What’s the story with Euro 2028 qualifying then?
Ireland will not be guaranteed a place at the 2028 European Championships, despite being a host nation, but the odds are still in our favour with Uefa holding spots for the two highest-ranked of the four co-hosts – England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland – who don’t qualify automatically. Northern Ireland are no longer considered a host nation.
I thought we were guaranteed after Casement did not get over the line?
So it had seemed, but the decision taken by the Uefa Executive Committee which met in Bilbao ahead of the Europa League final means that Ireland must earn their qualification, although it is still a much more achievable than for most European Championships. In fact, there are five possible ways to qualify for the tournament, some which rely entirely on other teams.
Do we still have qualification groups as normal?
Yes, along with their other co-hosts, Ireland will be drawn into separate groups, with 12 group winners and eight best runners-up, a total of 20 teams, advancing directly to the final tournament. Top your group, or get lots of points finishing second, and that’s two ways to qualify without relying on other factors.
And if Ireland don’t qualify that way?
It would be time to look around at the other groups and cheer on Scott McTominay and Brennan Johnson. It is expected England should qualify automatically, as they have done for nine of the last 10 tournaments. Then if Scotland and/or Wales qualify from their groups, Ireland could finish fifth in their group and still qualify. Happy days.
What if Scotland and Wales don’t qualify?
If they don’t qualify, then from Ireland’s perspective, let them crash and burn. Sport is fickle that way, sorry Scott. Ireland are currently the lowest ranked of the four host countries at 60th in the Fifa world rankings, with England fourth, Wales 29th and Scotland 44th. If Ireland, Wales and Scotland fail to qualify, but for example, Ireland put in a good campaign and improve their ranking, while Wales or Scotland lose all their games and plummet down the rankings, Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men could sneak in that way.
Any more ways we can qualify?
Yes, the ill-fated Nations League, of course. If not in the best eight runners-up, then the remaining runners-up in the qualifying groups will go into the playoffs to face the best ranked 2026-27 Nations League non-qualified group winners. Ireland will be in League B for that, after they overcame Bulgaria in March in their promotion/relegation playoff. The first game of that Nations League season starts in September 2026.
The stipulations for the playoffs are as follows:
- Two co-hosts qualify automatically: Eight teams compete in two paths for two final tournament spots, with single-leg semi-finals and finals.
- One co-host qualifies automatically: Twelve teams compete in three paths for three final tournament spots, with single-leg semi-finals and finals.
- No co-host qualifies automatically: Eight teams contest four home-and-away play-off ties, with the winners advancing to the final tournament.
Where and when will the tournament take place in Ireland?
Dublin’s Aviva Stadium is set to host four group games and two knock-out games, including a quarter-final as it stands, but will likely absorb one of the matches scheduled for Casement Park also. It will take place between June 9th and July 9th in 2028.
