Uefa Euro 2008 Qualifying

UEFA used the 2005 UEFA national team coefficient to rank the teams according to their results in both UEFA Euro 2004 and 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification. Only the group matches counted towards the coefficients. As defending champions, Greece were automatically seeded in the top pool. Since Portugal hosted and automatically qualified for UEFA Euro 2004, the coefficient factored in only their 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification record. Similarly, Germany's coefficient factored only their UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying record, since they hosted and automatically qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan never competed in the European Championships previously, so the coefficient used only their World Cup record. Montenegro had not been admitted to UEFA/FIFA at the time the qualifying competition had started, and thus were ineligible.

The draw took place on 27 January 2006 in Montreux, Switzerland.

Austria (1,333) and Switzerland (1,833) were already assured of places at Euro 2008 as host nations.

Pot 1 Team Coeff Rank   Greece (title holders) 1,950 13   Netherlands 2,550 1   Portugal 2,500 2   England 2,500 3   Czech Republic 2,450 4   France 2,444 5   Sweden 2,278 6	Pot 2 Team Coeff Rank   Germany 2,250 7   Croatia 2,222 8   Italy 2,222 9   Turkey 2,100 10   Poland 2,056 11   Spain 2,056 12   Romania 1,950 14	Pot 3 Team Coeff Rank   Serbia and Montenegro 1,889 15   Russia 1,850 16   Denmark 1,850 17   Norway 1,778 18   Bulgaria 1,778 19   Ukraine 1,750 20   Slovakia 1,650 21
Pot 4 Team Coeff Rank   Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,611 22   Republic of Ireland 1,556 23   Belgium 1,556 24   Latvia 1,550 25   Israel 1,500 26   Scotland 1,500 27   Slovenia 1,444 28	Pot 5 Team Coeff Rank   Hungary 1,389 29   Finland 1,300 30   Estonia 1,250 31   Wales 1,167 32   Lithuania 1,111 33   Albania 0,944 34   Iceland 0,850 35	Pot 6 Team Coeff Rank   Georgia 0,850 36   Macedonia 0,750 37   Belarus 0,722 38   Armenia 0,700 39   Northern Ireland 0,667 40   Cyprus 0,667 41   Moldova 0,611 42
Pot 7 Team Coeff Rank   Liechtenstein 0,450 43   Azerbaijan 0,389 44   Andorra 0,250 45   Malta 0,222 46   Faroe Islands 0,111 47   Kazakhstan 0,083 48   Luxembourg 0,000 49   San Marino 0,000 50

If two or more teams were equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following criteria were applied to determine the rankings:

1. Higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question
2. Superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question
3. Higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question
4. Higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question
5. If, after applying criteria 1) to 4) to several teams, two or more teams still had an equal ranking, the criteria 1) to 4) was reapplied to determine the ranking of these teams. If this procedure did not lead to a decision, criteria 6) and 7) applied;
6. Results of all group matches: 1. Superior goal difference 2. Higher number of goals scored 3. Higher number of goals scored away from home 4. Fair play conduct
7. Drawing of lots

The qualifying process started in August 2006. Austria and Switzerland were automatically granted places in the tournament finals as the host nations.

The qualifying format had been changed from the previous tournament: the respective winners and runners-up from seven groups would automatically qualify for the finals, alongside the host nations. Therefore, there were no play-offs between the runners-up of the groups. Group A contained eight teams, while the other six groups each contained seven.

As the official successor of the previous football association, Serbia inherited the position originally allotted to Serbia and Montenegro in Group A prior to the dissolution of the state union. Montenegro were granted UEFA membership after qualifying had started and thus were not able to participate in this European Championship.

Group A

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Poland	14	8	4	2	24	12	+12	28	Qualify for final tournament		—	2–1	1–1	1–3	2–0	3–1	1–0	5–0
2	Portugal	14	7	6	1	24	10	+14	27			2–2	—	1–1	0–0	4–0	3–0	1–0	3–0
3	Serbia	14	6	6	2	22	11	+11	24			2–2	1–1	—	0–0	1–0	1–0	3–0	1–0
4	Finland	14	6	6	2	13	7	+6	24			0–0	1–1	0–2	—	2–0	2–1	1–0	2–1
5	Belgium	14	5	3	6	14	16	−2	18			0–1	1–2	3–2	0–0	—	0–0	3–0	3–0
6	Kazakhstan	14	2	4	8	11	21	−10	10			0–1	1–2	2–1	0–2	2–2	—	1–2	1–1
7	Armenia	12	2	3	7	4	13	−9	9			1–0	1–1	0–0	0–0	0–1	0–1	—	Canc.
8	Azerbaijan	12	1	2	9	6	28	−22	5			1–3	0–2	1–6	1–0	0–1	1–1	Canc.	—