UEFA Nations League: How will the 2020/21 tournament work? Does it affect World Cup qualifying? Who are England playing and when?
The UEFA Nations League takes centre-stage this week for its second edition of the new European tournament.
The competition enjoyed a fine inaugural season over the past two years with Portugal emerging as champions last summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal won the UEFA Nations League in its inaugural season
Gareth Southgate’s England continued to impress, reaching the Nations League Finals and ultimately finishing third overall.
The manager has now named his squad as the Three Lions return to international action this week and to a tournament where they will be looking to build on their recent successes.
But there is still some confusion about how exactly it all works…
What is the Uefa Nations League?
The Nations League was introduced by UEFA in 2018 in an attempt to ‘improve the quality and standing of national team football’.
It was decided that friendly games were not providing a strong enough lure for fans, while also not giving the competitive edge which you would usually find in tournaments and qualifiers.
As a result, the Nations League was devised to sit alongside qualifying for Euro 2020 and included 55 European teams, with the amount of meaningless friendlies dramatically reduced.
It enjoyed a successful first campaign with Portugal – led by Cristiano Ronaldo – emerging as champions.
UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE ON TALKSPORT
- Finland v Wales – Thursday, September 3, 7:45pm – talkSPORT 2
- Romania v Northern Ireland – Friday, September 4, 7:45pm – talkSPORT 2
- Iceland v England – Saturday, September 5, 5pm – talkSPORT
- Czech Republic v Scotland – Monday, September 7, 7:45pm – talkSPORT 2
- Denmark v England – Tuesday, September 8, 7:45pm – talkSPORT
The UEFA Nations League is back
How does it work?
All 55 European national teams have been divided into four leagues, according to their official rankings.
Unlike the lat tournament, there will now be 16 teams in League A, 16 teams in League B, 16 teams in League C, and just 7 teams in League D.
Within these leagues, smaller groups of three or four are formed and those nations then play each other home and away.
In League A, the winners of the four groups go on to play in the Nations League Finals, with two semi-finals and one final to decide which team becomes the UEFA Nations League champion.
Depending on their results, teams will be promoted and relegated to a lower or higher league.
The bottom teams in each group in League A and League B will be relegate while the two teams relegated from League C will be decided via play-outs.
Following the promotions from League D last season, the tournament was reshaped, hence the reduced teams in the final league. The current format is set to be the norm from now on.
Gareth Southgate’s England will be looking to impress in the UEFA Nations League again
Does it affect World Cup 2022 qualifying?
Yes – but to a lesser degree than the qualifying for Euro 2020 (now being held in 2021, of course).
Once European qualification for the 2022 Qatar World Cup is complete, there will be TWO more places up for grabs via the Nations League.
The ten group winners in World Cup qualifying will progress. Then the ten group runners-up will be joined by the two next best in the Nations League ranking.
These 12 teams will then compete in play-offs.
Who will England play in the UEFA Nations League?
England have been drawn to face Belgium, Denmark and Iceland in their UEFA Nations League group this year. Their fixtures are:
- September 5: Iceland v England
- September 8: Denmark v England
- October 11: England v Belgium
- October 11: England v Denmark
- November 15: Belgium v England
- November 18: England v Iceland
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