How does the league phase work?
The 54 UEFA member associations participating in the league phase have been divided into four leagues based on their results in the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League. Teams are then divided into pots, again based on their 2022/23 UEFA Nations League rankings.
The League A, B and C draws will each determine four groups of four teams. Each team will play six matches in their group, one home and one away against the other three nations in the group.
The League D draw will determine two groups of three teams. Each team will play four matches in their group, one home and one away against the other two nations in the section.Full league phase draw procedure
What are the league phase draw pots?
League A
Pot 1: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Netherlands
Pot 2: Denmark, Portugal, Belgium, Hungary
Pot 3: Switzerland, Germany, Poland, France
Pot 4: Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Scotland
League B
Pot 1: Austria, Czechia, England, Wales
Pot 2: Finland, Ukraine, Iceland, Norway
Pot 3: Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, Montenegro
Pot 4: Georgia, Greece, Türkiye, Kazakhstan
League C
Pot 1: Romania, Sweden, Armenia, Luxembourg
Pot 2: Azerbaijan, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Faroe Islands
Pot 3: North Macedonia, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Cyprus
Pot 4: Belarus, Lithuania/Gibraltar*, Estonia, Latvia
League D
Pot 1: Lithuania/Gibraltar*, Moldova
Pot 2: Malta, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein
*To be determined following the 2022/23 play-outs in March 2024
What is the draw procedure?
League D
The draw starts with League D and Pot 1, which contains two balls. The drawn teams are assigned to the groups in ascending order from D1 to D2:
• A first ball is drawn and the team is assigned to group D1.
• The second ball is drawn and the team is assigned to group D2.
The draw continues with Pot 2:
• A first ball is drawn and the team is assigned to group D1.
• The second ball is drawn and the team is assigned to group D2.
• A third ball is drawn and the team is assigned to group D1.
• The fourth ball is drawn and the team is assigned to group D2.
When both pots have been emptied, groups D1 and D2 will contain three teams each.
League C
The draw for League C starts with Pot 1, containing four teams; the drawn teams are assigned to groups C1 to C4 in ascending order. The same procedure applies to Pots 2, 3 and 4. Every pot will be emptied before proceeding to the next pot and every group will be composed of one team from each pot.
League B
The draw follows the same procedure as for League C. When all pots have been emptied, each of the four groups of League B will contain four teams, one from each pot.
League A
The draw follows the same procedure as for Leagues C and B. When all pots have been emptied, each of the four groups of League A will contain four teams, one from each pot.
Final highlights: Croatia 0-0 Spain (4-5 pens)
League phase draw conditions
When a draw condition occurs or is anticipated to occur, the computer used to assist with the draw will indicate the next available group for the drawn team. Further details can be found in the draw procedure.
Prohibited team clashes
Based on UEFA Executive Committee decisions valid at the time of the draw, the following teams cannot be drawn into the same group: Armenia (League C, Pot 1) / Azerbaijan (League C, Pot 2).
Excessive travel conditions
Out of the 20 country pairs that have been identified as excessive, only four pairs in League B apply.
From/to: Kazakhstan (League B, Pot 4)
To/from: England (Pot 1), Iceland (Pot 2), Republic of Ireland (Pot 3), Wales (Pot 1)
A group can include a maximum of one such pair, meaning Kazakhstan can be drawn into the same group as only one of England, Iceland, Republic of Ireland or Wales.
What are the dates for the 2024/25 Nations League?
League phase draw: 8 February 2024
Matchday 1: 5-7 September 2024
Matchday 2: 8-10 September 2024
Matchday 3: 10-12 October 2024
Matchday 4: 13-15 October 2024
Matchday 5: 14-16 November 2024
Matchday 6: 17-19 November 2024
Knockout round play-off draw: November 2024
Knockout round play-offs: 20-25 March 2025
League A quarter-finals: 20-25 March 2025
Final tournament: 4-8 June 2025
What changes have been made for the 2024/25 Nations League?
The UEFA Nations League will be expanded with a new knockout round to be played in March 2025, thereby creating continuity between the league phase ending in November and the finals played in June.
The League A group winners and runners-up will participate in home-and-away quarter-finals, with the winners of these ties qualifying for the final tournament.
The fourth-placed teams in Leagues A and B are automatically relegated to League B and C respectively. The two lowest-ranked fourth-placed teams in League C, meanwhile, are relegated to League D.
The four group winners in Leagues B and C, as well as the two group winners in League D, are automatically promoted to Leagues A, B and C respectively.
The third-ranked teams of League A and the runners-up of League B, as well as the third-ranked teams of League B and the runners-up of League C, will play a home-and-away promotion/relegation play-off.
There will also be play-offs between the two best-ranked fourth-placed teams from League C and the two runners-up from League D.
The expansion of the UEFA Nations League into the International Match Calendar window of March will only concern a selected number of teams and the remaining teams will already be available to start the European Qualifiers.
