Following a detailed analysis of the existing formats of UEFA men's national team competitions and extensive consultations with all UEFA member associations, a new concept has been confirmed to be implemented after UEFA EURO 2028.
“The new formats will improve competitive balance, reduce the number of irrelevant matches, offer a more attractive and dynamic competition for fans, while ensuring a fair chance of qualification for all teams and without adding new dates to the international calendar. Overall, these changes will increase the value of UEFA national team football and we are very much looking forward to the implementation of the new competition systems.", said Aleksandar Čeferin, UEFA president.
Under the new structure, the UEFA Nations League (UNL) will move from the current four leagues to three leagues with 18 teams each from the 2028/29 edition. Each league will be made up of three groups of six teams, playing six matches against five different opponents: home or away against teams from different pots, and home and away against opponents from the same pot. With 55 teams participating, League C will feature one group of seven teams, with the calendar starting one international match earlier. The quarter-finals, Final Four and promotion/relegation play-offs will complete the unchanged format.
The European qualifiers will also have a tiered structure: League 1, composed of the 36 teams from UNL Leagues A and B, and League 2, composed of the remaining 18 (or 19) UNL teams. League 1 will have three groups of 12 teams drawn from three pots of 12 teams each. Each team will play six home or away matches against six different opponents, two from each pot, similar to the format of UEFA club competitions. League 2 will be organised identically to UNL League C, with three groups of six teams (or one group of seven).
Although the hosts will qualify directly for the final tournament, they will participate in the European qualifiers with the aim of determining their position in the next edition of the UEFA Nations League. The top-ranked teams from each League 1 group will qualify directly, while the remaining places will be allocated through a play-off system, which will guarantee a fair chance of qualification for teams from League 2.
The concept will be further developed over the coming months before being submitted for final approval of the detailed format at the next Executive Committee meeting in September.
