Champions Spain will face Czech Republic and Scotland as they begin their European Championship defence.

Spain were placed in Group I at Sunday's draw in Warsaw, with Lithuania and Liechtenstein their other opponents.

World champions Italy were drawn in Group C alongside Serbia, Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Estonia and Faroe Islands.

Elsewhere, England will face British neighbours Wales in Group G, along with Switzerland, Bulgaria and Montenegro, while another famous rivalry will be renewed in Group A, which contains 2008 runners-up Germany and Austria as well as Turkey, Belgium, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

France will hope to avoid a repeat of the play-off drama which saw them reach this summer's World Cup after they were handed a relatively kind pool. Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belarus, Albania and Luxembourg are their opponents in Group D.

Holland will face Scandinavian teams Sweden and Finland as well as Hungary, Moldova and San Marino.

As well as local rivals Wales, England face Switzerland, who were the opponents in Fabio Capello's first game in charge, a 2-1 Wembley win.

England have never faced Montenegro as an independent nation, but did face Serbia and Montenegro back in 2003.

Capello said before the draw he was hoping for a five-team group, so will have been reasonably satisfied.

England coach Fabio Capello admitted that his team had been handed one of the worst groups. He refused to answer any questions about the current crisis surrounding sacked captain John Terry.

Former England coach Terry Venables agreed with Capello's assertion, singling out Switzerland as an especially tricky opponent.

On the other hand, Wales coach John Toshack was pleased by the draw.

Scotland were handed a tough group that includes holders Spain and the Czech Republic. However, Coach Craig Levein said that being in a five team group made things slightly easier for his team.

Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington expressed satisfaction with the draw despite being handed a tough group that includes world champions Italy.

Germany's Joachim Low was confident of his side's qualification chances. Germany have been clubbed with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Belgium and Austria.

Both Fabio Capello and John Toshack said they were excited by the prospect of an England-Wales clash.

The Complete Groupings:

Group A: Germany, Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan

Group B: Russia, Slovakia, Republic of Ireland, FYR Macedonia, Armenia, Andorra

Group C: Italy, Serbia, Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Estonia, Faroe Islands

Group D: France, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belarus, Albania, Luxembourg

Group E: Holland, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Moldova, San Marino

Group F: Croatia, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Georgia, Malta

Group G: England, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Wales, Montenegro

Group H: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus, Iceland

Group I: Spain, Czech Republic, Scotland, Lithuania, Liechtenstein

How it works

The qualifying round is made up of nine groups of five or six teams, who contest home and away fixtures. The section winners and runners-up with the best record against the top five in their group progress automatically. The remaining eight second-placed sides contest two-legged play-offs, with the victors joining the hosts to complete the lineup for the final tournament.

Schedule

The following twelve dates are reserved for the group matches in the qualifying competition of the 2010-12 UEFA European Football Championship:

2010
a) 3/4 and 7 September 2010
b) 8/9 and 12 October 2010

2011
c) 25/26 and 29 March 2011
d) 3/4 and 7 June 2011
e) 2/3 and 6 September 2011
f) 7/8 and 11 October 2011 (dates for the last matches in all groups)

The following two dates are reserved for the play-off matches between the remaining eight runners-up:
a) 11/12 November 2011
b) 15 November 2011