Paris (AFP) – World Cup runners-up France, European champions Italy and Belgium will face off in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League, while holders Spain will be favorites to win the group consisting of Denmark, Switzerland and Serbia.
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Israel were promoted to the top tier for the first time, becoming the fourth team to join Didier Deschamps’ France in Group A2 on Thursday.
Director Deschamps, who led France to victory in the second tournament in 2021, said, “It’s set up in Ligue A and we have the best teams, so there will inevitably be big matches.”
Croatia, who lost to Spain in last year’s final on penalties, are in Group A3 along with defending champions Portugal, Poland and Scotland.
Euro 2024 hosts Germany will play the Netherlands in Group A3 along with Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
England will face the Republic of Ireland, Finland and Greece after Gareth Southgate’s side were relegated to League B. They avoided grouping with Kazakhstan due to UEFA regulations regarding excessive travel requirements.
Southgate said: “We have some teams that haven’t played for a while, so it’s going to be a difficult game for us.”
“I think everyone in England will think it was a huge shame to drop into League B, but it’s still going to be a difficult game.
“Obviously, our aim is to get through the group and get back into League A.”
England have not faced Ireland in a competitive match since 1991, when they faced Ireland in a European Championship qualifier. Crowd problems forced the club to abandon a friendly in Dublin four years later.
The two teams last played in a friendly behind closed doors in November 2020, with England winning 3-0.
Wales are in group B4 with Iceland, Montenegro and Turkey.
Each league includes four groups of four teams. However, the lowest League D has a total of six teams and only two groups. Russia continues to ban entry into Ukraine due to its invasion of Ukraine.
First round matches are scheduled for September 5th to 7th, with the group phase expected to conclude in mid-November. The exact date will be confirmed on Friday.
A new knockout round will be introduced in the Nations League, with the League A group winners and runners-up taking part in a two-game quarter-final. The winners of the four matches will advance to the finals.
All group winners in Leagues B, C and D will automatically be promoted, while the bottom teams in Leagues A and B will continue to be relegated.
The bottom two teams in League C will fall to League D.
A playoff will also be held between the 3rd place team from League A and the 2nd place team from League B. The same draw will determine promotion and relegation between League B and League C.
In addition, the second-placed nation in League D has the chance to move up a level with a play-off against the top two fourth-placed nations in League C.
© 2024 AFP