanged, with 53 national teams competing for 23 spots in the final stage. One additional place will go to either a host nation or a team selected by UEFA under the updated regulations. As before, the final tournament will feature 24 teams in total.
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