Home affairs: All five British Isles teams can still reach Euro 2020 and lend tournament a distinctly British flavour
For a tournament that is supposed to be pan-continental there is already a distinctly British flavour to next summer’s European Championship.
Of 51 matches, 10 will be staged in London or Glasgow, with Wembley hosting both semi-finals and the final.
But the Britishness could yet go up several notches, with all five British Isles teams still in contention to qualify.
Read more: Why England’s rivals will be taking note
Only twice before have four made it to the same major international tournament; only once – in 1958 – have all four Home Nations done so.
How many make it to Euro 2020 will be determined over the next two months, starting with the resumption of qualifiers this week.
England
England, who host Bulgaria tomorrow at Wembley and Kosovo on Tuesday in Southampton, look all but certain to reach the 24-team finals.
They sit top of Group A, above rivals who have played more games, having begun their campaign with back-to-back five-goal victories over the Czech Republic and Montenegro.
With the first two in each group assured of a place in November’s draw, it would take a monumental reversal in fortunes to fall behind the Czechs and Kosovo, currently second and third.
Even in that unlikely event, England would have a second chance to qualify via the play-offs next March, by virtue of having won their Nations League group.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland are, perhaps surprisingly, the Home Nation currently best placed to join England at the finals.
Michael O’Neill’s side sit proudly above both Germany and Holland atop Group C, having plundered maximum points from their four qualifying matches so far.
The bad news is that they are still to face the Germans and the Dutch, who both have games in hand on them. Jogi Low’s men visit Windsor Park on Monday.
Republic of Ireland
Mick McCarthy’s Republic of Ireland are also sitting pretty at the summit of Group D.
The Swiss and Denmark are their chief rivals for a top-two finish and, again, both have games in hand on the Irish.
But the Republic, who reached the last 16 in France three years ago, have put themselves in a strong position to reach a third successive European Championship.
Wales
Euro 2016 semi-finalists Wales face perhaps the toughest task of the British Isles teams.
They lie fourth of five teams in Group E, behind leaders Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia, on three points after three games.
More positively, they have already played their two most daunting fixtures, away to Hungary and Croatia, and lost only narrowly on each occasion.
Tonight’s visit of whipping boys Azerbaijan to Cardiff is a must-win if they are to get back on track for only a third major tournament in the team’s history.
Scotland
Scotland, too, have some catching up to do after a slow start to Group I, which included a 3-0 defeat to Kazakhstan.
Alex McLeish paid the price for that embarrassing result and Steve Clarke replaced him in May, leading his new charges to a win over Cyprus on debut followed by a loss to runaway group leaders Belgium.
Scotland’s challenge is to catch the other teams ahead of them, Kazakhstan and Russia, who visit tonight in a six-pointer.
With Clarke at the helm and Liverpool’s Andy Robertson, Manchester United’s Scott McTominay, Aston Villa’s John McGinn and Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser making their mark in the Premier League, there is a sense that years of decline could be in reverse at last.
And should they fail to qualify from their group, they would be guaranteed a second chance via the play-offs.
With Hampden Park set to host three group games, Scotland – like all the British Isles nations – can look forward to the next best thing to a home tournament if they can reach the tournament proper.
Main image credit: Getty