Qualifying for UEFA Euro 1996 took place throughout 1994 and 1995. Forty-seven teams were divided into eight groups, with each team playing the others in their group both home and away. The winners of each group and the six best runners-up qualified automatically, while the two worst runners-up were involved in a play-off at a neutral venue. England qualified automatically as hosts of the event.
This was the first European Championship qualifying phase in which three points were awarded for each win, as opposed to the two points that had been awarded previously.
From the former Soviet Union: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
From the former Czechoslovakia: Czech Republic and Slovakia
From the former Yugoslavia: Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia
Liechtenstein
This was also the first UEFA Euro qualifying appearance for Estonia, Israel, Latvia and Lithuania.
Initially Czech Republic were in Pool 2 and Wales in Pool 3. Slovakia were initially in Pool 4, before being replaced by Macedonia and put into Pool 5 in place of Luxembourg who were moved down to Pool 6.
If two or more teams finished level on points after completion of the group matches, the following tiebreakers were used to determine the final ranking:[2]
Higher number of points obtained in the matches played among the teams in question;
Superior goal difference in matches played among the teams in question;
Higher number of goals scored away from home in the matches played among the teams in question;
Superior goal difference in all group matches;
Higher number of goals scored in all group matches;
Higher number of away goals scored in all group matches;
Fair play conduct in all group matches (1 point for a single yellow card, 3 points for a red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for a direct red card, 4 points for a yellow card followed by a direct red card).
The runners-up of each of the eight groups were ranked in a table to decide which seven of them would qualify. The best six runners-up would qualify automatically, while the two worst would compete in a play-off at a neutral venue to determine the final qualifier. Only games against teams ranked first, third and fourth in the group counted for the purpose of this ranking.
Source: RSSSF Rules for classification: Counting only matches against teams ranked first to fourth in the group, 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Away goals scored; 5) Drawing of lots.
The bottom two runners-up, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands, took part in a play-off on a neutral ground, Anfield, to determine the last team to qualify for the final tournament.