The European football world is shaken by an unexpected UEFA decision. After changing rules that were believed to be untouchable, such as the abolition of the goal outside during direct elimination meetings, the leading body of continental football has just announced another major revolution. An immutable rule, however deeply rooted in the habits of international football, was radically reviewed by UEFA. This change is likely to have considerable consequences, especially on the next international competitions.
This revolutionary rule concerns the automatic qualification of host countries to international competitions. From now on, being an organizer of a large tournament as the euro no longer guarantees direct participation. UEFA has just confirmed that for Euro 2028, jointly organized by England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, no host nation will be qualified. A real first that completely upsets the tradition has always established in international football.
England and Scotland will have to whip to participate in their Euro.
Concretely, the four organizing countries will have to qualify via the classic eliminatory phase, disputed in 12 groups of four or five teams. UEFA provides only a small concession: the two best unqualified host countries directly will be drafted, while the last two places will be allocated via dams between the second of groups. This new system therefore requires organizing countries to be competitive from the qualifications, under penalty of missing their own tournament at home.
UEFA changes a rule that was believed to be engraved in marble
This announcement will certainly arouse concern among the nations concerned, including Wales, Scotland or Ireland, often confronted with difficult qualifications. Even England, a finalist of the previous euro, agreed to participate in these qualifiers to preserve his competitive pace. If one of these nations failed in its quest for qualification, this would constitute a nightmarish scenario for UEFA and the host country, forced to welcome a tournament of which it would be a spectator.
This radical modification obviously risks dividing. On the one hand, UEFA seeks to guarantee maximum sports equity, no longer exceptions for organizing countries. On the other, the countries concerned could consider themselves injured by this abolition of a privilege considered until then to be legitimate. But anyway, European leaders assume their choice and intend to apply this revolution from Euro 2028, even if it means having to manage some frustrations in passing.
