UEFA Euro 2012 in October 2011, the nine group winners qualified automatically, along with the highest ranked second placed team. The remaining eight-second placed teams contested two-legged play-offs, and the four winners qualified for the finals. Twelve of the sixteen finalists participated at the previous tournament in 2008. England and Denmark made their return to the Euro, having last participated in 2004, while Republic of Ireland returned after a twenty-four-year absence to make their second appearance at a European Championship. One of the co-hosts, Ukraine, made their debut as an independent nation (before 1992 Ukraine participated as part of the Soviet Union). With
2012 Players Championship Finals 2012 Players Championship Finals The 2012 Cash Converters Players Championship Finals was the fifth edition of the PDC darts tournament, the Players Championship Finals, which saw the top 32 players from the 2012 PDC Players Championship Order of Merit taking part. The tournament took place from 30 November–2 December 2012 at the Butlin's Resort Minehead in Minehead, England. This was the second Players Championship Final to be held before the PDC World Championship. Kevin Painter was the defending champion, but he lost to Michael van Gerwen in the first round. Phil Taylor won his third and final Players Championship Finals