The Nations League will be the next chance to see England play, so we take a look at the tournament in detail
If you’ve been wondering ‘What is the Nations League?’, then you’ve come to the right place.
In this blog, we’ll explore exactly what the biennial football competition is, including teams, format and when it will take place.
With the Euros now over for another four years, fans are looking forward to the next time they can see England play. We may have suffered the heartbreak of reaching but not winning another successive final, but the exciting news is that the team will be back in action again soon.
We’ll also let you know how you can get VIP seats at the Nations League via the Seat Unique booking platform, so you can watch England play in style.
What is the UEFA Nations League and how does it work?
The UEFA Nations League has been running since 2018 and takes place every two years.
It was created to replace the international friendly matches that existed before this, to get European teams playing competitively on a more regular basis.
The tournament comprises the 54 UEFA national teams, which are divided up into four different groups, based on their results in the 2022-23 competition, called Leagues.
League A, B and C each have 16 teams, whilst League D has six teams.
The leagues are divided into smaller sub-groups, made of three or four teams, and within these groups, the teams all play their opponents both at home and away.
In the top league, League A, the top two teams will progress into the four-team Nations League Finals in the summer of 2025. At the Finals, there are two semi-finals, plus a third and fourth-place playoff.
For teams in Leagues B, C and D, they will play to be promoted into the league above. Meanwhile, those in League A, B and C can also be relegated.
This works as follows:
- The teams in fourth place in League A and League B are automatically relegated.
- The two teams at the bottom of the table in League C are relegated to League D.
- The group winners in Leagues B, C, and D are then promoted into the spaces that have been created by the teams relegated.
- The third-ranked teams in League A will play home and away matches with the runners-up of League B and the same with the teams in League B and C. These will be playoffs to work out further promotions and relegations.
- The two teams who were runners-up in League D will also play the best-ranked teams who finished fourth in League C, for more promotion/relegation playoffs.
What are the groups currently looking like for the Nations League?
According to UEFA, the groups are currently as follows:
Group A1
Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Croatia
Group A2
Italy, Belgium, France, Israel
Group A3
Netherlands, Hungary, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group A4
Spain, Denmark, Switzerland, Serbia
Group B1
Czechia, Ukraine, Albania, Georgia
Group B2
England, Finland, Republic of Ireland, Greece
Group B3
Austria, Norway, Slovenia, Kazakhstan
Group B4
Wales, Iceland, Montenegro, Türkiye
Group C1
Sweden, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Estonia
Group C2
Romania, Kosovo, Cyprus, Lithuania
Group C3
Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Northern Ireland, Belarus
Group C4
Armenia, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia, Latvia
Group D1
Gibraltar, San Marino, Liechtenstein
Group D2
Moldova, Malta, Andorra
What are the dates for the Nations League 2024/2025?
The competition will take place in phases. These are:
- League phase - September to November 2024
- League A quarter-finals, League A/B and B/C playoffs - March 2025
- Nations League Finals - June 2025
- League C/D playoffs - March 2026
What do you get for winning the Nations League?
Each team that takes place in the competition will receive a payment for participation, which depends on the league that they’re part of. For League A, this is €1.5million; League B, €1million, League C, €750,000, and League D, €500,000.
There is then a bonus for the winners of each league, ranging from €750,000 for League A, down to €250,000 for League D group winners.
The overall winner and runners-up will receive a prize, with the previous winner Spain pocketing €10million in the 2022/2023 competition. Meanwhile, runners-up Croatia netted €9million, Italy in third received €8million and Holland in fourth place got €7million.
Why is England in League B?
This year England starts in League B because they were relegated from League A during the last competition in 2022/2023.
To get back in League A, they need to finish top of their group in League B this time around so they can be promoted. Their group, B2, also contains Finland, the Republic of Ireland and Greece.
If they don’t finish top of their mini-group, they can still be promoted out of League B and back into League A via play-offs if they finish as runners-up in the group.
Can England still win the Nations League?
As they’re in League B, England will be unable to win the Nations League this time around, but if they are promoted back into League A then they could win next time the tournament takes place.
Can you qualify for the Euros through the Nations League?
The Nations League plays a crucial role in working out which countries go to the Euros.
The seeding for the Euros is worked out based on teams’ performance in the Nations League.
The teams that fail to make it through to the Euros via the usual group stages route will get the chance to go into playoffs for the next Euros, which is due to be held in the UK and Ireland in 2028.
Where to watch the Nations League with VIP seats
The Nations League will be the next chance to see England play after they reached the finals of the Euros this year, and there’s availability to see the team play both Finland and Greece at Wembley with hospitality via Seat Unique.
Why not treat yourself to hospitality tickets to see the lads play in style? Amazing extras on the day range from premium padded seats with great views of the pitch to complimentary food, drinks and more, depending on the package that you book. It will be a day you’ll never forget!
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