Euro 2024 qualifying play-offs: Draw, fixture dates and how it works as Wales face tough challenge to join England in Germany
The make-or-break Euro 2024 qualifying play-offs are coming up soon as Wales strive to reach this summer's showpiece tournament.
Twelve countries still stand a chance of making it to UEFA's premier international event, and they are now in a play-off situation.
It's a really tough scenario and only three sides will be successful, leaving nine heartbroken nations.
Unlike all previous Euro qualifiers, the 12 teams were selected based on their Nations League performances.
The group winners from all divisions in Leagues A, B, and C were automatically guaranteed a place in this play-off draw.
However, if they had already qualified, it passed down to the next best-ranked side.
League D were not meant to have any nation in the play-offs, but because fewer than four teams entered from one league, Estonia, the top-ranked side in D, got a place.
This new system has seen Norway, Sweden, and Montenegro miss out despite finishing third in their Euro 2024 qualifying groups.
Estonia ended up at the bottom of theirs and got a place, while Georgia were fourth.
Therefore, this new system adds importance to the Nations League and turns Euro qualifying into a straight shootout for a top-two spot.
The draw for the play-off semi-finals has been already made, which means that each team knows their potential route to Germany.
All of the semi-final games will take place on Thursday, March 21.
There will then be three play-off finals and they will be on Tuesday, March 26, with the winner from each advancing to Euro 2024.
Wales have been handed a tough test, but it could have been worse.
For one, they are at home for their semi-final game against Finland, and should they win that, they will be at home for the final, which would see them play either Poland or
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