The UEFA Nations League is a biennial international football competition for European national teams, launched in 2018 to replace most friendlies with meaningful matches. It groups 55 UEFA members into four leagues based on their ranking, and each league plays a mini‑tournament with promotion and relegation.
Each edition consists of three phases: the league phase, the knockout phase (for League A), and the final tournament. The league phase runs from September to November in even‑numbered years, with teams playing home‑and‑away round‑robin matches within their group.
| League | Teams | Groups (2024‑25) |
|---|---|---|
| A | 16 | 4 groups of 4 |
| B | 16 | 4 groups of 4 |
| C | 16 | 4 groups of 4 |
| D | 7 | 2 groups (3‑4 teams) |
The four group winners of League A advance to semi‑finals, a final, and a third‑place match, all held in a single host country. The winner lifts the Nations League trophy and secures a spot in the UEFA Euro 2028 qualifying play‑offs.
At the end of each league phase, the bottom teams in Leagues A, B, and C are relegated to the next lower league, while the group winners in Leagues B, C, and D are promoted. Starting with the 2024‑25 edition, UEFA introduced a one‑season “relegation‑play‑off” for the two worst‑ranked teams in League A to determine which side drops to League B.
The league phase is scheduled during the FIFA International Match Calendar windows in September, October and November of even‑numbered years. The knockout phase for League A occurs in June of the following odd‑numbered year, aligning with the end of the European club season.
UEFA uses Nations League rankings to allocate two of the 12 play‑off berths for the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 European Championship. The best‑placed teams that have not qualified directly through the standard groups earn a chance to compete for those slots, making every Nations League match potentially decisive for future major tournaments.
As of the 2024 edition, only three nations have lifted the trophy: Portugal (2019), France (2021), and Spain (2023). Portugal won the inaugural final 1‑0 against the Netherlands, while France defeated Spain 2‑1 in the second edition, and Spain prevailed 2‑1 over Croatia in the most recent final.
Yes. If a team finishes bottom of its group in League B, it drops to League C for the next edition. Repeating the result in League C will send it to League D, the lowest tier.
UEFA invites bids from member associations after the league phase. The host must have a stadium capacity of at least 30,000 and meet UEFA’s infrastructure standards. The selection is announced at the UEFA Executive Committee meeting following the semi‑finals.
Yes. Since the competition’s inception, all matches have been weighted as “competitive” in the FIFA World Ranking algorithm, giving them a higher points factor than friendly games.
The play‑off spot is passed to the next highest‑ranked team in the Nations League ranking that has not yet qualified, ensuring the allocated slot is always filled.
UEFA launched the UEFA Women’s Nations League in 2023, mirroring the men’s format with four leagues and promotion/relegation, aiming to give women’s national teams similar competitive opportunities.
| Edition | Champion | Runner‑up | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018‑19 | Portugal | Netherlands | 1‑0 |
| 2020‑21 | France | Spain | 2‑1 |
| 2022‑23 | Spain | Croatia | 2‑1 |
The UEFA Nations League has reshaped European international football by turning once‑mundane friendlies into high‑stakes contests, offering promotion, relegation, and a shortcut to major tournament play‑offs. Its clear structure, regular schedule, and tangible rewards make it a central fixture in the international calendar, and its influence is expected to grow as UEFA expands the format to the women’s game and refines play‑off pathways.
UEFA is considering expanding League A to 20 teams, introducing a mid‑season “Super Final” for the top four clubs, and linking Nations League performance to seedings for the 2030 World Cup qualifiers. These proposals aim to keep the competition fresh and financially attractive.
League‑phase games are scheduled during the September, October and November FIFA international windows in even‑numbered years. The League A knockout semi‑finals and final take place in June of the following odd‑numbered year.
At the end of each league phase the bottom team in each group of Leagues A, B and C drops to the next lower league, while the group winners of Leagues B, C and D move up one level for the next edition.
Yes. UEFA allocates two of the twelve World Cup 2026 play‑off spots to the highest‑ranked Nations League teams that have not qualified through the standard groups, making league performance a direct route to the tournament.
Portugal won the inaugural 2019 final, France captured the 2021 title, and Spain lifted the trophy in 2023. Each final was decided by a one‑goal margin.
The UEFA Women's Nations League launched in 2023, using the same four‑league structure, promotion/relegation system and a similar schedule to give women's national teams competitive matches.
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