England manager Gareth Southgate now knows all the opponents around him in the group stage of next year’s European Championship.
Despite being moved to 2021 – still called Euro 2020, the tournament is set to begin in June next year, 12 months after it was initially planned.
Despite the coronavirus epidemic spreading in Europe, the UEFA has not changed its plans for the championship to be held in cities across the continent.
On Thursday, when England easily beat Ireland 3-0 in a friendly, Scotland and Serbia reached penalties in their play-offs as they fought for a place in the group of three lions.
In the end it was Scotland who won 5-4 on penalties as they qualified for their first major tournament since the 1998 World Cup.
England’s Euro 2020 group
England have drawn in Group D. The full group is:
England
Croatia
Czech Republic
Scotland
(Photo: Getty Images by Paul / AFP)
This means that for the first time since the Euros, England and Scotland will face each other in a major tournament, with Alan Shearer header and Paul Gascoigne’s famous volley giving the Lions a 2-0 victory.
Wales is on the side of other home nations in Euro 2020; Ryan Giggs has been drawn in Group A with Italy, Switzerland and Turkey.
Northern Ireland lost 2-1 to Slovakia after extra time in the final of their game.
England’s Euro 2020 fixtures
(Image: Pool by REUTERS)
All three of England’s Euro 2020 group stage fixtures will be played at Wembley.
Dates are:
England v Croatia – Sunday 13 June 2021, 2 p.m.
England v Scotland – Friday 18 June 2021, 8pm
Czech Republic vs. England – Tuesday 22 June 2021, 8 p.m.
If England had won Group D, they would have played the second-placed team in Group F, the ‘Death of Death’ of the tournament, which includes France, Germany and Portugal.
That match will be in Dublin on Tuesday 29 June.
If England are in second place, they will play the winner of June E – one of Poland, Spain, Sweden or Slovakia – in Copenhagen on Monday 28 June.
The final is to be played at Wembley on Sunday 11 July.
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