EURO 2020 qualification is reaching squeaky bum time but Scotland can already set their sights on the play-offs.
Steve Clarke’s men are out of the running for an automatic spot, but will have a home semi-final in March.
As in Euro 2016, 24 teams will qualify for the tournament – but there are now two ways of getting there.
The top two in each of the ten qualifying groups will automatically progress to the tournament in 2020, leaving four spots still available.
These will be decided by the play-offs but this is where it gets interesting – those awarded play-off places are not decided during qualifying but from the Uefa Nations League tournament.
The four group winners from each league in the Uefa Nations League, including England, are already assured of a play-off place.
They are:
Any teams who automatically qualify for the tournament through the Euro 2020 qualifying phase, will be replaced in the play-off by the next best ranked team in their League – for example, Belgium is next in line for League A, Russia for B, Bulgaria in C and Luxembourg in D.
If there are less than four teams that are yet to qualify from a League then the spots are filled with sides from another League in accordance with the Uefa Nations League rankings – but group winners will not be moved up into a play-off with a higher League.
In previous tournaments, all of those through to the play-offs go into a draw and the winners of those ties earn a spot in the major competition.
But this time around, each League will have their own separate play-off tournament, with a single-leg semi-final before a final to determine who will claim the Euro 2020 place.
This means Georgia, Macedonia, Kosovo and Belarus are set to battle it out for a place in next year’s competition.
Whichever team performed best in each league will host the qualifier that performed worst, with the second best qualifier hosting the third best qualifier.
That means that Scotland are guaranteed a home play-off semi-final.
However, any of the four participating nations in each league’s play-offs could host the final, with a draw being held on November 22 to decide where each final will be.
The play-offs will be played at the end of March 2020 ahead of the June/July tournament.
Semi-finals
Iceland* vs TBC
TBC vs TBC
Semi-finals
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs TBC
TBC vs TBC
Semi-finals
Scotland vs TBC
Norway vs Serbia*
Semi-finals
Georgia vs Belarus
North Macedonia vs Kosovo
*Not yet confirmed
Scotland are guaranteed a home tie but their opponent will not be known until the draw is made on November 22.
At the moment, it could be any of Bulgaria, Israel and Romania. However, Hungary will take Romania’s place if they fail to qualify automatically for Euro 2020.
Wales will have a home play-off, unless Ireland win at home to Denmark.
If just four teams from League B require a play-off, Wales will face either Denmark away or Ireland/Slovakia at home.
But if five teams enter the play-offs, Wales will enter a draw in which they could move to League A and face one of Bulgaria, Romania, Israel or Hungary at home.
Northern Ireland will face Bosnia away in the play-offs, unless more than four teams from League B enter the play-offs.
In that case they will be entered into a draw and could move to League A and face one of Bulgaria, Romania, Israel or Hungary at home.
Republic of Ireland are set to face Wales or Slovakia away if they fail to beat Denmark.
However, if both Wales and Slovakia require a play-off, they will face Bosnia away.
According to ESPN’s Dale Johnson, Republic of Ireland are set to remain in League B because they are a host nation, and therefore would not be entered into any draw to move to League A.
Therefore if five or more teams need a play-off, the Irish would still face Wales, Slovakia or Bosnia away.
