Spain will begin their bid for an unprecedented third successive European Championship title against Czech Republic after the draw for the 2016 finals was made at the Palais des Congress on Sunday (NZ time).
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Four teams (Iceland, Wales, Albania and Northern Ireland) are participating for the first time, while the big absence is the Netherlands.
World champions Germany are to meet Ukraine, Poland and Northern Ireland in Group C.
Host nation France have been given one of the kinder draws, with Albania, Romania and 2008 co-hosts Switzerland lining up to face Didier Deschamps’ side in Group A.
Also drawn in their Group A is Albania.
Slovakia and Russian Federation, who dismissed former England boss Fabio Capello during qualifying, complete Group B.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will fancy their chances against Iceland, Hungary and Austria in Group F. Wales and Slovakia round out that group.
The 24-team competition ends with the final in Paris on July 10.
“Croatia have extraordinary players that play in the best teams in Europe and we saw their value in the last European Championships”.
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Spain will take on the Czech Republic in its first Euro 2016 game on June 13 in Toulouse, followed by a clash with Turkey on June 17 in Nice and finally a match versus Croatia in Bordeaux on June 21.
