THE FINALS draw for UEFA Euro 2016 will take place at the Palais des congrès de Paris from 5.15pm this evening (live on BBC2).
France are hosting the tournament for a third time, having done so previously when the tournament was introduced in 1960, and also in 1984 - when they won the first of two Euro titles.
Joining
Les Bleus in the top group of seeds are World Cup holders Germany, European Championship holders Spain, as well as Portugal, England, and FIFA world number one Belgium.
Of course, this European Championship is the first to feature 24 teams, a move which was
criticised on this blog for diluting the competition.
But, while that still may yet remain the case in the finals themselves, it actua
lly ended up refreshing the qualification programme.
Grasping the opporunity that had been presented to them, the likes of Austria, who won nine games out of 10, and unbeaten Romania played their best football in years.
There was also still room for a massive upset as Euro 1988 winners the Netherlands failed to make the top three in Group A.
By contrast, Slovakia, Iceland, Albania, Wales and Northern Ireland will all make their Euro finals debuts.
Indeed, it did not go unnoticed that this qualifying campaign featured a phenomenal effort from three of the four Home Nations teams - only Scotland missed out altogether.
Wayne Rooney broke Sir Bobby Charlton's long-standing national goalscoring record as England finished with the only 100% record.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland and Wales ended their 30-year and 58-year waits for a major finals appearance respectively.
The next step is waiting to find out who will play who in the finals in the chosen 10 stadiums in the cities of Bordeaux, Lens, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Paris, Saint-Denis, Saint-Étienne, and Toulouse.
The finals will take place between 10 June and 10 July, featuring six groups of four teams, one from each seeding pot.
Full seeding pots,
based on the UEFA national rankings, are shown below:
POT A
FRANCE
FIFA ranking 25
UEFA ranking 8
Head coach Didier Deschamps (since July 2012)
Captain Hugo Lloris
Contested friendlies Against teams in Group I (W7 D2 L1 F18 A6 Pts 23)
07-Sep-14 v Serbia (A) D1-1
11-Oct-14 v Portugal (H) W2-1
14-Oct-14 v Armenia (A) W3-0
14-Nov-14 v Albania (H) D1-1
29-Mar-15 v Denmark (H) W2-0
13-Jun-15 v Albania (A) L0-1
04-Sep-15 v Portugal (A) W1-0
07-Sep-15 v Serbia (H) W2-1
08-Oct-15 v Armenia (H) W4-0
11-Oct-15 v Denmark (A) W2-1
Top scorers Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann (3)
Best performance Winners 1984, 2000
GERMANY
FIFA ranking 4
UEFA ranking 1
Head coach Joachim Löw (since July 2006)
Captain Bastian Schweinsteiger
Qualifying results Winners of Group D (W7 D1 L2 F24 A9 Pts 22)
07-Sep-14 v Scotland (H) W2-1
11-Oct-14 v Poland (A) L0-2
14-Oct-14 v Ireland (H) D1-1
14-Nov-14 v Gibraltar (H) W4-0
29-Mar-15 v Georgia (A) W2-0
13-Jun-15 v Gibraltar (A) W7-0
04-Sep-15 v Poland (H) W3-1
07-Sep-15 v Scotland (A) W3-2
08-Oct-15 v Ireland (A) L0-1
11-Oct-15 v Georgia (H) W2-1
Top scorer Thomas Müller (9)
Best performance Winners 1972, 1980, 1996
SPAIN
FIFA ranking 3
UEFA ranking 2
Head coach Vicente del Bosque (since July 2008)
Captain Iker Casillas
Qualifying results Winners of Group C (W9 D0 L1 F23 A3 Pts 27)
08-Sep-14 v FYR Macedonia (H) W5-1
09-Oct-14 v Slovakia (A) L1-2
12-Oct-14 v Luxembourg (A) W4-0
15-Nov-14 v Belarus (H) W3-0
27-Mar-15 v Ukraine (H) W1-0
14-Jun-15 v Belarus (A) W1-0
05-Sep-15 v Slovakia (H) W2-0
08-Sep-15 v FYR Macedonia (A) W1-0
09-Oct-15 v Luxembourg (H) W4-0
12-Oct-15 v Ukraine (A) W1-0
Top scorer Paco Alcácer (5)
Best performance Winners 1964, 2008, 2012
ENGLAND
FIFA ranking 9
UEFA ranking 3
Head coach Roy Hodgson (since May 2012)
Captain Wayne Rooney
Qualifying results Winners of Group E (W10 D0 L0 F31 A3 Pts 30)
08-Sep-14 v Switzerland (A) W2-0
09-Oct-14 v San Marino (H) W5-0
12-Oct-14 v Estonia (A) W1-0
15-Nov-14 v Slovenia (H) W3-1
27-Mar-15 v Lithuania (H) W4-0
14-Jun-15 v Slovenia (A) W3-2
05-Sep-15 v San Marino (A) W6-0
08-Sep-15 v Switzerland (H) W2-0
09-Oct-15 v Estonia (H) W2-0
12-Oct-15 v Lithuania (A) W3-0
Top scorer Wayne Rooney (7)
Best performance Semi finals 1968, 1996
PORTUGAL
FIFA ranking 7
UEFA ranking 4
Head coach Fernando Santos (since September 2014)
Captain Cristiano Ronaldo
Qualifying results Winners of Group I (W7 D0 L1 F11 A5 Pts 21)
07-Sep-14 v Albania (H) L0-1
14-Oct-14 v Denmark (A) W1-0
14-Nov-14 v Armenia (H) W1-0
29-Mar-15 v Serbia (H) W2-1
13-Jun-15 v Armenia (A) W3-2
07-Sep-15 v Albania (A) W1-0
08-Oct-15 v Denmark (H) W1-0
11-Oct-15 v Serbia (A) W2-1
Top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo (5)
Best performance Runners-up 2004
BELGIUM
FIFA ranking 1
UEFA ranking 5
Head coach Marc Wilmots (since May 2012)
Captain Vincent Kompany
Qualifying results Winners of Group B (W7 D2 L1 F24 A5 Pts 23)
10-Oct-14 v Andorra (H) W6-0
13-Oct-14 v Bosnia-Herzegovina (A) D1-1
16-Nov-14 v Wales (H) D0-0
28-Mar-15 v Cyprus (H) W5-0
31-Mar-15 v Israel (A) W1-0
12-Jun-15 v Wales (A) L0-1
03-Sep-15 v Bosnia-Herzegovina (H) W3-1
06-Sep-15 v Cyprus (A) W1-0
10-Oct-15 v Andorra (A) W4-1
13-Oct-15 v Israel (H) W3-1
Top scorers Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard (5)
Best performance Runners-up 1980
POT B
ITALY
FIFA ranking 15
UEFA ranking 6
Head coach Antonio Conte (since August 2014)
Captain Gianluigi Buffon
Qualifying results Winners of Group H (W7 D3 L0 F16 A7 Pts 24)
09-Sep-14 v Norway (A) W2-0
10-Oct-14 v Azerbaijan (H) W2-1
13-Oct-14 v Malta (A) W1-0
16-Nov-14 v Croatia (H) D1-1
28-Mar-15 v Bulgaria (A) D2-2
12-Jun-15 v Croatia (A) D1-1
03-Sep-15 v Malta (H) W1-0
06-Sep-15 v Bulgaria (H) W1-0
10-Oct-15 v Azerbaijan (A) W3-1
13-Oct-15 v Norway (H) W2-1
Top scorer Graziano Pellè (3)
Best performance Winners 1968
RUSSIA
FIFA ranking 24
UEFA ranking 9
Head coach Leonid Slutsky (since August 2015)
Captain Roman Shirokov
Qualifying results Runners-up of Group G (W6 D2 L2 F21 A5 Pts 20)
08-Sep-14 v Liechtenstein (H) W4-0
09-Oct-14 v Sweden (A) D1-1
12-Oct-14 v Moldova (H) D1-1
15-Nov-14 v Austria (A) L0-1
27-Mar-15 v Montenegro (A) W3-0 (awarded)
14-Jun-15 v Austria (H) L0-1
05-Sep-15 v Sweden (H) W1-0
08-Sep-15 v Liechtenstein (A) W7-0
09-Oct-15 v Moldova (A) W2-1
12-Oct-15 v Montenegro (H) W2-0
Top scorer Artyom Dzyuba (8)
Best performance Winners 1960
SWITZERLAND
FIFA ranking 12
UEFA ranking 10
Head coach Vladimir Petković (since July 2014)
Captain Gökhan Inler
Qualifying results Runners-up of Group E (W7 D0 L3 F24 A8 Pts 21)
08-Sep-14 v England (H) L0-2
09-Oct-14 v Slovenia (A) L0-1
14-Oct-14 v San Marino (A) W4-0
15-Nov-14 v Lithuania (H) W4-0
27-Mar-15 v Estonia (H) W3-0
14-Jun-15 v Lithuania (A) W2-1
05-Sep-15 v Slovenia (H) W3-2
08-Sep-15 v England (A) L0-2
09-Oct-15 v San Marino (H) W7-0
12-Oct-15 v Estonia (A) W1-0
Top scorer Xherdan Shaqiri (4)
Best performance Group stage 1996, 2004, 2008
AUSTRIA
FIFA ranking 10
UEFA ranking 11
Head coach Marcel Koller (since November 2011)
Captain Christian Fuchs
Qualifying results Winners of Group G (W9 D1 L0 F22 A5 Pts 28)
08-Sep-14 v Sweden (H) D1-1
09-Oct-14 v Moldova (A) W2-1
12-Oct-14 v Montenegro (H) W1-0
15-Nov-14 v Russia (H) W1-0
27-Mar-15 v Liechtenstein (A) W5-0
14-Jun-15 v Russia (A) W1-0
05-Sep-15 v Moldova (H) W1-0
08-Sep-15 v Sweden (A) W4-1
09-Oct-15 v Montenegro (A) W3-2
12-Oct-15 v Liechtenstein (H) W3-0
Top scorer Marc Janko (7)
Best performance Group stage 2008
CROATIA
FIFA ranking 18
UEFA ranking 12
Head coach Ante Čačić (since September 2015)
Captain Darijo Srna
Qualifying results Runners-up of Group H (W6 D3 L1 F20 A5 Pts 20*)
09-Sep-14 v Malta (H) W2-0
10-Oct-14 v Bulgaria (A) W1-0
13-Oct-14 v Azerbaijan (H) W6-0
16-Nov-14 v Italy (A) D1-1
28-Mar-15 v Norway (H) W5-1
12-Jun-15 v Italy (H) D1-1
03-Sep-15 v Azerbaijan (A) D0-0
06-Sep-15 v Norway (A) L0-2
10-Oct-15 v Bulgaria (H) W3-0
13-Oct-15 v Malta (A) W1-0
*deducted one point and fined €100,000 for racist behaviour in the crowd against Italy (H)
Top scorer Ivan Perišić (6)
Best performance Quarter finals 1996, 2008
UKRAINE
FIFA ranking 29
UEFA ranking 14
Head coach Mykhaylo Fomenko (since December 2012)
Captain Anatoliy Tymoshchuk
Qualifying results Third place in Group C (W6 D1 L3 F14 A4 Pts 19)
08-Sep-14 v Slovakia (H) L0-1
09-Oct-14 v Belarus (A) W2-0
12-Oct-14 v FYR Macedonia (H) W1-0
15-Nov-14 v Luxembourg (A) W3-0
27-Mar-15 v Spain (A) L0-1
14-Jun-15 v Luxembourg (H) W3-0
05-Sep-15 v Belarus (H) W3-1
08-Sep-15 v Slovakia (A) D0-0
09-Oct-15 v FYR Macedonia (A) W2-0
12-Oct-15 v Spain (H) L0-1
Playoffs Won 3-1 on aggregate
14-Nov-15 v Slovenia (H) W2-0
17-Nov-15 v Slovenia (A) D1-1
Top scorer Andriy Yarmolenko (6)
Best performance Group stage 2012
POT C
CZECH REPUBLIC
FIFA ranking 26
UEFA ranking 15
Head coach Pavel Vrba (since January 2014)
Captain Petr Čech
Qualifying results Winners of Group A (W7 D1 L2 F19 A14 Pts 22)
09-Sep-14 v Netherlands (H) W2-1
10-Oct-14 v Turkey (A) W2-1
13-Oct-14 v Kazakhstan (A) W4-2
16-Nov-14 v Iceland (H) W2-1
28-Mar-15 v Latvia (H) D1-1
12-Jun-15 v Iceland (A) L1-2
03-Sep-15 v Kazakhstan (H) W2-1
06-Sep-15 v Latvia (A) W2-1
10-Oct-15 v Turkey (H) L0-2
13-Oct-15 v Netherlands (A) W3-2
Top scorer Bořek Dočkal (4)
Best performance Winners 1976
SWEDEN
FIFA ranking 35
UEFA ranking 16
Head coach Erik Hamrén (since November 2009)
Captain Zlatan Ibrahimović
Qualifying results Third place in Group G (W5 D3 L2 F15 A9 Pts 18)
08-Sep-14 v Austria (A) D1-1
09-Oct-14 v Russia (A) D1-1
12-Oct-14 v Liechtenstein (H) W2-0
15-Nov-14 v Montenegro (H) D1-1
27-Mar-15 v Moldova (A) W2-0
14-Jun-15 v Montenegro (H) W3-1
05-Sep-15 v Russia (A) L0-1
08-Sep-15 v Austria (H) L1-4
09-Oct-15 v Liechtenstein (A) W2-0
12-Oct-15 v Moldova (H) W2-0
Playoffs Won 4-3 on aggregate
14-Nov-15 v Denmark (H) W2-1
17-Nov-15 v Denmark (A) D2-2
Top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimović (11)
Best performance Semi finals 1992
POLAND
FIFA ranking 34
UEFA ranking 17
Head coach Adam Nawałka (since October 2013)
Captain Robert Lewandowski
Qualifying results Runners-up of Group D (W6 D3 L1 F33 A10 Pts 21)
07-Sep-14 v Gibraltar (A) W7-0
11-Oct-14 v Germany (H) W2-0
14-Oct-14 v Scotland (H) D2-2
14-Nov-14 v Georgia (A) W4-0
29-Mar-15 v Ireland (A) D1-1
13-Jun-15 v Georgia (H) W4-0
04-Sep-15 v Germany (A) L1-3
07-Sep-15 v Gibraltar (H) W8-1
08-Oct-15 v Scotland (A) D2-2
11-Oct-15 v Ireland (H) W2-1
Top scorer Robert Lewandowski (13)
Best performance Group stage 2008, 2012
ROMANIA
FIFA ranking 16
UEFA ranking 18
Head coach Anghel Iordănescu (since October 2014)
Captain Răzvan Raț
Qualifying results Runners-up of Group F (W5 D5 L0 F11 A2 Pts 20)
07-Sep-14 v Greece (A) W1-0
11-Oct-14 v Hungary (H) D1-1
14-Oct-14 v Finland (A) W2-0
14-Nov-14 v Northern Ireland (H) W2-0
29-Mar-15 v Faroe Islands (H) W1-0
13-Jun-15 v Northern Ireland (A) D0-0
04-Sep-15 v Hungary (A) D0-0
07-Sep-15 v Greece (H) D0-0
08-Oct-15 v Finland (H) D1-1
11-Oct-15 v Faroe Islands (A) W3-0
Top scorers Constantin Budescu, Paul Papp, Bogdan Stancu (2)
Best performance Quarter finals 2000
SLOVAKIA
FIFA ranking 26
UEFA ranking 19
Head coach Ján Kozák (since July 2013)
Captain Martin Škrtel
Qualifying results Runners-up of Group C (W7 D1 L2 F17 A8 Pts 22)
08-Sep-14 v Ukraine (A) W1-0
09-Oct-14 v Spain (H) W2-1
12-Oct-14 v Belarus (A) W3-1
15-Nov-14 v FYR Macedonia (A) W2-0
27-Mar-15 v Luxembourg (H) W3-0
14-Jun-15 v FYR Macedonia (H) W2-1
05-Sep-15 v Spain (A) L0-2
08-Sep-15 v Ukraine (H) D0-0
09-Oct-15 v Belarus (H) L0-1
12-Oct-15 v Luxembourg (A) W4-2
Top scorer Marek Hamšík (5)
Best performance Never previously qualified
HUNGARY
FIFA ranking 20
UEFA ranking 20
Head coach Bernd Storck (since July 2015)
Captain Balázs Dzsudzsák
Qualifying results Third place in Group F (W4 D4 L2 F11 A9 Pts 16)
07-Sep-14 v Northern Ireland (H) L1-2
11-Oct-14 v Romania (A) D0-0
14-Oct-14 v Faroe Islands (A) W1-0
14-Nov-14 v Finland (H) W1-0
29-Mar-15 v Greece (H) D0-0
13-Jun-15 v Finland (A) W1-0
04-Sep-15 v Romania (H) D1-1
07-Sep-15 v Northern Ireland (A) D1-1
08-Oct-15 v Faroe Islands (H) W2-1
11-Oct-15 v Greece (A) L3-4
Playoffs Won 3-1 on aggregate
12-Nov-15 v Norway (A) W1-0
15-Nov-15 v Norway (H) W2-1
Top scorers Dániel Böde, Krisztián Németh, Tamás Priskin (2)
Best performance Semi finals 1964, 1972
POT D
TURKEY
FIFA ranking 21
UEFA ranking 22
Head coach Fatih Terim (since August 2013)
Captain Arda Turan
Qualifying results Third place in Group A (W5 D3 L2 F14 A9 Pts 18)
09-Sep-14 v Iceland (A) L0-3
10-Oct-14 v Czech Republic (H) L1-2
13-Oct-14 v Latvia (A) D1-1
16-Nov-14 v Kazakhstan (H) W3-1
28-Mar-15 v Netherlands (A) D1-1
12-Jun-15 v Kazakhstan (A) W1-0
03-Sep-15 v Latvia (H) D1-1
06-Sep-15 v Netherlands (H) W3-0
10-Oct-15 v Czech Republic (A) W2-0
13-Oct-15 v Iceland (H) W1-0
Top scorer Burak Yilmaz (4)
Best performance Semi finals 2008
IRELAND
FIFA ranking 31
UEFA ranking 23
Head coach Martin O'Neill (since November 2013)
Captain Robbie Keane
Qualifying results Third place in Group D (W5 D3 L2 F19 A7 Pts 18)
07-Sep-14 v Georgia (A) W2-1
11-Oct-14 v Gibraltar (H) W7-0
14-Oct-14 v Germany (A) D1-1
14-Nov-14 v Scotland (A) L0-1
29-Mar-15 v Poland (H) D1-1
13-Jun-15 v Scotland (H) D1-1
04-Sep-15 v Gibraltar (A) W4-0
07-Sep-15 v Georgia (H) W1-0
08-Oct-15 v Germany (H) W1-0
11-Oct-15 v Poland (A) L1-2
Playoff Won 3-1 on aggregate
13-Nov-15 v Bosnia-Herzegovina (A) D1-1
16-Nov-15 v Bosnia-Herzegovina (H) W2-0
Top scorer Robbie Keane, Jonathan Walters (5)
Best performance Group stage 1988, 2012
ICELAND
FIFA ranking 36
UEFA ranking 27
Head coaches Lars Lagerbäck and Heimir Hallgrímsson
(since October 2011)
Captain Eiður Guðjohnsen
Qualifying results Runners-up of Group A (W6 D2 L2 F17 A6 Pts 20)
09-Sep-14 v Turkey (H) W3-0
10-Oct-14 v Latvia (A) W3-0
13-Oct-14 v Netherlands (H) W2-0
16-Nov-14 v Czech Republic (A) L1-2
28-Mar-15 v Kazakhstan (A) W3-0
12-Jun-15 v Czech Republic (H) W2-1
03-Sep-15 v Netherlands (A) W1-0
06-Sep-15 v Kazakhstan (H) D0-0
10-Oct-15 v Latvia (H) D2-2
13-Oct-15 v Turkey (A) L0-1
Top scorer Gylfi Sigurðsson (6)
Best performance Never previously qualified
WALES
FIFA ranking 17
UEFA ranking 28
Head coach Chris Coleman (since January 2012)
Captain Ashley Williams
Qualifying results Runners-up of Group B (W6 D3 L1 F11 A4 Pts 21)
09-Sep-14 v Andorra (A) W2-1
10-Oct-14 v Bosnia-Herzegovina (H) D0-0
13-Oct-14 v Cyprus (H) W2-1
16-Nov-14 v Belgium (A) D0-0
28-Mar-15 v Israel (A) W3-0
12-Jun-15 v Belgium (H) W1-0
03-Sep-15 v Cyprus (A) W1-0
06-Sep-15 v Israel (H) D0-0
10-Oct-15 v Bosnia-Herzegovina (A) L0-2
13-Oct-15 v Andorra (H) W2-0
Top scorer Gareth Bale (7)
Best performance Never previously qualified
ALBANIA
FIFA ranking 38
UEFA ranking 31
Head coach Gianni De Biasi (since December 2011)
Captain Lorik Cana
Qualifying results Runners-up of Group I (W4 D2 L2 F10 A5 Pts 14)
07-Sep-14 v Portugal (A) W1-0
11-Oct-14 v Denmark (H) D1-1
14-Oct-14 v Serbia (A) W3-0 (awarded)
29-Mar-15 v Armenia (H) W2-1
04-Sep-15 v Denmark (A) D0-0
07-Sep-15 v Portugal (H) L0-1
08-Oct-15 v Serbia (H) L0-2
11-Oct-15 v Armenia (A) W3-0
Top scorers Bekim Balaj, Berat Djimsiti, Shkëlzen Gashi, Ermir Lenjani, Mërgim Mavraj, Armando Sadiku, own goal (1)
Best performance Never previously qualified
NORTHERN IRELAND
FIFA ranking 30
UEFA ranking 33
Head coach Michael O'Neill (since December 2011)
Captain Steven Davis
Qualifying results Winners of Group F (W6 D3 L1 F16 A8 Pts 21)
07-Sep-14 v Hungary (A) W2-1
11-Oct-14 v Faroe Islands (H) W2-0
14-Oct-14 v Greece (A) W2-0
14-Nov-14 v Romania (A) L0-2
29-Mar-15 v Finland (H) W2-1
13-Jun-15 v Romania (H) D0-0
04-Sep-15 v Faroe Islands (A) W3-1
07-Sep-15 v Hungary (H) D1-1
08-Oct-15 v Greece (H) W3-1
11-Oct-15 v Finland (A) D1-1
Top scorer Kyle Lafferty (7)
Best performance Never previously qualified
NOTES
- FIFA ranking refers to December 2015 release
- UEFA ranking determined by performance at Euro 2012, World Cup 2014 and qualification for Euro 2016
- Top scorer figures refer to Euro 2016 qualifying games only
- Best performance: Germany includes record of West Germany; Russia includes record of Soviet Union; Czech Republic includes record of Czechoslovakia
