Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:46 — 1.3MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Blubrry | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Youtube Music | RSS | More
[print_link] | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Follow @languagecaster
In this listening report we take a look at the upcoming 2016 European Championship Qualifying Draw. This report is a shortened version of the regular weekly podcast. You can listen to the report by clicking on the link above and you can read the transcript below with key vocabulary explained at the bottom of the post
Euro 2016 Qualifying Draw
Of course everyone is looking forward to the World Cup that is due to take place in Brazil in June later on this year but this weekend sees the draw for the 2016 European Championship qualifying competition which will go a long way to deciding which teams will participate in Euro 2016 Tournament in France.
53
That’s the number of teams who will be participating in the qualifying stages which is a record; thanks to only one country hosting the event (France) and the fact that Gibraltar will be taking part in their first ever international competition.
Politics
Gibraltar’s first competitive international competition is not without controversy as near neighbours Spain refuse to play against them and so for this reason they will be kept apart in the draw. Two other nations that will not face each other due to political circumstances are Armenia and Azerbaijan.
24
This is the number of teams that will play in the finals due to take place in the summer of 2016 in France. The hosts, of course, are guaranteed a place which means that the remaining 23 spots will be filled by teams winning through from the qualifiers that start in September 2014. Now, the top two sides in each of the nine groups along with the best third-place team (that makes 19) will directly qualify with the remaining third-place sides involved in a play-off to decide the remaining four spots (and that makes 23). Easy.
Pots
As per usual in qualifying draws there are groups of seeded pots. There are six different pots with the best-ranked teams in pot one followed by the next best eight teams in pot 2 and so on down until pot six which contains the weakest 8 teams. UEFA, the European football body, has a different system of deciding which teams belong in which pots meaning that there is some discrepancy between seeded teams for this tournament and the Brazil World Cup.
Possible Group of Death?
Well, England are in pot one so cannot face Germany, Italy, Holland, Spain and Portugal among others. However, they could end up in a group that includes Belgium, Turkey, Scotland, Georgia and Gibraltar which would be tricky enough.
Vocabulary
will go a long way to deciding: The group selection is important
is not without controversy: There are many possible problems; there exists controversy
be kept apart: Will not face each other
spots: positions
football body: Football organisation
discrepancy between: A difference between; not the same as
