England want to earn Euro 2028 qualification despite being co-hosts

England want to take part in qualification for Euro 2028 even though they are set to be announced as the main host nation for the tournament by UEFA on Tuesday.
The host nations of major international tournaments such as the UEFA European Championship or FIFA World Cup are traditionally handed automatic qualifying spots by the governing bodies.
But UEFA will award only two automatic qualification spots for the 2028 tournament, which will be co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
UEFA therefore wants all five hosts to play in the qualifying groups…