The play-offs determine the final seven teams that qualify for the final tournament and are played over two rounds.[2][3]
In the first round, the eight teams finishing third and fourth in League A will be seeded, and drawn into ties against the five group winners and three best-ranked runners-up in League C. The eight winners progress to the second round.
In addition the group winners, runners-up and third-placed teams in League B (except Switzerland) will participate in the first round (i.e. the 12 best-ranked League B teams). The six higher-ranked of those teams will be seeded and drawn into ties against the six lower-ranked teams. The six winners progress to the next round.[3][4]
Switzerland, competing in League B, are guaranteed a spot in the final tournament as hosts, and therefore will not participate in the play-offs. Since they will finish in the top three places in their group, then the best-ranked fourth-placed team (i.e. the team ranked 13th in League B) will also qualify for the first round.[4]
In the second round, the teams from both paths come together and are drawn into seven ties. The winners of the first round ties involving the seven highest-ranked teams, according to the 2024–25 European Qualifiers overall ranking, will be seeded in the second round[note 1] and drawn against the seven remaining winners from the first round.[2]
The seven winners of these ties progress to the final tournament in Switzerland.
Both rounds of the play-offs are played according to the knockout system, with each team playing its opponent twice, once at home and once away. The team that scores more goals on aggregate is the winner. If the aggregate score is level, extra time is played (the away goals rule is not applied). If the score remains level after extra time, a penalty shoot-out is used to decide the winner.[2]
In both rounds, the seeded teams will play the second leg of their ties at home.[2]
The play-off draw for both rounds is expected to take place on 19 July 2024.[3]
For the first round draw, the League A teams will be seeded and drawn into eight ties against the League C teams. In addition the six best-ranked League B teams will be seeded and drawn against the six lower-ranked teams.[2][3]
For the second round draw, which will take place before the winners of the first round are known, the first round pairings involving the seven highest-ranked teams, according to the 2024–25 European Qualifiers overall ranking, will be seeded[note 1] and drawn against the seven remaining pairings from the first round.[2]
^ abThe seven highest-ranked teams in the playoffs will all be from League A. If one of those teams loses to a League C team in the first round, that League C team will be seeded in the second round, as the winner of the first round tie involving one of the top seven teams. (Regulations Article 27.05b)[2]
^CEST for matches before 27 October 2024, CET for all matches thereafter.
