European Qualifiers 2016: Matchday 1 live on ITV & Sky

The new-look European Qualifiers kick off this weekend with 25 matchday one clashes taking place between Sunday and Tuesday, September 7-9, and fans can watch them all live for the first time on UK television across ITV Sport and Sky Sports.

More than 50 nations are chasing an expanded 23 places alongside hosts France at the UEFA European Championships in the summer of 2016, with 10 matchdays standing between them and a place in one of international football’s most coveted and prestigious competitions.

For the first time, qualifying takes place under the ‘Week of Football’ concept, in which games are spread out from Thursday to Tuesday, or in the case of the opening matchday, Sunday to Tuesday, with regular kick-off times set mainly at 17:00 and 19:45 UK time..

In all, 50 of the 53 qualifying hopefuls have fixtures over the coming week, while Euro 2016 hosts France will also take on Serbia as part of a programme where they face the odd team from the five-team Group I on each matchday.

The nine group winners, the nine runners-up and the best third-placed side will qualify directly for the final tournament, while eight remaining third-placed teams will contest play-offs to determine the last four qualifiers for the finals.

Sky Sports will be screening the overwhelming majority of live Euro 2016 qualifiers, including all Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland matches exclusively live.

Free-to-air partners ITV will be covering all England qualifiers exclusively live, as well as selected other matches featuring non-Home Nations on ITV4, plus highlights and goals from all home nations games.

The new shared TV deal for qualifying matches ahead of major tournaments was introduced by UEFA as part of a new centralised broadcasting arrangement, similar to that used for the Champions League, which meant European football’s governing body took control of selling TV rights to qualifying matches, rather than individual national associations.

Under the new centralised system, every UEFA qualifying match will be broadcast live across Europe, giving fans the chance to follow every team during each matchday in a similar way to which fans are now accustomed to following the Champions League.

With the expanded tournament featuring 24 nations, the home nations will fancy their chances of qualifying for Euro 2016 in France.

Follow every moment of the new UEFA European Qualifiers from start to finish on ITV and Sky Sports between now and October 2015.

Details of the opening matchday’s fixtures, and when and where to watch them, can be found below.

MONDAY 8th SEPTEMBER

Switzerland v ENGLAND

Group E

19:45

TUESDAY 9th SEPTEMBER

Czech Republic v Netherlands

Group A

19:45

Two months after returning from a miserable World Cup experience in which they had one draw and two defeats, England’s next big test is their first qualifier for Euro 2016 against Switzerland, the highest rated team in Group E, exclusively live on ITV.

Marking the start of the Three Lions’ campaign to qualify for the finals in France, coach Roy Hodgson faces the nation he took to the World Cup in 1994 in what some see as the toughest test of England’s group, but this time he faces a difficult task to rebuild the team’s shattered confidence.

Joining Adrian Chiles and the team in Basel on Monday night are former England manager Glenn Hoddle and Lee Dixon, while commentary from Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend, with live coverage starting at 7.30pm.

Later in the evening, Adrian Chiles returns to present a round-up of Sunday and Monday’s action at 10.40pm on ITV, featuring extended highlights of the Switzerland v England, plus goals from matches featuring the Home Nations.

In addition to the England match on Monday, ITV4 will be screening live coverage , as part of its deal to cover selected non-Home Nations matches during the qualifying phase.

Matt Smith is joined by former England manager Glenn Hoddle for coverage of Czech Republic against the Netherlands from 7.25pm, with commentary from Sam Matterface and Clarke Carlisle.

The Dutch ached the World Cup semi-finals in Brazil but coach Louis van Gaal has departed for Manchester United. He is replaced by Guus Hiddink who will hoping their fine form continues. Commentary from Sam Matterface and Clarke Carlisle.

Later in the evening, ITV4 will then screen a full round-up of the best of the action from matchday one, including extended highlights of Scotland’s date with the World Cup winners Germany in Dortmund, Northern Ireland’s match against Hungary and Wales against Andorra, plus the best of the goals from across Europe.

ITV and ITV4’s coverage is available to watch live for free and on catch-up via ITV Player, while additional video clips, interviews and analysis can be found on itv.com/football.

SUNDAY 7th SEPTEMBER

Georgia v REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Group D

17:00

Hungary v NORTHERN IRELAND

Group F

17:00

Germany v SCOTLAND

Group D

19:45

Gibraltar v Poland

Group D

19:45

MONDAY 8th SEPTEMBER

Russia v Liechtenstein

Group G