UEFA Nations League | Vital Football

UEFA Nations League

JuanPabloAngel

JuanPabloAngel

Alert Team
I had literally never heard of this until today!

Apparently, an all-new UEFA Nations League will replace the majority of meaningless friendlies and revitalise international football, giving European nations something to play for in non-tournament (i.e. World Cup/Euros) years.

There will be implications on who makes it to the finals of the European Championships as well.

The draw is in Switzerland today, apparently.

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/uefa-nations-league-what-it-and-how-will-it-work

 
Yeah I'd heard of this about 6 months ago, but didn't really understand it then, and still don't.

I like the idea of replacing friendlies with competitive games but I have no idea how this feeds into qualification for the main tournaments. Seems overly complicated from what i remember hearing 6 months ago,
 
Yeah I don't really get how it all pans out.

Safe to say that someone, somewhere will be making a shitload of money from this.
 
Like Deano I read about this about 6 months back. It looks like another power grab by EUFA .
I also read that they plan to make international breaks longer and squeeze more games in.
Not good for clubs who get players fit only to have them come back from a EUFA vanity project knackered and injured.
 
Nations League: League A

Group 1: Netherlands, France, Germany.

Group 2: Iceland, Switzerland, Belgium.

Group 3: Poland, Italy, Portugal.

Group 4: Croatia, England, Spain.



So essentially we'll play Croatia and Spain, home and away instead of 4 meaningless friendlies.

If we win the group we'll then be in the semi finals (knockout style) to crown a winner.
 
If we finish bottom of the 3 team group, then we get relegated to League B along with the likes of Northern Ireland, Wales and Republic of Ireland.

So lets not come bottom ay lads!
 
Nations League: League A
Group 1: Netherlands, France, Germany.

Group 2: Iceland, Switzerland, Belgium.

Group 3: Poland, Italy, Portugal.

Group 4: Croatia, England, Spain.





Nations League: League B
Group 1: Czech Republic, Ukraine, Slovakia.

Group 2: Turkey, Sweden, Russia.

Group 3: Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria.

Group 4: Denmark, Republic of Ireland, Wales.





Nations League: League C
Group 1: Israel, Albania, Scotland.

Group 2: Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary.

Group 3: Cyprus, Bulgaria, Norway, Slovenia.

Group 4: Lithuania, Montenegro, Serbia, Romania.






Nations League: League D
Group 1: Andorra, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Georgia.

Group 2: San Marino, Moldova, Luxembourg, Belarus.

Group 3: Kosovo, Malta, Faroe Islands, Azerbaijan

Group 4: Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, Armenia, Macedonia.
 
So as far as I understand it.....

The top team in each of the 4 GROUPS in LEAGUE A enter the 'Final Four competition' which is a knockout comp (semi's and final) to crown the overall WINNER.


4 teams will be relegated from LEAGUE'S A, B and C (the bottom team from each GROUP).

4 teams will be promoted from LEAGUE'S B, C and D (the top team from each GROUP)



Still unsure how all this affects European Championship Qualification but apprently there is a back door into Euro 2020 at stake for 4 teams.
 
Ok, so i think......

Each GROUP winner from all 4 LEAGUES enter a playoff (16 teams... 4 from each LEAGUE)

If a team has already qualified for EURO 2020 via the conventional route (Euro qualifying) then the next team in that GROUP goes into the playoff.

The 4 winners of that 16 team playoff get the last 4 spaces at Euro 2020.

So complicated!!
 
Yeah it's easy to be sceptical isn't it.

Still..... ANYTHING has to be better than these meaningless friendlies surely? I'd rather watch paint dry than England vs Ghana with 22 substitutions made.
 
I hate friendlies with a passion. Utterly pointless. I had a bit more time for them when Wembley was being rebuilt because it was good to see the national team travelling around the country and letting fans a chance to see them who wouldn't ordinarily get the opportunity.

Maybe this new thing will breathe a bit of life back into international football.
 
Deano have they said the time scale of this tournament, is it individual games, or is it a month out during the season, which is the way it read 6 months back, but they were undecided.
 
Specific fixtures will be announced by Uefa in due course, but this is when matches will take place. Teams in League A and League B only have four matches so will play on four of the six matchdays.

Matchday 1: 6–8 September 2018

Matchday 2: 9–11 September 2018

Matchday 3: 11–13 October 2018

Matchday 4: 14–16 October 2018

Matchday 5: 15–17 November 2018

Matchday 6: 18–20 November 2018

Nations League Finals draw: early December 2018

Nations League Finals: 5–9 June 2019

Uefa EURO 2020 play-off draw: 22 November 2019

Uefa EURO 2020 play-offs: 26–31 March 2020
 
Who says certain teams won't arrange friendlies to prepare for the games that are supposed to replace friendlies
 
I like to idea to be honest, better than meaningless friendlies and could be beneficial for the smaller nations.

Happy with Irelands group, revenge on Denmark and a chance to beat the Welsh again!
 
Stephen Jay Hawkings - 24/1/2018 13:46

I like to idea to be honest, better than meaningless friendlies and could be beneficial for the smaller nations.

Happy with Irelands group, revenge on Denmark and a chance to beat the Welsh again!
Click to expand...

The Welsh want revenge on the Irish, the Irish want revenge on the Danish, the Danes don't give a crap about either of us because they're preparing for the World Cup. :15:
 
Thanks Deano, this has kept you busy this morning.
They do like to complicate things dont they.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.