2026/27 UEFA Nations League: All you need to know
Sunday, June 1, 2025
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Match dates, groups and how it works – all you need to know about the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League.
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The fifth edition of the UEFA Nations League will get under way in September 2026.
How is the 2026/27 edition shaping up?
Which leagues will teams compete in for the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League?
Pots will be confirmed closer to the draw
League A
Belgium
Croatia
Czechia
Denmark
England
France
Germany
Greece
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
Serbia
Spain
Türkiye
Wales
League B
Austria
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Georgia
Hungary
Israel
Kosovo
North Macedonia
Northern Ireland
Poland
Republic of Ireland
Romania
Scotland
Slovenia
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine
League C
Albania
Armenia
Belarus
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
Iceland
Kazakhstan
Moldova
Montenegro
San Marino
Slovakia
Gibraltar/Latvia*
Malta/Luxembourg*
League D
Andorra
Azerbaijan
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Gibraltar/Latvia*
Malta/Luxembourg*
*To be decided via League C/D play-offs
When is the league phase draw for the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League?
The draw for the league phase of the fifth edition of the UEFA Nations League will take place in early 2026, with the exact date to be confirmed.
What are the dates for the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League?
The following dates are earmarked for the fifth edition of the UEFA Nations League:
League phase
- Matchday 1-4: 23 September to 5 October 2026
- Matchday 5-6: 11-16 November 2026
Quarter-finals, League A/B and League B/C promotion/relegation play-offs
- 25-30 March 2027
League C/D play-offs
- 23-28 March 2028
Finals
- 7-15 June 2027 (Dates to be confirmed)
What is the UEFA Nations League?
The UEFA Nations League was devised to minimise meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive encounters with equally ranked teams.
European associations compete in a league structure featuring promotion and relegation. The league composition of the 2026/27 edition will be confirmed following the inscriptions of the teams and is shaped by the results of the 2024/25 edition.
What is special about the fifth edition of the UEFA Nations League in 2026/27?
The league phase will start with a prolonged international window from 23 September to 5 October 2026, during which teams will generally play four UEFA Nations League matches in close succession.
The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League is expected to be linked to qualification for UEFA EURO 2028 in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Based on their UEFA Nations League results, some teams will be given a second chance to enter the play-offs for the final tournament.
How will the UEFA Nations League knockout stage work?
Following the league phase which ends in November 2026, the best sides of League A will have the opportunity to qualify for the finals as winners of the quarter-final ties, which take place in March 2027. The finals will again be contested between four teams. The host and the dates of the finals have not been confirmed yet.
On top of direct promotion and relegation between the leagues, will there be additional promotion/relegation play-offs?
Like for the 2024/25 edition, additional promotion and relegation play-offs can be expected to take place in March 2027.
