The UEFA Nations League is a biennial competition that replaced many international friendlies with competitive, league-style fixtures between European national teams. The 2026–27 edition keeps the four-tier structure used since the competition began, with a few scheduling and format details that affect promotion, relegation and the path to the knockout phase.
- Nations League uses four leagues (A–D); A–C have 16 teams each, D has six in 2026–27.
- League A’s top two from each group progress to two-legged quarter-finals in March; four winners contest the June Finals.
- Promotion, relegation and play-offs between adjacent leagues determine movement for the next edition; League D will disappear after 2026–27 as UEFA moves to three leagues.
- Confirmed 2026–27 League A includes England (Group A3: Spain, Croatia, Czechia); full league lists are published above.
Competition structure and calendar
The Nations League divides all UEFA members into four leagues (A, B, C and D). Leagues A, B and C each contain 16 teams split into four groups of four; League D has six teams arranged across two groups of three. During the league phase — played across the September, October and November international windows — every side plays home and away against the other teams in its group.
For the 2026–27 campaign the league phase runs from late September to mid-November. UEFA has scheduled an extended September–October window (24 September–6 October 2026) so teams can fit four Nations League fixtures into that block; the remaining two matchdays are in November. The League A quarter-finals and promotion/relegation play-offs are scheduled for the March 2027 international break, and the Nations League Finals (four-team semi-finals, third-place play-off and final) will be held in June 2027.
How promotion, relegation and the knockout stage work
The basic rules for 2026–27, as used in recent editions, are:
- League A: the top two teams from each group (eight teams in total) advance to two-legged quarter-finals in March. The four quarter-final winners qualify for the June finals tournament to decide the overall champion.
- Automatic relegation and promotion: group winners in Leagues B, C and D are promoted to the next-highest league for the following edition; the bottom-placed teams in Leagues A, B and C are generally relegated.
- Play-offs: third-placed teams in League A and runners-up in League B (and similarly between B/C and C/D where applicable) take part in two-legged promotion/relegation play-offs in March to determine which teams change leagues. The details for League C/D relegation and some tie scenarios vary between editions; 2026–27 retains play-off mechanisms to finalise movement between leagues.
UEFA also links the Nations League to qualification for European Championships and World Cups. The competition provides additional routes into tournament play-offs for teams that do not qualify directly via the standard qualifying groups, although the Nations League itself does not award an automatic place at a major finals.
What’s changed or notable for 2026–27
- Extended early window: the September–October 2026 block was lengthened so teams can play four fixtures across that window rather than the usual two, compressing the league phase schedule.
- Quarter-finals added at League A: since 2024/25 the Nations League has used a quarter-final round (two-legged) to produce the four finalists, rather than advancing only four group winners directly to a Finals weekend. This format continues in 2026–27.
- Transition planned after 2026–27: UEFA intends to reduce the competition to three leagues (of 18 teams each) from the 2028–29 edition, meaning 2026–27 is the last Nations League to include a four-tier setup with League D in its current form.
How results affect national teams — practical implications
For managers and squads the Nations League is now a meaningful part of the international calendar rather than a collection of friendlies. Strong results can:
- Win promotion and a higher quality of opposition in the next edition.
- Secure a spot in the March play-offs (for League A sides) and keep the chance of contesting the June Finals open.
- Offer secondary routes into European Championship play-offs for teams that fall short in conventional qualifying.
Conversely, poor performance can see a side relegated to a lower league, which influences the difficulty of opponents and the competitive value of future international windows.
Who is in each league for 2026–27
The following lists are the confirmed league compositions and selected groups for the 2026–27 Nations League campaign as reported by UEFA-linked coverage and major sports outlets.
League A (16 teams)
France, Italy, Belgium, Turkey, Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, Greece, Spain, Croatia, England, Czechia, Portugal, Denmark, Norway and Wales.
League B (16 teams)
Scotland, Switzerland, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Hungary, Ukraine, Georgia, northern Ireland, Israel, Austria, Republic of Ireland, Kosovo, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Sweden.
League C (16 teams)
Albania, Finland, Belarus, San Marino, Montenegro, Armenia, Cyprus, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Faroe Islands, Moldova, Iceland, Bulgaria, Estonia and Luxembourg.
League D (6 teams)
Gibraltar, Malta, Andorra, Lithuania, Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein.
Groups highlighted (selected group draws)
Published group draws included the following group compositions relevant to major fixtures and UK interest:
- Group A2: Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, Greece.
- Group A3: Spain, Croatia, England, Czech Republic (England will play Spain at home on 26 September 2026 as the group opener).
- Group B1: Scotland, Switzerland, Slovenia, North Macedonia.
Other groups across the leagues are published in the official draw lists used for the 2026–27 campaign.
Key dates and the pathway to the Finals
- League phase: late September to mid-November 2026 (six matchdays, home and away within group).
- Quarter-finals and promotion/relegation play-offs: March 25–30, 2027 (two-legged ties for League A quarter-finals and inter-league play-offs).
- Finals tournament: June 9–13, 2027 (four-team semi-finals, third-place match and final to decide the Nations League champion).
Wider context and future developments
The Nations League model has become influential: UEFA and Concacaf have discussed the idea of a combined tournament that would use a similar multi-league format to create cross-confederation fixtures between Europe and North/Central America. Those talks are at an early stage and — if pursued — could produce broader changes to the international calendar in future cycles.
Quick takeaway for England supporters
England compete in League A, Group A3 with Spain, Croatia and Czechia and start their campaign with a home game against Spain on 26 September 2026. The immediate aim for any top-league side is to finish in the top two of the group to reach the March quarter-finals and keep a route open to the Finals in June.
Confidence: 85