2024–25 UEFA Nations League

The UEFA national teams will be divided into four leagues, with Leagues A, B, and C featuring 16 teams each, divided into four groups of four teams, while League D will feature 6 teams divided into two groups of three. The teams are allocated to leagues based on the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League overall ranking.^[1] Each team will play six matches within their group, except for teams in League D which will play four, using the home-and-away round-robin format on double matchdays in September, October and November 2024.^[2]

On 25 January 2023, the UEFA Executive Committee confirmed a modified format for the Nations League following the league phase.^[3][4] In the top division, League A, the group winners and runners-up will advance to a new quarter-final round, played home-and-away over two legs in March 2025. In each tie, group winners will face a runner-up from a different group, with the group winner hosting the second leg. The four quarter-final winners will qualify for the Nations League Finals, retaining its previous format, which is played in a knockout format, consisting of the semi-finals, third place play-off, and final. The semi-final pairings, along with the administrative home teams for the third place play-off and final, are determined by means of a draw. The host country will be selected among the four qualified teams by the UEFA Executive Committee, with the winners of the final crowned as the Nations League champions.

Teams also compete for promotion and relegation to a higher or lower league. The group winners in Leagues B, C, and D are directly promoted, while the last-placed teams of each group in Leagues A and B are directly relegated. As League C has four groups while League D has only two, the two worst-ranked League C teams will automatically be relegated (a change from the previous editions, which featured relegation play-outs between the fourth-placed teams of League C). As part of the format change, promotion/relegation play-offs will also be introduced, with the third-placed teams of League A facing the runners-up of League B, the third-placed teams of League B facing the runners-up of League C, and the two best-ranked fourth-placed teams of League C facing the runners-up of League D. The matches will be played home-and-away over two legs in March 2025 (League A/B and B/C) and March 2026 (League C/D), with the winners going to the higher league and the losers entering the lower league.^[5]

In all two-legged ties, the higher-ranked teams host the second leg. The team that scores more goals on aggregate is the winner. If the aggregate score is level, extra time is played (the away goals rule is not applied). If the score remains level after extra time, a penalty shoot-out is used to decide the winner.^[6]

2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

The 2024–25 Nations League will be partially linked with European qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the format confirmed by the UEFA Executive Committee during their meeting in Nyon, Switzerland, on 28 June 2023.^[7] The twelve group winners after the first round (group stage) will qualify directly for the World Cup. Then, the second round (play-offs) will be contested by the twelve group runners-up, along with the best four Nations League group winners, based on the Nations League overall ranking, that finished outside the top two of their qualifying group. The play-offs will be split into four play-off paths, played in two single-match knockout rounds (semi-finals and finals, with the home teams to be drawn), from which an additional four teams will also qualify.^[8]

Tiebreakers for group ranking

If two or more teams in the same group are equal on points on completion of the league phase, the following tie-breaking criteria are applied:^[6]

1. Higher number of points obtained in the matches played among the teams in question;
2. Superior goal difference in matches played among the teams in question;
3. Higher number of goals scored in the matches played among the teams in question;
4. If, after having applied criteria 1 to 3, teams still have an equal ranking, criteria 1 to 3 are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the teams in question to determine their final rankings.^[a] If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria 5 to 11 apply;
5. Superior goal difference in all group matches;
6. Higher number of goals scored in all group matches;
7. Higher number of away goals scored in all group matches;
8. Higher number of wins in all group matches;
9. Higher number of away wins in all group matches;
10. Lower disciplinary points total in all group matches (1 point for a single yellow card, 3 points for a red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for a direct red card, 4 points for a yellow card followed by a direct red card).
11. Higher position in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League access list.

Notes

Criteria for league ranking

Individual league rankings are established according to the following criteria:^[6]

1. Position in the group;
2. Higher number of points;
3. Higher goal difference;
4. Higher number of goals scored;
5. Higher number of goals scored away from home;
6. Higher number of wins;
7. Higher number of wins away from home;
8. Lower disciplinary points total (1 point for a single yellow card, 3 points for a red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for a direct red card, 4 points for a yellow card followed by a direct red card).
9. Higher position in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League access list.

Criteria for interim overall ranking

Following the completion of the league phase, the interim overall UEFA Nations League rankings are established as follows:^[6]

1. The 16 League A teams are ranked 1st to 16th according to their league rankings.
2. The 16 League B teams are ranked 17th to 32nd according to their league rankings.
3. The 16 League C teams are ranked 33rd to 48th according to their league rankings.
4. The 6 League D teams are ranked 49th to 54th according to their league rankings.

Criteria for final overall ranking

Following the completion of the League A knockout stage and promotion/relegation play-offs, the final overall UEFA Nations League rankings are established. Within each of the groups listed below, teams are ordered based on their interim overall ranking.^[6]

1. The four Nations League Finals participants are ranked as follows:
   1. The winner is ranked 1st;
   2. The runner-up is ranked 2nd;
   3. The third-placed team is ranked 3rd;
   4. The fourth-placed team is ranked 4th.
2. The four League A quarter-final losers are ranked 5th to 8th.
3. The four teams directly promoted to League A, and the four winners of the League A/B play-offs, are ranked 9th to 16th.
4. The four teams directly relegated to League B, and the four losers of the League A/B play-offs, are ranked 17th to 24th.
5. The four teams directly promoted to League B, and the four winners of the League B/C play-offs, are ranked 25th to 32nd.
6. The four teams directly relegated to League C, and the four losers of the League B/C play-offs, are ranked 33rd to 40th.
7. The four League C third-placed teams remain ranked 41st to 44th.
8. The two teams directly promoted to League C, and the two winners of the League C/D play-offs, are ranked 45th to 48th.
9. The two teams directly relegated to League D, and the two losers of the League C/D play-offs, will be ranked 49th to 52nd.
10. The two League D third-placed teams remain ranked 53rd and 54th.

Below is the schedule of the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League.^[6]

To allow for enough teams to participate in the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification group stage in March 2025, the League C/D promotion/relegation play-offs will be played in March 2026. If any of the teams due to participate in these ties advance to the World Cup play-offs in March 2026, the League C/D promotion/relegation play-offs will be cancelled, and all teams will remain in their respective leagues for the following edition.^[6]

The fixture list was confirmed by UEFA on 9 February 2024, the day following the draw.^{[9][10][11][12]}

54 of UEFA's 55 national teams entered the competition. Russia, slated to participate in League C, were banned from participating as a result of their suspension from UEFA and FIFA competitions due to their country's invasion of Ukraine.^[13] The teams which finished bottom of their group in Leagues A and B, as well as the losers from the relegation play-outs of League C, from the 2022–23 season will move down a league, while the group winners of Leagues B, C and D moved up. The remaining teams stayed in their respective leagues.^[14]

In an interview with the Polish website meczyki.pl, UEFA vice-president Zbigniew Boniek said that all ten teams from CONMEBOL, South America's football federation, could join the UEFA Nations League from the 2024–25 edition of the competition.^[15] The plans, which would act as a response to FIFA's biennial World Cup plans, were intended as part of enhanced cooperation between the two organisations following the signing of a memorandum of understanding and the opening of a joint office in London.^[16] However, such an expansion was not possible after CONMEBOL submitted a request to FIFA to maintain the round-robin qualification format for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.^[17] On 25 January 2023, the UEFA Executive Committee confirmed the format for the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League, with no South American teams to be added.^[3]

In the 2022–23 access list, UEFA ranked teams based on the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League overall ranking,^[18] with slight modifications: teams that were relegated in the previous season were ranked immediately below those who were promoted, and rankings shifted with the removal of Russia.^[6] The seeding pots for the league phase were based on the access list ranking. The seeding pots, draw procedure, and fixture list procedures were confirmed by the UEFA Executive Committee during their meeting in Hamburg, Germany, on 2 December 2023.^[19]

Key

	Promoted in previous season after league phase
	Relegated in previous season after league phase
*	Relegated in previous season after relegation play-outs

League A Pot Team Prv Rank 1  Spain (title holders) 1  Croatia 2  Italy 3  Netherlands 4 2  Denmark 5  Portugal 6  Belgium 7  Hungary 8 3   Switzerland 9  Germany 10  Poland 11  France 12 4  Israel 13  Bosnia and Herzegovina 14  Serbia 15  Scotland 16	League B Pot Team Prv Rank 1  Austria 17  Czech Republic 18  England 19  Wales 20 2  Finland 21  Ukraine 22  Iceland 23  Norway 24 3  Slovenia 25  Republic of Ireland 26  Albania 27  Montenegro 28 4  Georgia 29  Greece 30  Turkey 31  Kazakhstan 32
League C Pot Team Prv Rank 1  Romania 33  Sweden 34  Armenia 35  Luxembourg 36 2  Azerbaijan 37  Kosovo 38  Bulgaria 39  Faroe Islands 40 3  North Macedonia 41  Slovakia 42  Northern Ireland 43  Cyprus 44 4  Belarus 45  Lithuania[a] 46  Estonia 47  Latvia 48	League D Pot Team Prv Rank 1  Gibraltar[a] * 49  Moldova 50 2  Malta 51  Andorra 52  San Marino 53  Liechtenstein 54 Banned from entering competition Team  Russia

The draw for the league phase took place at the Maison de la Mutualité in Paris, France, on 8 February 2024, 18:00 CET.^[20][21][22] The draw, originally planned to take place in Madrid, was relocated due to the Luis Rubiales scandal.^[23][24]

For political reasons, Armenia and Azerbaijan (due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict) could not be drawn into the same group. Due to excessive travel restrictions, only one of England, Iceland, the Republic of Ireland or Wales could be drawn with Kazakhstan. No winter venue restrictions were necessary for countries with a risk of severe winter weather, and several other potential political and excessive travel restrictions were not required because the teams concerned were either in different leagues or the same draw pot.^[1]

Group A1

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Croatia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for quarter-finals		—	18 Nov	8 Sep	12 Oct
2	Portugal	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			5 Sep	—	15 Nov	8 Sep
3	Poland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for relegation play-offs		15 Oct	12 Oct	—	18 Nov
4	Scotland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to League B		15 Nov	15 Oct	5 Sep	—

Group A2

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Italy	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for quarter-finals		—	10 Oct	17 Nov	14 Oct
2	Belgium	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			14 Nov	—	14 Oct	6 Sep
3	France	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for relegation play-offs		6 Sep	9 Sep	—	14 Nov
4	Israel	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to League B		9 Sep	17 Nov	10 Oct	—

Group A3

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Netherlands	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for quarter-finals		—	16 Nov	10 Sep	7 Sep
2	Hungary	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			11 Oct	—	19 Nov	10 Sep
3	Germany	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for relegation play-offs		14 Oct	7 Sep	—	16 Nov
4	Bosnia and Herzegovina	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to League B		19 Nov	14 Oct	11 Oct	—

Group A4

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Spain	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for quarter-finals		—	12 Oct	18 Nov	15 Oct
2	Denmark	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			15 Nov	—	5 Sep	8 Sep
3	Switzerland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for relegation play-offs		8 Sep	15 Oct	—	15 Nov
4	Serbia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to League B		5 Sep	18 Nov	12 Oct	—

Quarter-finals

The draw for the quarter-finals will be held on 22 November 2024 in Nyon, Switzerland, along with the draw for the promotion/relegation play-offs.^[25]The first legs will be played on 20 March, and the second legs will be played on 23 March 2025.

Nations League Finals

The host of the Nations League Finals will preferably be selected from the four qualified teams. The semi-finals pairings will be determined by means of an open draw. For scheduling purposes, the host team will be allocated to semi-final 1 as the administrative home team.

Bracket

Semi-finals

Third-place play-off

Final

Group B1

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	Czech Republic	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to League A		—	10 Sep	11 Oct	19 Nov
2	Ukraine	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for promotion play-offs		14 Oct	—	7 Sep	11 Oct
3	Albania	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for relegation play-offs		16 Nov	19 Nov	—	10 Sep
4	Georgia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to League C		7 Sep	16 Nov	14 Oct	—

Group B2

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	England	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to League A		—	10 Sep	17 Nov	10 Oct
2	Finland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for promotion play-offs		13 Oct	—	10 Oct	17 Nov
3	Republic of Ireland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for relegation play-offs		7 Sep	14 Nov	—	10 Sep
4	Greece	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to League C		14 Nov	7 Sep	13 Oct	—

Group B3

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	Austria	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to League A		—	13 Oct	17 Nov	10 Oct
2	Norway	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for promotion play-offs		9 Sep	—	10 Oct	17 Nov
3	Slovenia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for relegation play-offs		6 Sep	14 Nov	—	9 Sep
4	Kazakhstan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to League C		14 Nov	6 Sep	13 Oct	—

Group B4

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	Wales	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to League A		—	19 Nov	14 Oct	6 Sep
2	Iceland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for promotion play-offs		11 Oct	—	6 Sep	14 Oct
3	Montenegro	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for relegation play-offs		9 Sep	16 Nov	—	19 Nov
4	Turkey	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to League C		16 Nov	9 Sep	11 Oct	—

Group C1

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	Sweden	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to League B		—	19 Nov	16 Nov	8 Sep
2	Azerbaijan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for promotion play-offs		5 Sep	—	14 Oct	16 Nov
3	Slovakia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			11 Oct	8 Sep	—	19 Nov
4	Estonia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to League D or qualification for relegation play-offs		14 Oct	11 Oct	5 Sep	—

Group C2

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	Romania	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to League B		—	15 Nov	18 Nov	9 Sep
2	Kosovo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for promotion play-offs		6 Sep	—	15 Oct	18 Nov
3	Cyprus	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			12 Oct	9 Sep	—	15 Nov
4	Lithuania	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to League D or qualification for relegation play-offs		15 Oct	12 Oct	6 Sep	—

Group C3

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	Luxembourg	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to League B		—	15 Nov	18 Nov	8 Sep
2	Bulgaria	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for promotion play-offs		12 Oct	—	8 Sep	18 Nov
3	Northern Ireland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			5 Sep	15 Oct	—	15 Nov
4	Belarus	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to League D or qualification for relegation play-offs		15 Oct	5 Sep	12 Oct	—

Group C4

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	Armenia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to League B		—	14 Nov	13 Oct	7 Sep
2	Faroe Islands	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for promotion play-offs		10 Oct	—	7 Sep	13 Oct
3	North Macedonia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			10 Sep	17 Nov	—	14 Nov
4	Latvia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to League D or qualification for relegation play-offs		17 Nov	10 Sep	10 Oct	—

Ranking of fourth-placed teams

Group D1

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or qualification
1	Gibraltar	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to League C		—	10 Oct	8 Sep
2	San Marino	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for promotion play-offs		15 Nov	—	5 Sep
3	Liechtenstein	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			13 Oct	18 Nov	—

Group D2

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or qualification
1	Moldova	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to League C		—	7 Sep	10 Oct
2	Malta	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for promotion play-offs		13 Oct	—	19 Nov
3	Andorra	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			16 Nov	10 Sep	—

The draw for the promotion/relegation play-offs will be held on 22 November 2024 in Nyon, Switzerland, along with the draw for the League A quarter-finals.^[25] For the League A/B and B/C ties, the first legs will be played on 20 March, and the second legs will be played on 23 March 2025. For the League C/D ties, the first legs will be played on 26 March, and the second legs will be played on 31 March 2026.

League A vs League B

League B vs League C

League C vs League D

Starting from the 2024–25 season, the overall rankings are split into interim and final versions. While the interim overall rankings will be based on league rankings, explicitly ordering teams from higher leagues over those from lower ones, the final overall rankings will take into account the results of the League A knockout stage and promotion/relegation play-offs, updating the interim overall rankings accordingly.^[6]

Interim overall ranking

Following the conclusion of the league phase in November 2024, an interim overall ranking is established based on the results of each league.^[6]

Final overall ranking

The final overall ranking, established at the conclusion of the competition, adjusts the interim overall ranking by taking into account the results of the League A knockout stage and promotion/relegation play-offs. Teams that are promoted at the end of the 2024–25 season are ranked above those who are relegated, with the final rankings reflecting the composition of leagues for the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League.^[6]

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