Euro 2028 Draw: France Seeded but Threatened by Strong Pot 3

France will be seeded in the Euro 2028 qualifying draw, scheduled for December 6 in Belfast, but this privileged status does not shield them from a demanding group.

Before this draw, Zinédine Zidane’s side have two more Ligue des Nations fixtures: an away trip to Milan to face Italy on November 12, followed by hosting Turkey in Bordeaux on November 15. These results will also determine the composition of the pots for the Belfast draw.

As a seeded team, France will avoid the top seeds from pot 1 — Spain, England, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Italy and presumably Norway. Pot 2 already contains serious opponents: Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Czech Republic, Wales or Turkey could find themselves in the same group as the Blues.

It is pot 3, however, that raises the main concerns. No fewer than seven nations that participated in Euro 2024 will be there: Ukraine, Scotland, Poland, Georgia with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Romania, Slovakia and Albania. An opponent from this pot could seriously complicate matters for the Blues.

To qualify, France must finish in the top two of their group. Euro 2028, dubbed “UEFA Euro 28 UK & Ireland”, will be held from June 9 to July 9 across nine designated stadiums: Wembley, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Etihad Stadium, Hill Dickinson Stadium, St James’ Park and Villa Park in England, as well as Hampden Park in Scotland, Principality Stadium in Wales and Aviva Stadium in Ireland.