England, Germany, Italy emerge in different groups after draw

Though England would meet Wales in a historic fixture in France, the neighbouring countries will meet at a tournament for the first time after 136years that both teams first met.

Interestingly, the teams are being drawn together at next summer’s European Championship five months after being paired with Scotland in World Cup qualifying for the first time.

According to the fixtures, England will play in Marseille, Lens and Saint-Etienne, where, respectively, they will open against Russia in Marseille on June 11, 2016 (8pm kick-off) before taking on Wales in Lens five days later at 2pm, and finishing with Slovakia in Saint-Etienne on June 20, 2016 at 8pm. Wales open against Slovakia in Bordeaux on June 11, 2016 with a 6pm kick-off, and finish with Russia in Toulouse on June 20, 2016 at 8pm.

The draw for the expanded 24-team tournament contained four teams from the British Isles for the first time since 1958 and there was a 50-50 chance England would meet one of them.

Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland both were handed nightmare draws as Northern Ireland will face world champions Germany, Poland and Ukraine while the Republic was drawn with Italy, Belgium and Sweden.

Here is the full list of countries and their groups.

Group A: France, Romania, Albania, Switzerland

Group B: England, Russia, Wales, Slovakia

Group C: Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Northern Ireland

Group D: Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey, Croatia

Group E: Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Sweden

Group F: Portugal, Iceland, Austria, Hungary