New UEFA Nations League Format Explained

UEFA has said that the next edition of the Nations League will have a "more compelling" format. The new UEFA Nations League format will include quarter-finals.
New UEFA Nations League Format Explained
New UEFA Nations League Format Explained /

UEFA has announced that the next edition of the Nations League will be "more compelling" due to a new format.

One feature of the new UEFA Nations League format will be the introduction of quarter-finals.

In the first three seasons of the Nations League, the four group winners from the League A tier have gone directly into the Finals tournament.

But in the 2024/25 season, group winners and runners up will contest two-legged quarter-finals in March, with the victors progressing to June Finals.

Like in the current format, the teams that finish bottom in Groups A1, A2, A3 and A4 will be automatically relegated to the League B tier.

But now the League A third-place finishers will also be at risk and must beat a second-placed team from League B in a promotion/relegation play-off over two-legs to stay up.

"This makes the Nations League a more compelling competition, with more interesting and attractive knockout matches," said UEFA deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti.

Portugal won the inaugural UEFA Nations League Finals in 2019, before France beat Spain to win the 2021 tournament.

Holland will host the 2023 Finals and compete for the title along with Croatia, Spain and Italy.

A general view of the UEFA Nations League trophy
A new UEFA Nations League format will be used from 2024 :: IMAGO/PA Images/Adam Davy

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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.