No Free Pass: EURO 2028 hosts will be required to qualify for UEFA showpiece

May 22 – In a dramatic break from tradition, UEFA European Championship hosts will need to qualify for EURO 2028, meaning joint-organisers England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland could face the unprecedented scenario of missing their own tournament.

This marks the first time in EUROs history that host nations aren’t granted automatic qualification. UEFA’s revised protocols establish a complex qualification pathway:

12 qualifying groups will determine group winners...