England denied automatic qualification for Euro 2028 after UEFA rule change | OneFootball

England will not receive an automatic place at the 2028 European Championship, even though they’re one of four co-hosts for the tournament, according to talkSPORT.

Euro 2028 will be hosted across England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, with matches taking place in several major stadiums. 

England will stage 32 matches, making it the tournament’s biggest host. Despite that role, UEFA has decided that all four host nations must take part in the normal qualifying campaign. 

The Three Lions will be placed into one of 12 qualifying groups alongside the other competing nations, although the four hosts will be kept in separate groups.

The qualification format will follow the normal rules, with group winners and runners-up earning a place in the tournament.

UEFA has also created two reserved qualification spots as a safety measure for host nations that fail to qualify through the regular process.

If only one or two host countries miss out during qualifying, those reserved places will be used to ensure they still reach the tournament.

However, if three or four hosts fail to qualify, those remaining places will be awarded based on overall qualifying performance rather than hosting status alone.

England aren’t expected to require that safety net, as they are one of the tournament favourites.

UEFA’s decision is completely different from FIFA’s plans for the 2030 World Cup. 

That tournament will be mainly hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each stage an opening match as part of the centenary celebrations.

All six nations have been granted automatic qualification, meaning Argentina have already secured a place despite only hosting a single match.