Sven-Goran Eriksson's side will face the French in their opening match in a game which will go along way to deciding the outcome of Group B.

The last time the two sides met was right after Euro 2000 when a Michael Owen goal enabled England to come away from Paris with a 1-1 draw.

The group is completed by Croatia, whom Sven's men beat 3-1 at Portman Road in a friendly in August, and Switzerland, whom England were drawn against in Euro 96.

In Group A, Iberian rivals Portugal and Spain were pulled out together and they will be the favourites to qualify for the quarter-finals ahead of Russia and Greece, despite the Greeks' success in the qualifying competition.

Hosts Portugal are under pressure to deliver after the misery of last year's World Cup and for the so-called 'Golden Generation', now coached by Luis Felipe Scolari, this may be a last hurrah.

Group C is made up of Italy, Sweden, Denmark and Bulgaria in what could prove to be quite a tight section. Nevertheless, Trappatoni's side will fancy their chances of going through along with the Swedes.

Morten Olsen's Denmark showed England the threat that they pose in winning at Old Trafford in the recent international friendly match. They could well throw a spanner into some Italian or Swedish works. 

Finally is the undeniable Group of Death - Group D - where seeds the Czech Republic are paired with three-time champions Germany and 1988 winners Holland. Latvia, first time qualifiers, have a huge job on their hands if they are to get through to the knock-out stages.

For the Czechs it is yet another unlucky draw for they were in the toughest group at Euro 2000 as well. That time, paired with Denmark France and Holland, they failed to qualify but this time, with Holland and especially Germany not the powerhouses they once were, they could well make it through.

Group A



PORTUGAL

GREECE

SPAIN

RUSSIA


12 June: Portugal v Greece (Porto, 1700), Spain v Russia (Faro-Loulé, 1945)
16 June: Greece v Spain (Porto, 1700), Russia v Portugal (Lisbon, 1945)
20 June: Russia v Greece (Faro-Loulé, 1945), Spain v Portugal (Lisbon, 1945)

Group B



FRANCE

ENGLAND

SWITZERLAND

CROATIA


13 June: Switzerland v Croatia (Leiria, 1700), France v England (Lisbon, 1945)
17 June: England v Switzerland (Coimbra, 1700), Croatia v France (Leiria, 1945) 
21 June: Croatia v England (Lisbon, 1945), Switzerland v France (Coimbra, 1945)

Group C



SWEDEN

BULGARIA

DENMARK

ITALY


14 June: Denmark v Italy (Guimarães, 1700), Sweden v Bulgaria (Lisbon, 1945) 
18 June: Bulgaria v Denmark (Braga, 1700), Italy v Sweden (Porto, 1945) 
22 June: Italy v Bulgaria (Guimarães, 1945), Denmark v Sweden (Porto, 1945)

Group D



CZECH REPUBLIC

LATVIA

GERMANY

HOLLAND


15 June: Germany v Holland (Porto, 1700), Czech Rep v Latvia (Aveiro, 1945) 
19 June: Latvia v Germany (Porto, 1700), Holland v Czech Rep (Aveiro, 1945) 
23 June: Holland v Latvia (Braga, 1945), Germany v Czech Rep (Lisbon, 1945)

Euro 2004 kicks-off on 12 June next year, starting a celebration of the best action European football has to offer.

The tournament will finish with the final on 4 July.