UEFA Futsal EURO preliminary & main round draws
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Article summary
A record 48 teams have entered UEFA Futsal EURO 2018.
Article body
Preliminary round draw: 23 January–1 February 2017
Group A: Georgia (hosts), Switzerland, Israel, Scotland
Group B: Greece, Moldova, Wales (hosts), San Marino
Group C: Latvia (hosts), Armenia, Estonia, Germany
Group D: England, Bulgaria (hosts), Albania, Malta
Group E: Norway, Denmark, Cyprus (hosts), Kosovo
Group F: France, Andorra, Lithuania (hosts)
Group G: Sweden, Montenegro, Gibraltar (hosts)
Main round draw: 3–12 April 2017
Group 1: Italy, Netherlands, Belarus (hosts), Winner preliminary round Group A
Group 2: Azerbaijan (hosts), Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Winner preliminary round Group D
Group 3: Ukraine (hosts), Croatia, Belgium, Winner preliminary round Group G
Group 4: Portugal, Romania (hosts), Finland, Winner preliminary round Group C
Group 5: Spain (holders), Serbia, Poland (hosts), Winner preliminary round Group B
Group 6: Kazakhstan (hosts), Czech Republic, FYR Macedonia, Winner preliminary round Group E
Group 7: Russia, Slovakia, Turkey (hosts), Winner preliminary round Group F
14:30CEST, 21 October, Nyon
While hosts Slovenia are assured of a place in the finals from 30 January–10 February 2018 at Arena Stožice in Ljubljana, the other 47 countries go into the qualifying draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon on 21 October, streamed live on UEFA.com. The 21 teams with the highest coefficients, including holders Spain, receive a bye to the main round, with the other 26 hopefuls starting in the preliminary round.
Preliminary round: 23 January–1 February 2017
• Seven groups are formed, five of four teams and two of three, all played as one-venue mini-tournaments.
• The contenders are split into four seeding tiers according to their coefficient rankings. Seven sides are designated as hosts (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Gibraltar, Latvia, Lithuania and Wales) and drawn from a separate pot, while being placed into their groups in accordance with their seeding tier (the two three-team groups have no sides from the fourth pot).
• The seven group winners advance to the main round.
Main round: 3–12 April 2017
• Seven groups of four will be composed.
• Again the teams will be divided into four seeding tiers, with the seven qualified sides from the preliminary round drawn in the fourth tier. The seven hosts are also pre-selected as per the preliminary round draw: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine.
• Based on decisions taken by the UEFA Emergency Panel, Azerbaijan cannot play Armenia, Spain cannot face Gibraltar, and Kosovo cannot play either Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore if Armenia, Gibraltar and/or Kosovo win their preliminary round group and qualify for a main round group with an opponent they cannot face, they will be swapped with the next available team in position 4 following the alphabetical order of the groups.
• The seven main round group winners progress to join Slovenia in the final tournament. The seven runners-up plus the best third-placed side enter the play-offs on 10–13 & 24–27 September 2017. The winners of the four two-legged ties complete the 12-team line-up for the finals.
- Entering in preliminary round
Hosts (seeding position):
Latvia (1)
Georgia (1)
Bulgaria (2)
Lithuania (3)
Cyprus (3)
Wales (3)
Gibraltar (3)
Other entrants:
Position 1
France
Norway
Sweden
England
Greece
Position 2
Moldova
Denmark
Montenegro
Switzerland
Armenia
Andorra
Position 3
Albania
Israel
Estonia
Position 4
Malta
San Marino
Scotland
Germany (debut)
Kosovo (debut)
- Entering in main round
Hosts (seeding position):
Ukraine** (1)
Azerbaijan** (1)
Kazakhstan** (1)
Romania (2)
Belarus (3)
Poland (3)
Turkey (3)
Other entrants:
Positition 1
Spain** (holders)
Russia**
Portugal**
Italy**
Position 2
Serbia**
Croatia**
Czech Republic**
Hungary**
Slovakia
Netherlands
Position 3
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Finland
FYR Macedonia
Position 4
Winners of preliminary round groups A–G
- Finals hosts (bye):
Slovenia**
**qualified in 2016