Euro 2024 draw: Scotland in group with hosts Germany while England in with Denmark

Scotland will play Germany in the opening match of Euro 2024 after being drawn in the same group as the hosts.

Wales would be in Group D with France, the Netherlands and Austria at next summer’s tournament should they qualify via March’s play-offs.

Germany will face Steve Clarke’s Scotland in the opener at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Friday, 14 June.

Euro 2020 finalists England will begin their campaign on 16 June against Serbia.

Defending champions Italy, who beat Gareth Southgate’s side on penalties in the 2020 final, are up against three-time winners Spain, Croatia and Albania in Group B.

The final of Euro 2024 will take place on 14 July at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.

Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland

Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania

Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England

Group D: Play-off winners A, Netherlands, Austria, France

Group E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Play-off winners B

Group F: Turkey, Play-off winners C, Portugal, Czech Republic

Play-off winners A: Poland, Wales, Finland, Estonia

Play-off winners B: Israel, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, Iceland

Play-off winners C: Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg

Scotland will be ‘supremely confident’

Former Scotland forward James McFadden said Scotland “will be confident they can get out of” a difficult Group A that features three-time winners Germany.

“It’s a tough group, I’m not going to lie and say I’m delighted with the group,” he told BBC Two.

“The opening game against Germany will be a great occasion and all the pressure will be on Germany to go and get a result, and that should suit Scotland because against the better sides they tend to do OK.”

Scotland finished bottom of their group at Euro 2020, losing to Croatia and the Czech Republic, while they played out a goalless draw with England.

McFadden added: “I think Scotland will give a good account of themselves and be a very good side because they have had the experience of playing in the Euros before this group and the disappointment of those games. They will want to put it right.

“The players will be supremely confident going into this group stage.”

Scotland’s group stage matches:

• Friday, 14 June: Germany v Scotland in Munich (20:00 BST)
• Wednesday, 19 June: Scotland v Switzerland in Cologne (20:00 BST)
• Sunday, 23 June: Scotland v Hungary in Stuttgart (20:00 BST)

England ‘can’t complain’ about Group C

Southgate led England to the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley, which Italy won 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Former England striker Alan Shearer said Southgate will be “extremely happy” with the draw, with Serbia and Slovenia outside the world’s top 30, while 1992 champions Denmark are ranked 19th.

“I don’t think England can complain with that group,” Shearer said.

“I think it’s pretty favourable when you look at some of the teams that have been drawn out against each other.”

Chris Sutton, who was capped for the Three Lions in 1997, added that it was a “pretty soft” group for England.

Despite it not appearing the toughest group, Southgate says all the teams in Group C are “more than capable”.

“You can look at it on paper, but the games aren’t played on paper,” Southgate said.

England’s group stage matches:

• Sunday, 16 June: Serbia v England in Gelsenkirchen, (20:00 BST)
• Thursday, 20 June: Denmark v England in Frankfurt (17:00 BST)
• Tuesday, 25 June: England v Slovenia in Cologne (20:00 BST)

‘One of the toughest groups’

If Wales qualify for next summer’s tournament, their first game will be against the Netherlands – winners in 1988 – in Hamburg on 16 June, before fixtures against Austria and France, who are ranked second in the world.

Robert Page’s side face Finland in the play-off semi-finals on 21 March, and should they win that they will play either Poland or Estonia in the play-off final on 26 March.

“It looks like one of the toughest groups there,” Page said of Group D.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do to get there but the rewards are there. We’re all in football because we want to play against the best teams, players and managers and they certainly fall into that category.”

Analysis

Phil McNulty, chief football writer

England will be highly satisfied with their draw for the Euro 2024 group stage and while it looks like a tougher route for Scotland, they will feel they can make their way through into the knockout phase.

As for Wales, if they get to Germany via the play-offs they will face a very hazardous assignment to take their campaign any further than the group.

England manager Gareth Southgate will ensure there is no complacency, but a group containing Serbia, Denmark – who they beat in the semi-finals of Euro 2020 at Wembley – and Slovenia will surely hold no terrors for a side now ranked third in the latest Fifa rankings.

Scotland get the glamour of the opening game and the chance to make an instant impact against hosts Germany.

They will start that game as underdogs, but manager Steve Clarke will know Germany are nowhere near the superpower of old and very much in transition under new coach Julian Nagelsmann.

Hungary and Switzerland are in with the Scots, who have been built into a solid and quietly confident unit under Clarke’s astute guidance. This is a group to certainly give them a measure of optimism.

If Wales make it to Germany they will have a daunting task as they will go into a group with the Netherlands, World Cup runners-up France and Ralf Rangnick’s Austria. Even if they successfully navigate the play-offs they will be rank outsiders.

If you are viewing this page on the BBC News app please click here to vote.