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World Cup runners-up France, European champions Italy and Belgium will face each other in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League, while holders Spain will be favorites to win the group consisting of Denmark, Switzerland and Serbia.
Israel were promoted to the top tier for the first time, becoming the fourth team in Group A2 alongside Didier Deschamps’ France.
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.
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.
The Nations League will feature a new knockout round, with the League A group winners and runners-up competing in a two-game quarter-final. The winners of the four ties will advance to the Nations League final. The final will maintain the format of four teams competing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the champion.
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 two lowest ranked teams in League C will fall to the lowest ranked 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.
Full Nations League draw
League A
- Group A1: Croatia, Portugal, Poland, Scotland
- Group A2: Italy, Belgium, France, Israel
- Group A3: Netherlands, Hungary, Germany, Bosnia
- Group A4: Spain, Denmark, Switzerland, Serbia
League B
- Group B1: Czech Republic, Ukraine, Albania, Georgia
- Group B2: England, Finland, Ireland, Greece
- Group B3: Austria, Norway, Slovenia, Kazakhstan
- Group B4: Wales, Iceland, Montenegro, Türkiye
League C
- Group C1: Sweden, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Estonia
- Group C2: Romania, Kosovo, Cyprus, Lithuania/Gibraltar
- Group C3: Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Northern Ireland, Belarus
- Group C4: Armenia, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia, Latvia
League D
- Group D1: Lithuania/Gibraltar, San Marino, Liechtenstein
- Group D2: Moldova, Malta, Andorra
Note: Lithuania and Gibraltar are scheduled to face each other in a relegation play-off in March
Nations league match schedule
- Section 1 and Section 2: September 5th to 10th, 2024
- Sections 3 and 4: October 10th to 15th, 2024
- Sections 5 and 6: November 14th to 19th, 2024
- playoff knockout round: March 20th to 25th, 2025
- League A quarterfinals: March 20th to 25th, 2025
- Final game: June 4th to 8th, 2025