UEFA hopes that it will lead to “more meaningful games” as well as “bigger sporting and commercial interest” in international football. It is “convinced that this format will help all European national associations and keep the dream of qualifying for big international tournaments alive,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.
“We welcome the reforms made to women’s international competitions. Through the new format of the Nations League and European qualification, we will play more competitive matches. That is something we have been speaking about. It is exactly these types of games that help the game and are incredible important for the development of the players. However, due to the lack of information regarding the Final Four tournament and the associated Olympic qualification, we are not yet in a position to assess it conclusively,” explained head coach of the national side, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg.
Three leagues with promotion and relegation
In the Nations League, teams will be grouped into leagues A, B and C according to their corresponding UEFA ranking, in which each league consists of four groups of four teams – league C will have an additional group of three teams. Each team will play a home and an away game against every opponent in their group.
At the end, the group winners of league A will play out a Final Four tournament. The winners of leagues B and C will be promoted up a league, whilst those who finish fourth in their group as well as the worst third group in League B will each be relegated to the lower league. Then in the playoffs, the third-placed teams in league A play against the second-placed teams in league B for a further four places in league A, and the three best third-placed teams in league B play against the three best placed second-placed teams in league C for the rest of the places in league B.
Nations League has an effect on European Championship and World Cup qualification
A team’s final placing is also important for European Championship qualification, which kicks off in the spring 2024. There, the groups will be formed in the same manner according to Nations League rankings. At the end of qualifying, the group winners and runners-up of league A will travel to EURO 2025. This model also applies for qualification for the 2027 World Cup.
The remaining places for the EUROS will played out in a playoff system across two rounds of home and away games. In the first round, the third-placed and fourth-placed sides from league A will play against the group winners and three best runners-up from league C, and the group winners and two best runners-up from league B will play against the two remaining runners-up from league B and the four third-placed teams in league C. The winners of this round will then play for the seven remaining European Championship places. Should the host country not qualify, it will receive an automatic group stage spot.
Separate promotion and relegation rules apply for the Nations League:
- The top three in the group in league A remain in the league
- The group runners-up and the three best third-placed teams in league B remain in league B
- The second, third and fourth-placed teams in league C remain in league C
- The group winners of leagues B and C are promoted up a league
- The fourth-placed side in leagues A and B as well as the worst third-placed team in league B will all be relegated down a league.
created by mmc/abg
UEFA hopes that it will lead to “more meaningful games” as well as “bigger sporting and commercial interest” in international football. It is “convinced that this format will help all European national associations and keep the dream of qualifying for big international tournaments alive,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.
“We welcome the reforms made to women’s international competitions. Through the new format of the Nations League and European qualification, we will play more competitive matches. That is something we have been speaking about. It is exactly these types of games that help the game and are incredible important for the development of the players. However, due to the lack of information regarding the Final Four tournament and the associated Olympic qualification, we are not yet in a position to assess it conclusively,” explained head coach of the national side, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg.
Three leagues with promotion and relegation
In the Nations League, teams will be grouped into leagues A, B and C according to their corresponding UEFA ranking, in which each league consists of four groups of four teams – league C will have an additional group of three teams. Each team will play a home and an away game against every opponent in their group.
At the end, the group winners of league A will play out a Final Four tournament. The winners of leagues B and C will be promoted up a league, whilst those who finish fourth in their group as well as the worst third group in League B will each be relegated to the lower league. Then in the playoffs, the third-placed teams in league A play against the second-placed teams in league B for a further four places in league A, and the three best third-placed teams in league B play against the three best placed second-placed teams in league C for the rest of the places in league B.
Nations League has an effect on European Championship and World Cup qualification
A team’s final placing is also important for European Championship qualification, which kicks off in the spring 2024. There, the groups will be formed in the same manner according to Nations League rankings. At the end of qualifying, the group winners and runners-up of league A will travel to EURO 2025. This model also applies for qualification for the 2027 World Cup.
The remaining places for the EUROS will played out in a playoff system across two rounds of home and away games. In the first round, the third-placed and fourth-placed sides from league A will play against the group winners and three best runners-up from league C, and the group winners and two best runners-up from league B will play against the two remaining runners-up from league B and the four third-placed teams in league C. The winners of this round will then play for the seven remaining European Championship places. Should the host country not qualify, it will receive an automatic group stage spot.
Separate promotion and relegation rules apply for the Nations League:
- The top three in the group in league A remain in the league
- The group runners-up and the three best third-placed teams in league B remain in league B
- The second, third and fourth-placed teams in league C remain in league C
- The group winners of leagues B and C are promoted up a league
- The fourth-placed side in leagues A and B as well as the worst third-placed team in league B will all be relegated down a league.
