HAMBURG, Germany — Defending champion Italy was drawn in a troublesome group on the 2024 European Championship with two-time winner Spain, 2022 World Cup semifinalist Croatia and Albania on Saturday.

Italy, the Euro 2020 winner, formed as essentially the most troublesome choice from the draw pot of lowest-ranked groups and so it proved.

Italy beat Spain - the back-to-back title winner in 2008 and 2012 - within the semifinals to win that title.

The draw ensured the opposite Euro 2020 semifinal additionally can be a rematch in Germany subsequent 12 months. England will once more face Denmark, which it beat to succeed in the ultimate. Their group additionally consists of Slovenia and Serbia.

France, the World Cup finalist a 12 months in the past, was drawn with Austria, the Netherlands - which the French beat twice in a qualifying group this 12 months - and the winner of a playoff bracket in March involving Poland, Estonia, Wales and Finland.

Germany, on a run of poor outcomes, will open its residence event towards Scotland on June 14 at Bayern Munich’s stadium. The group consists of Hungary and Switzerland.

Germany misplaced six of its 13 friendlies this 12 months and won't play a aggressive recreation till going through Scotland to start out the month-long event.

Portugal, nonetheless led by Cristiano Ronaldo, was the one staff to come back via qualifying teams with an ideal profitable file and can play Turkey, the Czech Republic and the playoff winner from Georgia, Luxembourg, Euro 2004 champion Greece, and Kazakhstan.

Belgium was grouped with Romania, Slovakia, and the playoff winner from Israel, Iceland, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ukraine. That playoff bracket may see a ultimate between Ukraine and Israel with a spot at Euro 2024 at stake.

Just 21 of the 24 event groups are confirmed, with three placeholders within the draw for the eventual winners of qualifying playoffs. The 12 groups in three knockout brackets will play single-leg semifinals and finals from March 21-26.

The draw was made at a waterside live performance corridor within the northern port metropolis Hamburg, and was disrupted by unexplained noises clearly heard on stage and within the worldwide broadcast.

Hamburg is amongst 10 cities that may host the 51 video games, and solely Düsseldorf’s stadium was not additionally used on the 2006 World Cup.

The ultimate is on July 14 on the Olympic Stadium in Berlin which additionally staged the ultimate in 2006.

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