Euro 2016: Holders Spain draw Czechs, England and Wales paired together

DEFENDING champions Spain, bidding for their third successive European title, were drawn in the same group on Saturday as Czech Republic, Turkey and Croatia for next year’s Euro 2016 finals.

Hosts France will open the championship on June 10 against Romania in Paris. The other teams in their group are Albania and Switzerland.

World champions Germany were grouped with Ukraine, Poland and Northern Ireland in Group C. Germany meet Ukraine in their opener in Lille on June 12.

England and Wales will meet for the first time in a major tournament after they were drawn in the same group for Euro 2016.

Roy Hodgson’s men take on Chris Coleman’s side on Thursday June 16 in Lens in what will be the teams’ second match in Group B.

It was the draw Coleman had been hoping to avoid, but Russia and Slovakia are the other opponents in the group meaning the most daunting rivals had been avoided.

Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland side were drawn in Group E, which looks to be the toughest in terms of the path to the knock-out rounds, with Belgium, who are currently top of the FIFA world rankings, Sweden and Italy.

England kick off their campaign in Marseille on Saturday, June 11 against Russia, meet Wales five days later, and end the group against Slovakia in St Etienne on Monday, June 20.

Marseille, Lens, and St Etienne were also the venues for three of England’s matches in the 1998 World Cup in France, memorable for goals by Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Michael Owen.

The first round of the Euro 2016 finals in France will comprise the following six four-team groups following the draw made at the Palais des Congress yesterday:

Group A – France, Romania, Albania, Switzerland;

Group B – England, Russia, Wales, Slovakia;

Group C – Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Northern Ireland;

Group D – Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey, Croatia;

Group E – Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Sweden;

Group F – Portugal, Iceland, Austria, Hungary.

The top two teams in each group and the four best runners-up advance to the last 16. The finals begin on June 10 with France and Romania and end with the final in Paris on July 10.

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