The UEFA Nations League is Back

The UEFA Nations League returns from 24-26 September 2026, with high stakes from the first matchday.

The group stages will start across the autumn international windows before the competition reaches its conclusion from 9-13 June 2027, where one nation will lift the UEFA Nations League champion trophy.

Can Portugal win it again, or will we see a new name etched onto the trophy?

Which nations are involved?

There are 54 nations participating in the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League.

Below are the League allocations:

League A

• Group A1: France, Italy, Belgium, Türkiye

• Group A2: Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, Greece

• Group A3: Spain, Croatia, England, Czech Republic

• Group A4: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Wales

  
  

League B

• 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

  
  

League C

• Group C1: Albania, Finland, Belarus, San Marino

• Group C2: Montenegro, Armenia, Cyprus, Latvia or Gibraltar

• Group C3: Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Faroe Islands, Moldova

• Group C4: Iceland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Luxembourg or Malta

  
  

League D

• Group D1: Latvia or Gibraltar, Malta or Luxembourg, Andorra

• Group D2: Lithuania, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein

  
  

Nations League 2026/27 dates

Matchday 1: 24-26 September 2026

Matchday 2: 27-29 September 2026

Matchday 3: 30 September-3 October 2026

Matchday 4: 4-6 October 2026

Matchday 5: 12-14 November 2026

Matchday 6: 15-17 November 2026

League A quarter-finals: 25-30 March 2027

League A/B and B/C play-offs: 25-30 March 2027

Final tournament: 9-13 June 2027

League C/D play-offs: 23-28 March 2028

UEFA Nations League full fixtures list

Register Your Interest

How the UEFA Nations League is played

The UEFA Nations League features 54 European nations split across four leagues (A, B, C and D), based on ranking.

How are the teams in the UEFA Nations League split?

The UEFA Nations League features 54 European nations, split across four leagues (A, B, C and D), based on ranking.

League Structure

• Leagues A, B and C each contain 16 teams, divided into four groups of four.

• Every nation plays the others in its group home and away, meaning six group matches per team.

  
  

Once the group stage concludes:

• The top two sides in each League A group progress to the quarter-finals.

• The quarter-finals are played over two legs, with winners advancing to the Finals.

Promotion and Relegation

In Leagues B and C, promotion and relegation are key features of the format:

• Group winners earn automatic promotion.

• Bottom-placed teams are relegated or enter a play-off to determine their league for the next cycle.

  
  

This ensures high stakes across every game.

League D Format

League D operates slightly differently from other leagues:

• It contains 6 teams, divided into two groups of three.

• Matches are played in a home and away format.

• Each team plays four group matches (two home, two away).

• The group winners are promoted to League C for the next Nations League cycle.

Knockout Phase

From the quarter-finals onward, the competition moves into a knockout format:

• Two semi-finals

• Third place play off

• Final

UEFA Nations League, Total Matches Played (Group Stage):

The total matches played through the group stages of the nations league are:

• League A - 48 matches (4 groups of 4)

• League B - 48 matches (4 groups of 4)

• League C - 48 matches (4 groups of 4)

• League D - 8 matches (2 groups of 3)

  
  

Each team in Leagues A, B and C plays six group-stage matches (three home, three away). Teams that progress to the Finals play two additional matches.