UEFA approves Nations League overhaul

UEFA approved a new format for its men’s national-team competitions on Wednesday that will reshape both the Nations League and European qualifying from the 2028/29 cycle onward. The governing body said the current four-league Nations League structure will be replaced by three leagues of 18 teams after Euro 2028. UEFA said the change followed a review of existing formats and consultations with its 55 member associations. The body added that the new concept will feed directly into qualification pathways for both the European Championship and the World Cup. (uefa.com) ### So what exactly changes in the Nations League? (uefa.com) The 2028/29 UEFA Nations League will move from four leagues to three leagues of 18 teams, UEFA said. Those leagues will be divided into groups of six teams, and each national side will play six matches in the league phase. The current system uses Leagues A, B, C and D with smaller groups, but UEFA said the redesigned version is intended for implementation after Euro 2028. UEFA did not publish the full competition regulations on Wednesday, saying the concept would be refined over the coming months. (uefa.com) ### How will Euro and World Cup qualifying be tied into it? UEFA said the redesign will affect both European Championship and World Cup qualifying cycles from 2028/29 onward. In its announcement, the body said the European Qualifiers would be structured over two leagues under the new concept. (uefa.com) The governing body did not release the complete qualification mechanics in Wednesday’s statement, but it said the new model would cover men’s national-team competitions “post UEFA EURO 2028.” That means the first affected major-tournament pathway would be qualification linked to the 2030 World Cup cycle. (uefa.com) That is an inference based on UEFA’s timeline and the existing 2026/27 Nations League calendar. ### When does this start, and what stays in place before then? The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League will still be played under the current format, according to UEFA’s competition page. (uefa.com) That edition begins in September 2026, includes Leagues A through D, and runs through June 2027 for the finals. Euro 2028 qualifying has already been approved under a separate system announced last year. UEFA said in that earlier decision that the 2026/27 Nations League would serve as part of the qualification pathway for Euro 2028, meaning the newly approved overhaul does not replace the next cycle but the one after it. (uefa.com) ### Why is UEFA not publishing the full rulebook yet? UEFA said on Wednesday that the concept had been “validated for implementation” but still needed further work on the detailed format. The body said those details would be fine-tuned in the next few months before being submitted for final approval at the next UEFA Executive Committee meeting in September. (uefa.com) A media conference presenting a full analysis of the format is scheduled to follow that September meeting, UEFA said. Until then, the broad structure — three leagues, 18 teams in each, groups of six, and six matches per nation — is confirmed, while promotion, relegation and qualification specifics remain to be finalized. (uefa.com) ### What is the next concrete date to watch? September is the next formal milestone in the process, UEFA said, when the detailed format will go back to the Executive Committee for final approval. UEFA also said a media conference with a full analysis of the system will follow that meeting. (uefa.com 1) (uefa.com 2)