A giant of the game, top seeds Germany have won eight Euros titles, their last coming in 2013, and are also two-time world champions. They are currently ranked second in the world, behind the USA.

The second seeds in Ireland’s group, drawn today in Nyon, are Ukraine, currently ranked nine places above the Republic at 24th in the world.

Colin Bell's side were among the third seeds for today's draw and are one of a record 48 teams hoping to appear in the finals in England.

The Girls in Green drew with the European champions the Netherlands during the 2019 World Cup qualifiers and are now hoping to reach their first-ever major tournament.

The Northern Ireland Women's team were drawn in Group C with Norway, Wales, Belarus and the Faroe Islands.

The qualifying format sees the group winners and the three runners-up with the best record against the sides first, third, fourth and fifth in their sections automatically join hosts England in the finals. The other six runners-up will play off, over two legs, for the remaining three berths in the 16-team finals to be held the following summer.

Regulation qualifying begins in August of this year and runs through until September 2020, with the play-offs following in October of that year.