Euro 2020 qualifying play-offs EXPLAINED: Dates set as Scotland and Northern Ireland face all-important matches

The final four places at the rescheduled 2020 European Championships will be decided next month with Scotland and Northern Ireland looking to reach the tournament.

Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament has been rearranged for next summer and will start on June 11, 2021.

The Euro 2020 qualifying play-offs will be held this week with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland involvedAFP or licensors

The play-off round in qualifying is still to be decided and the semi-finals of those ties were held in mid-October.

Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland were all looking to join England and Wales in the tournament proper.

Scotland beat Israel at Hampden Park on penalties in their semi and now face a vital clash in Serbia next month.

Scotland would then meet England at Euro 2020 should they make it through.

The semi-finals involving Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland also went to spot-kicks.

NI beat Bosnia and Herzegovina on a nerve-shredding night but the Republic lost to Slovakia to crash out in agonising fashion.

Northern Ireland will now face the Slovaks next month with the winner of that path going onto face Spain, Sweden and Poland in the group stage of the tournament itself.

Here’s how the play-offs look and when the vital matches will be played…

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UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying play-offs

Path A

Semi-finals

8 October 2020, 20:45 – Iceland 2-1 Romania – Laugardalsvollur, Reykjavík

8 October 2020, 20:45 – Bulgaria 1-3 Hungary – Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia

Final

12 November 2020, 20:45 – Hungary v Iceland – Puskas Arena, Budapest

Winner to go into Group F with Portugal, France and Germany

The Northern Ireland players were jubilant as they won in BosniaGetty Images - Getty

Path B

Semi-finals

8 October 2020, 20:45 – Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 Northern Ireland (NI win 4-3 on penalties) – Stadion Grbavica, Sarajevo

8 October 2020, 20:45 – Slovakia 0-0 Republic of Ireland (Slovakia win 4-2 on penalties) – Tehelne pole, Bratislava

Final

12 November 2020, 20:45 – Northern Ireland v Slovakia – Windsor Park, Belfast

Winner to go into Group E with Spain, Sweden and Poland

Path C

Semi-finals

8 October 2020, 20:45 – Scotland 0-0 Israel (Scotland win 5-3 on penalties) – Hampden Park, Glasgow

8 October 2020, 20:45 – Norway 1-2 Serbia (AET) – Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo

Final

12 November 2020, 20:45 – Serbia v Scotland – Red Star Stadium, Belgrade

Winner to go into Group D with England, Croatia and the Czech Republic

Scotland edged past the Israelis at Hampden ParkGetty Images - Getty

Path D

Semi-finals

8 October 2020, 18:00 – Georgia 1-0 Belarus – Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi

8 October 2020, 20:45 – North Macedonia 2-1 Kosovo – Tose Proeski Arena, Skopje

Final

12 November 2020, 18:00 – Georgia v North Macedonia – Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi

Winner to go into Group C with Netherlands, Ukraine and Asutria