KIEV, Ukraine (AP)—Spain could be grouped with its three predecessors as European champions when the draw for next year’s tournament is made Friday.

Trying to become the first team to successfully defend a European title, Spain could find itself in a first-round group with Greece, France and Germany next June.

“We are in a more difficult position than in 2008—back then we were contenders,” Furia Roja coach Vicente Del Bosque said. “Now we go as holders. We go there with an even bigger responsibility. There is a greater selection of top sides—the Netherlands, Germany, England, Italy, France. It’s a tall order against some quality opposition.”

Taking over from Luis Aragones after Spain won Euro 2008, Del Bosque helped Spain win its first World Cup title last year. Euro 2012, to be played in Poland and Ukraine from June 8 to July 1, will feature the top 15 teams in the rankings of European soccer’s governing body plus No. 28 Poland.

“It’s going to be a high-class, attractive tournament with all top teams from the UEFA rankings,” Germany coach Joachim Loew said.

England coach Fabio Capello said the European Championship was now the most competitive soccer tournament in the world.

“Tougher than the World Cup,” Capello said. “The teams that finished first, second and third in the World Cup came from Europe.”

While some roads and a key airport are still to be completed, Ukraine was faster than Poland in completing its four host stadiums—in Kiev, Donetsk, Lviv and Kharkiv—before European soccer leaders arrived for the draw.

The co-hosts are joined by Spain and the Netherlands as the top-seeded teams, while Euro 2008 finalist Germany, Italy, England and Russia are in the second pot. The third pot includes Euro 2004 champion Greece, Croatia, Sweden and Portugal.

“I’d like to avoid Spain,” Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo said. “I prefer to play the favorites later in the tournament.”

France is in the lowest-ranked pool for the second straight European tournament—alongside Denmark, the Czech Republic and Ireland—due in part to its failure to win a match at its last two major tournaments.

However, France is on a 17-game unbeaten run after losing its first two matches under coach Laurent Blanc, who took over from Raymond Domenech following France’s first-round exit at the World Cup.

“We’ve improved even if you couldn’t see it in these two matches,” Blanc said, referring to last month’s 1-0 victory over the United States and 0-0 tie with Belgium. “I can tell you that, abroad, they have more respect for the French national team. The Germans want to avoid us, which is rather a compliment. I can assure them that we want to avoid them, too.”

Another European power with a point to prove is England, which failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and lost in the second round of the World Cup last year.

“For the World Cup we had the older players with the experience,” Capello said. “Now it’s something new, very interesting and new. Now we have got the young players.”

The tournament will expand to 24 nations in 2016, when it is played in France.