EURO 2004™ fixtures decided

The fixture draw for four EURO 2004™ qualification groups took place this morning at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon.

Failure to agree
The failure of the countries in Groups 2, 3, 6 and 7 to agree on fixture lists before the 25 March deadline prompted UEFA to decide the schedules by means of today’s draw. The six other groups finalised their fixture lists by mutual agreement.

Turkey's showdown with England
Lars-Åke Lagrell, chairman of UEFA's National Teams Committee, conducted the draw and one fixture which stood out immediately was the final Group 7 match between Turkey and England in October 2003, which could decide the winner of the group. England had wanted to avoid playing Turkey in their last match.

All-Scandinavian opener
Group 2, where Romania had not wanted Norway and Denmark to meet in their final match, opens with an all-Scandinavian affair in September, while in Group 3 the Czech Republic finish their home fixtures with a potentially decisive match against the Netherlands in September 2003 - the side who beat them in their opening match at EURO 2000™. Spain, who start their Group 6 campaign away to Greece in September also have a tough second away assignment, in Ukraine next March. They meet Ukraine again in their last home match in September 2003.

Group 2 - Norway, Denmark, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Romania, Luxembourg
2002 - 7/8 September: Norway v Denmark, Bosnia-Herzegovina v Romania ; 12/13 October: Denmark v Luxembourg, Romania v Norway; 15/16 October: Norway v Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luxembourg v Romania.
2003 - 29/30 March: Bosnia-Herzegovina v Luxembourg, Romania v Denmark; 1/2 April: Luxembourg v Norway, Denmark v Bosnia;  7/8 June: Denmark v Norway, Romania v Bosnia-Herzegovina; 10/11 June: Luxembourg v Denmark, Norway v Romania; 6/7 September: Bosnia-Herzegovina v Norway, Romania v Luxembourg; 9/10 September: Luxembourg v Bosnia-Herzegovina, Denmark v Romania; 11/12 October: Norway v Luxembourg, Bosnia-Herzegovina v Denmark.

Group 3 - Austria, Moldova, The Netherlands, Belarus, Czech Republic
2002 - 7/8 September: Austria v Moldova, The Netherlands v Belarus; 12/13 October: Moldova v Czech Republic, Belarus v Austria; 15/16 October: Austria v The Netherlands, Czech Republic v Belarus.
2003 - 29/30 March: The Netherlands v Czech Republic, Belarus v Moldova; 1/2 April: Czech Republic v Austria, Moldova v The Netherlands; 7/8 June: Moldova v Austria, Belarus v The Netherlands; 10/11 June: Czech Republic v Moldova, Austria v Belarus; 6/7 September: The Netherlands v Austria, Belarus v Czech Republic; 9/10 September: Czech Republic v The Netherlands, Moldova v Belarus; 11/12 October: Austria v Czech Republic, The Netherlands v Moldova.

Group 6 - Greece, Spain, Armenia, Ukraine, Northern Ireland
2002 - 7/8 September: Greece v Spain, Armenia v Ukraine; 12/13 October: Spain v Northern Ireland, Ukraine v Greece; 15/16 October: Greece v Armenia, Northern Ireland v Ukraine.
2003 - 29/30 March: Armenia v Northern Ireland, Ukraine v Spain;  1/2 April: Northern Ireland v Greece, Spain v Armenia; 7/8 June: Spain v Greece, Ukraine v Armenia; 10/11 June: Northern Ireland v Spain, Greece v Ukraine; 6/7 September: Armenia v Greece, Ukraine v Northern Ireland; 9/10 September: Northern Ireland v Armenia, Spain v Ukraine; 11/12 October: Greece v Northern Ireland, Armenia v Spain.

Group 7 - Turkey, Slovakia, Liechtenstein, F.Y.R. Macedonia, England
2002 - 7/8 September: Turkey v Slovakia, Liechtenstein v F.Y.R. Macedonia; 12/13 October: Slovakia v England, F.Y.R. Macedonia v Turkey; 15/16 October: Turkey v Liechtenstein, England v F.Y.R. Macedonia.
2003 - 29/30 March: Liechtenstein v England, F.Y.R. Macedonia v Slovakia; 1/2 April: England v Turkey, Slovakia v Liechtenstein; 7/8 June: Slovakia v Turkey, F.Y.R. Macedonia v Liechtenstein; 10/11 June: England v Slovakia, Turkey v F.Y.R. Macedonia; 6/7 September: Liechtenstein v Turkey, F.Y.R. Macedonia v England; 9/10 September: England v Liechtenstein, Slovakia v F.Y.R. Macedonia; 11/12 October: Turkey v England, Liechtenstein v Slovakia.