Revolutionary format for Nations League and Euro Qualifiers unveiled
European football's governing body (UEFA) has decided to fundamentally restructure the format of its prestigious national team competitions — the Nations League and the European Championship qualifying stage. This new system, unexpected by fans and experts alike, will take the appeal and competitiveness of international matches in Europe to an entirely new level.
According to the presented plan, these revolutionary changes are scheduled to officially come into effect after the conclusion of the Euro 2028 tournament, i.e., starting from the 2028/29 season. The new concept for the tournaments will be finalized at the next UEFA Executive Committee meeting in September of this year.
Nations League: A Champions League-style model for clubs
Under the new reform, the structure of the Nations League will change significantly. From now on, the competition will feature three main divisions (A, B, and C), each consisting of 18 teams. Within each league, three separate pots of six participants each will be formed based on power rankings.
The match format will look as follows:
Teams will play a total of six matches against five different opponents.
They will face opponents from different pots within their division both at home and away.
Additionally, each national team is required to play one away match against one of the opponents from their own pot.
In Division C, as an exception, 19 participants will compete, with one of the groups consisting of 7 teams.
Notably, the traditional quarter-finals, the 'Final Four', and the promotion/relegation (play-off) matches that ensure the intensity of the competition will remain unchanged.
European Championship Qualifiers: A two-tier league system
The qualifying cycle for the European Championship will also adopt a multi-stage and highly engaging structure. Under the new system, national teams will be divided into two major leagues:
League 1: This elite group will include the 36 strongest teams participating in Divisions A and B of the Nations League.
League 2: All other teams with lower rankings will be placed in this league.
Within League 1, three pots of 12 teams each will be created. This is reminiscent of the new Swiss-style system used in UEFA club competitions (Champions League). Each national team will play six matches against different opponents (two from each pot), with three home and three away games. In League 2, there will be three pots, one containing 7 teams and the other two containing 6 teams each.
Distribution of spots and host obligations
Only the strongest teams that finish first in their League 1 groups will earn direct qualification for the European Championship. The remaining spots for the continental tournament will be determined through intense play-off matches. This system provides a fair and equal opportunity for relatively weaker teams in League 2 to reach the final stage of the European Championship.
Another important update: National teams of countries hosting the European Championship, even though they qualify automatically for the final tournament, will still be required to participate fully in this qualifying stage. Their participation and results in the qualifiers will determine which division and pot they are placed in for the next Nations League season.
Do you think this new 'Swiss' format introduced by UEFA will increase interest in national team matches or add to player fatigue?
