Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of the draw for the group stages of next summer’s European Championships in France.
24 countries, including Republic of Ireland, await their fate and it won’t be long now until we discover who the Boys in Green will face at Euro 2016.
The draw officially commences at 5pm Irish time but as we’ve come to expect with these grand Uefa occasions, the formalities can be a protracted affair.
Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane are in the house and waiting with bated breath.
So before we get started, let’s take a look at the draw procedure. Bear with us as the following information will make proceedings a lot easier to follow…
The 23 qualifiers are divided into four pots based on Uefa national coefficients with Spain, as the reigning European champions, assured of a place in Pot 1 having qualified.
Hosts are not included in the pots as they are automatically assigned as team A1 so Pot 1 has five teams.
The teams will be drawn into six groups of four teams each (Groups A to F). The draw starts with Pot 1. One ball is drawn and the team is assigned to Group B, position B1; a second ball is drawn and the team is assigned to Group C, position C1; and so on till Group F.
The draw continues with Pot 4. A ball is drawn and the team assigned to Group A. The position of this team within Group A is also determined by draw. A second ball is drawn from Pot 4 and assigned to Group B; again the position within Group B is drawn. The procedure is repeated for all teams in Pot 4.
The draw continues with Pot 3 and concludes with Pot 2. Each time a team is drawn the position within the relevant group is determined by draw. The top two in each plus the four best third-placed sides advance to the knockout phase.
And these are the pots:
The scene is set at the Palais des Congres de la Porte Maillot.
For those wondering, the draw can be watched on RTÉ 2 and Sky Sports News or you can follow it all unfold right here.
As we wait for the proceedings to get underway, let us know your ideal draw in the comments section below.
Finally underway in Paris but not before a ‘French-themed can-can’ to get the delegates in the mood.
James is watching with anticipation.
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It’s almost time to begin the draw as Uefa General Secretary Gianni Infantino takes to the stage. He begins by expressing the organisation’s solidarity with all those affected by the terrorist attacks on Paris last month.
How are the nerves? Speaking to RTÉ, Martin O’Neill admitted he wanted to enjoy the draw and is happy to be in attendance in Paris.
Meanwhile, does Sean St Ledger know something we don’t?
Everybody’s ready! Here we go. We start with Pot 1 as David Trezeguet draws host France in Group A (which was always going to happen).
England are next out as Roy Hodgson anxiously looks on. They go into Group B as top seeds while Germany are going into Group C.
It’s all very tense as Trezeguet slowly opens the ball to reveal Spain will go into Group D. England, meanwhile, will play in Marseille, Lens and St Etienne. Belgium are heading into Group E so that leaves Portugal going into Group F.
Here we go, the nation holds its breath. Time for Pot 4 and Albania are first out and they go in with hosts France in Group A.
Turkey, Republic of Ireland, Iceland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the other teams in this pot.
Wales are drawn with England! Chris Coleman affords a wry smile as his side are paired alongside their near neighbours in Group B.
And Northern Ireland will face Germany in Group C!
Turkey are next out and they go into Group D alongside Spain. So that leaves Ireland and Iceland as the remaining two countries.
It will be Belgium or Portugal for Martin O’Neill’s men.
Ireland go into Group E alongside Belgium!
And Iceland in with Portugal in Group F so now we move onto Pot 3 with Czech Republic, Sweden, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary making up the line-up.
So we continue on our merry way and Albania have gone into Group A and Slovakia have gone in with England and Wales in Group B.
Onto Group E and it’s Sweden! So that’s Belgium and Sweden for Ireland so far.
Sweden will be our first opponents on Monday 13 June at the Stade de France. Hungary, meanwhile, are in Group F as we move onto the final pot.
Northern Ireland will face Poland and Germany in Group C.
Now six teams remain. Switzerland go in alongside France, Albania and Romania in Group 1.
Russia are next out of the pot and they go into Group B with England, Wales and Slovakia.
Ukraine will meet Northern Ireland, Germany and Poland in Group C.
It’s Italy! Ireland will play Belgium, Sweden and the Azzurri at next summer’s European Championships.
Here’s the details of the draw.
Here’s the full draw:
That’s all from us this evening, plenty of reaction to come on the site as we digest that difficult draw for Ireland.
