Understanding the UEFA Nations League Structure and Teams for 2026-27

The 2026-27 UEFA Nations League kicks off this September, continuing a competition that started in 2018. This tournament is divided into four leagues where national teams compete to move up or avoid dropping down. The strongest teams from League A advance to quarter-finals and eventually compete for the title.

Teams aim to improve their rankings and boost their chances of qualifying for major tournaments like the World Cup and European Championships. However, the Nations League itself doesn’t offer direct qualification to those events.

Leagues A, B, and C each have four groups with four teams, while League D consists of two groups with fewer teams. The format also extends to women’s international football with a similar setup.

Match Schedule and Promotion/Relegation

From September to November, every team plays home and away matches against others in its group. In League A, the top two teams in each group reach the quarter-finals. Those eight then battle through knockouts to find the overall winner.

In Leagues B, C, and D, group winners earn promotion to the next higher league. The bottom team in each group from Leagues A, B, and C faces relegation to the lower league. Meanwhile, second-place teams in Leagues B, C, and D enter relegation play-offs against third-placed teams from the leagues above.

March 2027 sees the League A quarter-finals and several relegation play-offs, while June hosts the semi-finals, final, and the League C/D play-off.

Teams that perform well but miss out on automatic European Championship qualification will have another chance via additional play-offs.

Teams in Each League for 2026-27

• League A:Group A1: France, Italy, Belgium, Turkey
• Group A2: Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, Greece
• Group A3: Spain, Croatia, England, Czech Republic
• Group A4: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Wales

• Group B1: Scotland, Switzerland, Slovenia, North Macedonia
• Group B2: Hungary, Ukraine, Georgia, Northern Ireland
• Group B3: Israel, Austria, Republic of Ireland, Kosovo
• Group B4: Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Sweden

• Group C1: Albania, Finland, Belarus, San Marino
• Group C2: Montenegro, Armenia, Cyprus, Latvia
• Group C3: Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Faroe Islands, Moldova
• Group C4: Iceland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Luxembourg

• Group D1: Gibraltar, Malta, Andorra
• Group D2: Lithuania, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein

Nations League Beyond Europe

Other continents have adopted similar formats. Asia and North/Central America run their own Nations League tournaments. South America currently lacks a men’s Nations League, though CONMEBOL reportedly considered launching one by late 2025. There is a women's Nations League in South America, while Africa and Oceania do not have such competitions yet.