The Euro 2016 qualifying draw took place on February 23, in the Acropolis Convention Center in Nice, France. All the competing countries got to know their opponents for the group stage.

      As a result of the draw, Russia entered Group G together with Sweden, Austria, Montenegro, Moldova and Lichtenstein.

      For the first time, the European Championship final tournament will be contested by 24 teams, having been expanded from the 16-team format that had been used since 1996. Fifty-three member associations will participate in the qualifying process for the tournament places, with Gibraltar taking part for the first time. Under the new format, two most effective teams from each of 9 groups will be qualifyed directly to the Euro 2016 knockout part, together with the best team among the third places in all groups. The other third-placed teams will be competing for the pass to the Euro's main part inter se.

      

      The full qualifying draw

      Group A: Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Iceland, Latvia, Turkey, Czech Republic

      Group B: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus, Andorra, Wales, Israel, Belgium

      Group C: Spain, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Belarus, Slovakia, Ukraine

      Group D: Germany, Gibraltar, Georgia, Scotland, Poland, Republic of Ireland

      Group E: England, San Marino, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Switzerland

      Group F: Greece, Faroe Islands, Northern Ireland, Finland, Romania, Hungary

      Group G: Russia, Lichtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, Austria, Sweden

      Group H: Italy, Malta, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Norway, Croatia

      Group I: Portugal, Albania, Armenia, Serbia, Denmark

      

      The qualifying matches will took place from September 2014 to November 2016. The main Euro 2016 championship will be held in 10 French cities from 10 June to 10 July 2016.