Qualifiers await Nyon draw

Eight countries progressed on Wednesday to complete the 14-team lineup for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-offs. The draw for the seven two-legged ties will take place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon on Friday at 13.00CET.

October dates
The 14 sides that won their groups are: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Spain, Serbia, Belgium, Italy, Russia, Portugal, England, Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden, Bulgaria, Israel, France. The nations will be split into two pots, with half seeded according to their performance in the qualifying-round groups, for the games scheduled for 7/8 and 10/11 October. The draw will be conducted by Giorgio Marchetti, UEFA Director of Professional Football.

Final in Groningen
The seven victors from these ties will join the hosts and title-holders, the Netherlands, in the hat for the final tournament at the City Hall in Arnhem - one of four finals venues along with Heerenveen, Groningen and Nijmegen - starting at 18.00CET on 24 November. Group matches will provisionally be played between 10 and 17 June 2007, with Heerenveen and Arnhem staging a semi-final apiece three days later. The final will be on Saturday 23 June at FC Groningen's 20,000-capacity Euroborg.

Olympic qualification
The finals will also serve as a qualifying event for the 2008 Olympic football tournament, with four European teams set to progress to Peking.