AFP, Dublin :
The eyes of European football on Sunday turn to Dublin for the Euro 2020 qualifying draw with 12 nations handed the extra incentive of home advantage should they make it to the 24-team tournament in two years time for the first time.
Amsterdam, Baku, Bilbao, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Glasgow, London, Munich, Rome and Saint Petersburg are the 12 cities that will host matches across the continent to celebrate the 60th anniversary since the first European Championships. The draw in the Irish capital (1100GMT) will see UEFA’s 55 nations split into 10 groups with the top two in each section making up the first 20 teams to qualify.
However, a maximum of two of the hosts nations can be paired together in each group to give all 12 the chance of experiencing a home tournament with a guarantee of at least two home games in the group stages.
England stand to gain most from home advantage with both semi-finals and the final, as well as three group games and a last 16 tie set to be played at Wembley.
The Three Lions have enjoyed arguably their best year since winning the World Cup on home soil in 1966 as Gareth Southgate’s side reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia and then beat Spain and Croatia to reach the inaugural finals of the Nations League next summer.
