Vicente del Bosque's team will face the Czech Republic, Scotland, Lithuania and Liechtenstein in Group I, to reach the end of 2012 and to retain a trophy claimed in Vienna 18 months ago. The finalists in Germany, winners of the tournament three times, are in Group A along with neighboring Austria, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and the party won in a dramatic UEFA EURO 2008 semi-final, Turkey.
Italy tries to return to the FIFA World Cup crown in South Africa this summer, with 12 other European nations, and their role is in addition to this, the group C, also part of Serbia and Slovenia. In England, absent a surprise UEFA EURO 2008, the goal is to put this right against Group G Switzerland, Bulgaria, Wales and Montenegro. One of the three pools of five teams, are the only group that do not have to draw a former winner of the UEFA European Championship.
Rating explained
Fifty-one countries participated in the draw, which was carried out by four big names in football in Poland and Ukraine: Andriy Shevchenko, Andrzej Szarmach, Oleg Blokhin and Zbigniew Boniek. The groups will play in a league system on a home-and back, with games scheduled between September 2010 and October 2011.
The nine winners and runner-up with the best record against top five teams in the pool and qualified for the finals, the last before the league expanded to 24 teams. The remaining eight finalists to enter the play-offs in November 2011 to decide the final of the four sides to join the co-hosts Poland and Ukraine.
UEFA Euro 2012 Qualifying Draw
Group
Germany
Turkey
Austria
Belgium
Kazakhstan
Azerbaijan
Group B
Russia
Slovakia
Republic of Ireland
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Armenia
Andorra
Group C
Italy
Serbia
Northern Ireland
Slovenia
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Group D
France
Romania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Belarus
Albania
Luxembourg
Group E
Netherlands
Sweden
Finland
Hungary
Moldova
San Marino
Group F
Croatia
Greece
Israel
Latvia
Georgia
Malta
Group G
England
Switzerland
Bulgaria
Wales
Montenegro
Group H
Portugal
Denmark
Norway
Cyprus
Iceland
Group I
Spain
Czech Republic
Scotland
Lithuania
The Liechtenstein
Hello Finals (host)
Poland
Ukraine
