Women's Euro 2021 Qualifying Groups Drawn as Netherlands Look to Defend Title in England

The draw for the UEFA Women's Euro 2021 has been made, with a record number of countries now on the road for a place at the tournament in England in two years'

The draw for the UEFA Women's Euro 2021 has been made, with a record number of countries now on the road for a place at the tournament in England in two years' time.

With Cyprus and Kosovo joining the fold to compete in this competition for the first time ever, the 47 European nations were drawn into nine qualifying groups - A to I. Groups A and B contain six countries, with five in each of the remaining seven.

2019: #FIFAWWC, France
2020: #Tokyo2020, Tokyo
2021: #WEURO2021, ENGLANDDDDDDDDDDDD 🎉🎉🎉 pic.twitter.com/fGVI2d2oJ7

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) December 3, 2018

The nine group winners will automatically qualify for the finals, with the three best runners-up also securing an automatic ticket to England. The six remaining group runners-up will complete in two-legged playoffs for the final three places in the 16-team tournament.

Qualifying matches will begin in August 2019 and will continue until September 2020, with the final playoffs scheduled for October 2020. The finals will then commence in July 2021.

As hosts for the second time overall and first since 2005, England qualify automatically.

Qualifying Draw for UEFA Women's Euro 2021

Group A	Netherlands, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, Kosovo, Estonia
Group B	Italy, Denmark, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Israel, Malta, Georgia
Group C	Norway, Wales, Belarus, Northern Ireland, Faroe Islands
Group D	Spain, Czech Republic, Poland, Moldova, Azerbaijan
Group E	Scotland, Finland, Portugal, Albania, Cyprus
Group F	Sweden, Iceland, Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia
Group G	France, Austria, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia
Group H	Switzerland, Belgium, Romania, Croatia, Lithuania
Group I	Germany, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Greece, Montenegro

The last edition of the Women's Euros took place in 2017 and was won by the Netherlands, ending Germany's stranglehold of the competition after six straight wins dating back to 1995.

England reached the semi finals on that occasion and the Lionesses will be hoping that home advantage will help them reach a first European Championship final since 2009.