The Netherlands have been drawn with world champions France in their qualifying group for the 2024 European Championships.

Oranje will also face the Republic of Ireland and Greece in Group B, which is one of the toughest of the 10 sections.

Two teams will qualify automatically, but even if Oranje finish outside the qualifying places they are guaranteed a play-off spot after winning their group in the Uefa Nations League.

Gibraltar, whom the Dutch faced for the first time in qualifying for the forthcoming World Cup, make up the five-team group B. The eight matches will be played between March and November next year.

Head coach Louis van Gaal will not relish another meeting with Ireland, who qualified at the expense of the Dutch for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

Van Gaal resigned in the wake of the 1-0 defeat in Dublin in 2001 and has described the failed campaign as the low point of his career.