According to The Times, UEFA’s national teams committee has established a special working group to review the current format of the World Cup and European Championship qualifiers.
The group’s main goal is to assess the effectiveness of the existing system and test new models. Sources note that UEFA is considering using the Nations League as a qualifying competition or implementing a Swiss-style model.
For reference, a similar format has already been used in European club tournaments since last season. In it, teams compete in a single league table, opponents are determined by ranking, and every match carries more weight.
The issue was discussed two weeks ago during a meeting in Malaga attended by general secretaries from all 55 European federations.
According to sources, UEFA is mainly concerned about two things — the decline in public interest and reduced broadcasting revenues from qualifying matches. Meanwhile, the Nations League continues to show growth in both audience numbers and commercial results.
“This topic has been raised before, but finding the right balance is difficult. It’s necessary to give small teams a chance while avoiding problems for top teams — it’s a delicate equilibrium,” said a source familiar with the matter.
Therefore, UEFA’s initiative could significantly reshape international football in the coming years. Analysts believe that if the Swiss model is adopted, the European qualification process may take on an entirely new form.
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