The UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying draw took place at the Palais des Congrès Acroprolis, Nice moments ago.
A total of record 53 national teams will compete in the qualifiers for the continental championship to be hosted by France.
Presented by UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino and former EURO winners Ruud Gullit and Bixente Lizarazu, the draw was carried out by 13 goalkeeping greats, including ex-French international and UEFA EURO 2000 champion Fabien Barthez, who brought the Henri Delaunay Cup on stage inside the convention centre.
The qualifiers will kick-off in September 2014.
Meanwhile, UEFA have decided to hand France a “wild card” in the qualifiers as host nations regularly struggle to arrange friendly matches. France will face the teams from Group I on qualifying matchdays, while the matches involving the Les Bleus won’t count towards qualification.
UEFA EURO 2016 | QUALIFYING GROUPS
Group A
Netherlands, Turkey, Iceland, Czech Republic, Latvia, Kazakhstan
Group B
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel, Cyprus, Belgium, Wales, Andorra
Group C
Spain, Slovakia, FYR Macedonia, Ukraine, Belarus, Luxembourg
Group D
Germany, Poland, Georgia, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Gibraltar
Group E
England, Slovenia, Lithuania, Switzerland, Estonia, San Marino
Group F
Greece, Romania, Northern Ireland, Hungary, Finland, Faroe Islands
Group G
Russia, Austria, Moldova, Sweden, Montenegro, Liechtenstein
Group H
Italy, Norway, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Bulgaria, Malta
Group I
Portugal, Serbia, Albania, Denmark, Armenia