The Euro 2020 Qualifying Competition – Which Home Nations’ Teams Will Make It Through?

Devotees of the beautiful game have plenty of international action to look forward to over the course of the following week, as the final two rounds of Euro 2020 qualifying matches will be taking place. So, who will the home nations be playing and what do they have to achieve if they want to secure places in the main tournament?

Can England Finish First in Group A?

Gareth Southgate’s team need just one more point from their next two games in order to qualify automatically. However, if they want to progress as group winners, they’ll need to earn a further three points. The first of their final qualifying ties takes place tonight: they’ll play Montenegro at Wembley Stadium, with kick-off set for 19.45. They’ll then take on Kosovo at the Pristina City Stadium on Sunday, with the match commencing at 17.00.

Can Northern Ireland Beat the Odds to Secure a Place in the Finals?

Northern Ireland, who are third in Group C, will be playing the Netherlands, the group leader, on Saturday. The match will take place at Windsor Park, in Belfast, at 19.45. Their final qualifying match will be against Germany at Frankfurt’s Commerzbank Arena on Tuesday 19 November, at 19.45. Realistically, if Northern Ireland want to have a chance of winning the Euro 2020 football trophy, they’ll need to beat both of these opponents, or beat one and hope that the second is defeated in their other match.

Will Ireland Triumph Against Denmark Next Week?

The Republic of Ireland are currently leading Group D, but their closest rivals, Denmark and Switzerland have a game in hand. Mick McCarthy’s men have just one more qualifying match to play and will need win it to be certain that there’ll be a place for them in the tournament proper. They will have the home advantage in their match against the Danes, however, which kicks off at 19.45 on Monday 18 November at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Will Scotland’s Performances Restore Some National Pride?

Unfortunately, Scotland won’t be able to qualify for the tournament finals via this route, as Belgium and Russia have already done enough to go through from Group I. However, that doesn’t mean that all hope of them winning the European Championship trophy is lost. By winning their group in this year’s Nations League competition, they earned a spot in the Euro 2020 play-offs, in which four tournament places are up for grabs. In the meantime, they’ll be playing Cyprus at the GSP Stadium in Strovolos on Saturday 16 November at 14.00, before taking on Kazakhstan at Hampden Park at 19.45 three days later.

Can Wales Put in Back-To-Back Winning Performances?

Ryan Giggs’ men are in fourth position on the Group E table, but have played one game fewer than the first and second-placed teams, Croatia and Hungary. They’ll be heading to the Bakcell Arena in Baku on Saturday 16 November to take on Azerbaijan (17.00). Their final qualifier, against Hungary, will take place at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday 19 November and will kick off at 19.45. Wales may need to win both ties in order to qualify, with Slovakia securing four points or less. However, depending upon the other results within the group, the Dragons could make through without defeating both teams.

Which home nations’ teams do you think will make it through the 2020 European Championships? Share your views on the final qualifying ties with us on Facebook or Twitter.