The next UEFA Nations League could see some home country draws drawn as England fell from League A to League B last time out.
England have been relegated from their UEFA Nations League group in 2023 and Gareth Southgate’s side are among those preparing to find out who they will face in the next tournament.
The 2022-23 edition was a mixed tournament held in the home country. England failed to win a single game in a group that also included Italy, Hungary and Germany, while Wales suffered the same fate as the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland, dropping into League B. However, Scotland, who topped the group, went in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland remained in League C.
Spain defeated Croatia in the final on penalties, clinching overall glory. Other national teams have managed to secure Euro 2024 play-off spots thanks to their placement in the Nations League, which could translate into a spot in Germany in the summer.
There are just two months left until the Euro finals and the next Nations League campaign, which starts in September. here, mirror football has all the details about the draw…and what it means for your chances of qualifying for the World Cup.
When is the lottery?
The draw for the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League will take place in Paris on February 8, 2024. The match will start at 6pm local time and 5pm in the UK.
Teams are divided into four leagues and ranked from A (best) to D (worst). The four teams that advance from their groups in League A will compete for the overall title, with the semi-finals and finals to be held in 2025.
How can people see it?
Those wishing to watch the draw live can do so on UEFA’s official website. League D, the lowest league, is drawn first, and League A is drawn last.
Who do you hope your team picks up in the Nations League? Let us know what you think in the comments section
Which teams are participating?
The European Federation has 54 European teams, all of whom participate in the draw. Due to their status as hosts, Germany did not take part in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, but they will take part in the Nations League, with the groups as follows:
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, Czech Republic, England, Wales
pot 2: Finland, Ukraine, Iceland, Norway
pot 3: Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, Montenegro
pot 4: Georgia, Greece, Turkiye, 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
*Lithuania and Gibraltar will take part in a relegation play-off to decide who will remain in League C and who will be relegated to League D. These will take place in March.
Can players from their home countries play against each other?
England and Wales are in League B, while Scotland and Northern Ireland are in Leagues A and C respectively, so it is possible that England and Wales will be the only teams to play against in the group. However, in a draw, both teams are in pot 1 and will be separated.
England or Wales could be drawn with the Republic of Ireland, who are in the other League B pot. Scotland and the Republic of Ireland were drawn in the same group in the 2022-23 edition and won the group stages.
The 2024-25 edition also introduced play-offs for promotion and relegation. This means, in theory, that if Scotland were third in their group and one of England and Wales finished second, they could face one of England or Wales in the play-offs.
What does that mean for the 2026 World Cup?
The World Cup will be expanded to 48 teams in 2026, with 16 teams from Europe participating. 12 of these spots will be given to the winner of the 12 qualifying groups, and his second place in these groups will be given his second chance in the play-off round.
These 12 runners-up teams will be joined in the playoff round by a further four teams that finished outside of the top two in their group, all of whom will earn spots based on their performance in the Nations League. This means doing well in the league. The Nations League could end up giving teams a path to tournaments in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
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