Scotland will have to qualify for Euro 2028 despite being host nation

UEFA has confirmed that Scotland and the other host nations will have to go through a qualifying process for Euro 2028.

The governing body reached the decision following a meeting in Bilbao on Wednesday.

Scotland is one of four joint-host countries for the competition alongside England, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland.

But rather than getting an automatic place at the finals, as host nations usually do, they will all have to qualify.

However, there will be two automatic spots for the host nations, meaning if all four fail to qualify through the groups then the two with the highest points total will enter the tournament.

Likewise, if only one team qualifies, then the second and third with the most points in total will join them, and if two qualify through the usual route, then all four countries will take part.

A statement released on Wednesday from UEFA said: “The UEFA executive committee has confirmed the qualification format for Euro 2028, to be held across nine venues in the UK and Ireland with 24 participating teams.

“As in the current 2024-26 European Qualifiers, 12 qualifying groups will be formed of four or five teams. Hosts England, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales will also participate in qualifying, drawn into separate groups.

“The 12 group winners and 8 best runners-up (20 teams) will advance directly to the Euro 2028 final tournament.

“Two spots in the final tournament will be reserved for the two best-ranked host nations who are not qualified as group winners or best runners-up after the completion of the qualifying group stage.”

If they get there, it will be Scotland’s third European Championships in a row after Steve Clarke’s side qualified for the 2020 and 2024 editions.

Four years ago, the tournament, which was held a year late due to the coronavirus pandemic, was played across the continent, including four games at Hampden, and last year it was played across Germany.

Despite the joy of qualifying and being back at a major tournament for the first time since the late 1990s, Scotland struggled in the Euro 2024 group stages, picking up just two points across both tournaments and exiting at the earliest possible opportunity on each occasion.

If they qualify for 2028, it will be the first time they have qualified for three consecutive Euros.

Glasgow’s Hampden Park has been chosen as the only host venue in Scotland.

The national stadium will be joined by the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and the Aviva in Dublin as well as six English venues.

Wembley Stadium in London will host the final with the Tottenham Hotspur stadium also being used in the capital.

Villa Park in Birmingham, St James Park in Newcastle, City of Manchester Stadium, and Everton’s new ground in Liverpool will also all be used.

Scotland have previously been to four European Championships, 1992, 1996, 2020, and 2024, but have never been any further than the group stages and have only recorded two victories across the four tournaments.