The UEFA Executive Committee convened today in Bilbao, Spain, and approved the qualifying system for UEFA EURO 2028, as well as finalized the distribution plan of financial benefits for clubs for the 2024–2028 cycle.
EURO 2028 Qualifying Format Confirmed
The 24-team tournament, to be held in the United Kingdom and Ireland, will follow a familiar structure. There will be 12 qualifying groups with four or five teams each. The 12 group winners and the eight best runners-up will qualify directly.
The host nations—England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales—will participate in the qualifiers and can secure automatic qualification if they do not qualify through the groups. Up to two places will be reserved for the best host nations that fail to qualify directly.
The remaining spots will be decided through a play-off phase featuring the highest-ranked teams from the Nations League and second-placed teams who did not qualify. The number of play-off matches will depend on how many places are used by the host nations.
The tournament schedule is expected to be published in autumn 2025, with the full regulations finalized by the end of that year.
244 Million Euro Package Approved for Club Benefits
UEFA also confirmed a club benefit program worth €244 million for the 2024–2028 period. This includes €7 million carried over from the previous cycle, of which €3 million will increase the benefit fund for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 from €6 million to €9 million.
The remaining amount will be split into two parts: €104 million for clubs releasing players for the Nations League and European qualifiers, and €140 million for clubs releasing players for EURO 2028.
Other Decisions
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Player lists for the 2025 Nations League Finals will be extended from 23 to 26 players.
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The program monitoring standing areas in stadiums will be extended for the 2025–26 season in the top ten UEFA-ranked federations.
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Zoran Laković has been appointed Deputy General Secretary of UEFA for Member Association Affairs and International Relations.
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The next UEFA Executive Committee meeting will be held on September 11, 2025, for the first time in Tirana.
