Will the DFB team get the hammer group or the group of death? The European Championship draw in the live ticker at ntv.de

All groups at a glance
Who does Germany have to compete against? – the European Championship draw in the live ticker

By Sebastian Schneider
December 2, 2023, 5:32 p.m

It won’t be long until the start of the European Football Championship, now things are becoming much more concrete: the preliminary round groups will be drawn in the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. Is the DFB team threatened with a hammer group or the group of death? We tick it live for you.

6:17 p.m.: Great legends enter the room. Every name immediately brings back great football memories. These include the Greek Angelos Charisteas and the Czech Tomáš Rosický. Sami Khedira is there for the DFB team.

6:15 p.m.: There’s the thing!!! Former Italian goalkeeping titan Gianluigi Buffon carries the European Championship trophy into the hall. He has fond memories of Germany, after all, they triumphed at the 2006 World Cup. “We will love this place forever,” he says.

6:12 p.m.: Applause in the Elphi, it’s still musical. But the actual draw is about to start.

6:00 p.m.: It starts in the Elbphilharmonie, Sedlaczek and Pinto open the show. Before lots are drawn, there will of course be music. Star tenor Jonas Kaufmann and star violinist David Garrett perform with the Federal Youth Orchestra, the Federal Jazz Orchestra and the Federal Youth Choir.

5:59 p.m.: The English national coach Gareth Southgate has also arrived in Hamburg. He has been in charge of the Three Lions for more than five years and they were never able to win a title during his era. But are the English around captain Harry Kane due this time? In the summer of 2021, they lost the European Championship final in the most dramatic way against Italy on penalties – and of all places at their home Wembley Stadium.

5:53 p.m.: Where will the games actually be played next summer? Ten cities – the so-called host cities – host the tournament. In order to keep travel distances as short as possible, the groups are organized into clusters. The DFB team will play their preliminary round in Munich, Stuttgart and Frankfurt am Main.

5:47 p.m.: Before the gala starts in the “Elphi”, here are the actors. There are a total of four pots, each with six teams. As hosts, Germany is placed in A1 and therefore cannot meet the other teams from the first pot in the preliminary round.

• Pot 1: Germany (placed as hosts at A1), Portugal, France, Spain, Belgium, England
• Pot 2: Hungary, Türkiye, Denmark, Albania, Romania, Austria
• Pot 3: Netherlands, Scotland, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic
• Pot 4: Italy, Serbia, Switzerland, winner Playoff A, winner Playoff B, winner Playoff C

A total of twelve nations still have a chance at the three playoff places; they are playing their participation in the European Championship in three small tournaments. Very few people understand who plays there and why – our colleague Kevin Schulte wrote it down for you.

5:43 p.m.: Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also bursting with anticipation, At least that’s what he writes on X. But what exactly is it about? About the really big show that RTL also broadcasts. In total, the European Championship draw lasts just under an hour, there is music, football stars and more tickets than ever before. For the first time, 24 teams are taking part in this European Championship, so there are chances for many third-place finishers – perhaps the DFB team too? – Reaching the knockout round was extremely good. The two presenters Esther Sedlaczek and Pedro Pinto lead the show.

5:39 p.m.: European Championship tournament director Philipp Lahm has been touring the country for months. “The joy has always been great, but today it is more tangible,” he said on the RTL microphone before the draw. Which group opponents does he want for the German team? Lahm is keeping this a secret, but at the moment almost all opponents are difficult. Above all, he wants the DFB team to act as a unit again.

5:33 p.m.: National coach Julian Nagelsmann actually wanted to fly from Munich to Hamburg, but the snow chaos thwarted the plans. For next year’s summer fairy tale, Nagelsmann drove through the winter wonderland in the car. He completed the 800 kilometers on time. Here is the proof:

5.30 p.m.: Hello and welcome, dear readers! Even the snow chaos and the recent difficult sporting situation of the DFB team can hardly dampen the anticipation: There are only 195 doors left in the European Championship calendar until the tournament begins in Germany. Today things are even more concrete – the groups will be drawn at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. There are many questions to be answered before the event begins at 6 p.m., so let’s get started!