Finalists decided for women's showpiece
Friday, October 31, 2008
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The lineup for UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ next summer in Finland is complete after the qualifying play-offs concluded with Italy, Russia and first-time finalists Iceland, Ukraine and the Netherlands winning through.
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The lineup for the UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ draw on 18 November is complete after the qualifying play-offs concluded on Thursday.
Qualified dozen
Hosts Finland and group winners Denmark, England, France, Germany – aiming for a fifth straight title – Norway and Sweden had already booked their tickets to next summer's finals and the last five places in the 12-sided competition, newly expanded from eight teams, have now been filled. Italy, the only one of the 2005 qualifiers not previously through, beat the Czech Republic on Wednesday and they have been joined by Russia and first-time finalists Iceland, Ukraine and the Netherlands, with Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Slovenia and Spain missing out.
Draw procedure
In the draw at Helsinki's Finlandia Hall at 14.00 local time (13.00CET) on 18 November, the 12 finalists will be split into three groups. Finland have already been placed in Group A and holders Germany and Sweden, who have the two best coefficients, will be drawn into the other pools from Pot 1. Play-off winners Italy, Russia, Iceland, Ukraine and the Netherlands will be the next to be drawn from Pot 3, with two teams each going into two of the groups and one into the remaining pool. The vacant berths will be filled by the remaining group winners – Denmark, England, France and Norway – from Pot 2.
Finals
Media representatives wishing to attend the draw should apply for accreditation through the Football Association of Finland by emailing sami.terava@palloliitto.fi. The deadline for accreditations is 12 November. The finals run from 23 August until 10 September 2009, with matches being held at the Helsinki Football Stadium and Olympic Stadium in the capital as well as at venues in Tampere, Turku and Lahti. The top two sides from each group will go into the quarter-finals along with the two best third-placed teams. For a provisional schedule, click here.
UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ finals draw
Hosts: Finland (placed in Group A)
Pot 1: Germany (holders), Sweden
Pot 2: Denmark, England, France, Norway
Pot 3: Iceland, Italy, Russia, Ukraine, Netherlands
