| 2008 European Championship (qualifying) |
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SEEDINGS ''Qualification coefficients'' were used to rank the teams according to their results in the 2004 European Championships Qualifying Stage , and the 2006 World Cup Qualifying Stage . Only the group matches, and not any additional playoffs, count towards the coefficients, also determining which pot a national team is put in. Some points to note:
The draw took place on 27 January , 2006 in Montreux , Switzerland and the draw procedure is explained here . TIE-BREAKERS If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following criteria are applied to determine the rankings. # Higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question. # Superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question. # Higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question. # Higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question. # If, after applying criteria a) to d) to several teams, two or more teams still have an equal ranking, the criteria a) to d) will be reapplied to determine the ranking of these teams. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria f) and g) will apply. # Results of all group matches: 1. Superior goal difference 2. Higher number of goals scored 3. Higher number of goals scored away from home 4. Fair play conduct. # Drawing of lots. GROUPS The qualifying process would start in September 2006, which is a couple of months after the 2006 World Cup . Austria and Switzerland have already qualified for the tournament finals as host nations. The Qualifying Format has been changed compared to the previous tournament. The winners and runners-up from seven groups will automatically qualify for the Championship, with the hosts filling the other two slots in the 16-team tournament. The move means there will no longer be play-offs between teams finishing in second place in the groups. Six of the qualifying groups will contain seven teams, and the other eight. Group A Fixtures Group B Fixtures A random draw was conducted on Thursday March 9, 2006, because fixtures could not be agreed between delegates. Group C Fixtures The fixtures for group C were settled at a meeting between the participants in Istanbul, Turkey. Group D Fixtures Group D fixtures were negotiated at a meeting between the participants in Frankfurt , Germany on 9 February 2006 . Group E Fixtures Group E fixtures were negotiated at a meeting between the participants in Nyon , Switzerland , on March 3 2006 . Group F Fixtures The fixtures for group F were settled at a meeting between the participants in Copenhagen , Denmark . {Link without Title} Group G Fixtures Group G fixtures were negotiated at a meeting between the participants in Amsterdam , Netherlands on 16 February 2006 . QUALIFIED NATIONS
REACTION TO THE DRAW On the day of the draw, many people thought that Group E was favourable to England's qualification chances and that Group B was decidedly unfavourable to Scotland's qualifying chances. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4645618.stm SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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