The fifth edition of the UEFA Nations League kicked off this Thursday (12th), with the draw that determines the groups.
Check below to see how the groups of all the Nations League divisions turned out!
League A
- Group 1: France, Italy, Belgium, and Turkey.
- Group 2: Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, and Greece.
- Group 3: Spain, Croatia, England, and Czech Republic.
- Group 4: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, and Wales.
League B
- Group 1: Scotland, Switzerland, Slovenia, and North Macedonia.
- Group 2: Hungary, Ukraine, Georgia, and Northern Ireland.
- Group 3: Israel, Austria, Ireland, and Sweden.
- Group 4: Poland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Romania, and Kosovo.
League C
- Group 1: Albania, Finland, Belarus, and San Marino.
- Group 2: Montenegro, Armenia, Cyprus, and Latvia or Gibraltar.
- Group 3: Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Faroe Islands, and Moldova.
- Group 4: Iceland, Bulgaria, Estonia, and Malta or Luxembourg.
League D
- Group 1: Gibraltar or Latvia, Malta or Luxembourg, and Andorra.
- Group 2: Lithuania, Azerbaijan, and Liechtenstein.
Rules
- Quarterfinals: The top two teams from each group qualify for the quarterfinals, with home advantage for the group winner.
- Playoffs and Relegation: The third-placed teams in each group will play a playoff against League B teams to avoid relegation. The fourth-placed team in each group is relegated directly.
Calendar
- Matchday 1: September 24 to 26.
- Matchday 2: September 27 to 29.
- Matchday 3: September 30 to October 3.
- Matchday 4: October 4 to 6.
- Matchday 5: November 12 to 14.
- Matchday 6: November 15 to 17.
Final Stages
- Quarterfinals and Playoffs (Promotion/Relegation): March 25 to 30, 2027.
- Final Tournament (Final Four): June 9 to 13, 2027, at a venue to be determined.
- League C/D Playoffs: March 23 to 28, 2028.
Understanding the draw and what's new
The main novelty this season is a drastic change in the calendar to optimize FIFA dates.
In today’s draw, these were the pots that determined the top seeds of the Nations League elite:
- Pot 1: Portugal (current champion), Spain, France, and Germany.
- Pot 2: Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, and Croatia.
- Pot 3: Serbia, Belgium, England, and Norway.
- Pot 4: Wales, Czech Republic, Greece, and Turkey.
'Super window' of matches
Unlike previous years, the group stage will be much more condensed.
UEFA has created an extended international window between September 24 and October 6, 2026, where the national teams will play four consecutive matches, finishing the first phase already in November.
The decisive dates are as follows:
- Knockout stage (Quarterfinals and Playoffs): March 25 to 30, 2027.
- Final Four (Semifinals and Final): June 9 to 13, 2027.
Path to Euro 2028
In addition to the trophy, the tournament serves as a "second chance."
Performance in the Nations League may guarantee a spot in the playoffs for Euro 2028 (hosted in the United Kingdom and Ireland), in case the team does not qualify through the traditional qualifiers.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.