2026/27 UEFA Nations League league phase draw: Where is it, when is it, who is involved?

The league phase draw for the 2026/27 edition takes place in Brussels at 18:00 CET on Thursday 12 February.

How does the Nations League league phase draw work?

The 54 UEFA member associations participating in the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League are divided into four leagues, based on the Access List and pending the 2024/25 UNL League C/D play-offs in March 2026.

The League A, B and C draws each determine four groups of four teams. Each team plays six matches in their group, one home and one away against the other three nations in the group.

The League D draw determines two groups of three teams. Each team plays four matches in their group, one home and one away against the other two nations in the section.

Nations League A

The 16 teams allocated to League A are divided into four draw pots:
Pot 1 will contain the four best-ranked teams, i.e. the teams ranked 1st to 4th;
Pot 2 will contain the four teams ranked 5th to 8th
Pot 3 will contain the four teams ranked 9th to 12th;
Pot 4 will contain the four teams ranked 13th to 16th.

Nations League B

The 16 teams allocated to League B are divided into four draw pots:
Pot 1 will contain the four teams ranked 17th to 20th;
Pot 2 will contain the four teams ranked 21st to 24th;
Pot 3 will contain the four teams ranked 25th to 28th;
Pot 4 will contain the four teams ranked 29th to 32nd.

Nations League C

The 16 teams allocated to League C are divided into four draw pots:
Pot 1 will contain the four teams ranked 33rd to 36th;
Pot 2 will contain the four teams ranked 37th to 40th;
Pot 3 will contain the four teams ranked 41st to 44th;
Pot 4 will contain the four teams ranked 45th to 48th. *

* The ranking of the teams in 45th to 48th position will be confirmed following the 2024/25 UNL League C/D play-offs in March 2026. For the draw, the teams participating in these play-off ties will be represented by placeholders

Nations League D

The remaining six teams are allocated to League D, divided into two draw pots:
Pot 1 will contain the four teams ranked 49th to 52nd;*
Pot 2 will contain the two teams ranked 53rd and 54th.

* The ranking of the teams in 49th to 52nd position will be confirmed following the 2024/25 UNL League C/D play-offs in March 2026. For the draw, the teams participating in these play-off ties will be represented by placeholders.

What are the Nations League league phase draw pots?

League A

Pot 1: Portugal, Spain, France, Germany
Pot 2: Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia
Pot 3: Serbia, Belgium, England, Norway
Pot 4: Wales, Czechia, Greece, Türkiye

League B

Pot 1: Scotland, Hungary, Poland, Israel
Pot 2: Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Ukraine
Pot 3: Slovenia, Georgia, Republic of Ireland, Romania
Pot 4: Sweden, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Kosovo

League C

Pot 1: Iceland, Albania, Montenegro, Kazakhstan
Pot 2: Finland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Armenia
Pot 3: Belarus, Faroe Islands, Cyprus, Estonia
Pot 4*: Latvia or Gibraltar, Luxembourg or Malta, Moldova, San Marino

* The ranking of the teams in 45th to 48th position will be confirmed following the 2024/25 UNL League C/D play-offs in March 2026 between Latvia/Gibraltar and Luxembourg/Malta. For the draw, the teams participating in these play-off ties will be represented by placeholders.

League D

Pot 1*: Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Gibraltar or Latvia, Malta or Luxembourg
Pot 2: Liechtenstein, Andorra

* The ranking of the teams in 49th to 52nd position will be confirmed following the 2024/25 UNL League C/D play-offs in March 2026. For the draw, the teams participating in these play-off ties will be represented by placeholders.

What is the Nations League draw procedure?

League D

The draw starts with League D and Pot 1 which contains four balls. The drawn teams are assigned to the groups in ascending order from D1 to D2.

A first ball is drawn and the team assigned to group D1;
The second ball is drawn and the team assigned to group D2;
The third ball is drawn and the team assigned to group D1;
The fourth and last ball is drawn and the team assigned to group D2;

The draw continues with Pot 2.

A first ball is drawn and the team assigned to group D1;
The second and last ball is drawn and the team assigned to group D2.

When both pots have been emptied, both groups D1 and D2 contain three teams each.

League C

The draw continues with League C and Pot 1 which contains four balls. The drawn teams are assigned to the groups in ascending order from C1 to C4, save in case of a draw condition applying.

A first ball is drawn and the team assigned to group C1;
A second ball is drawn and the team assigned to group C2;
A third ball is drawn and the team assigned to group C3;
The fourth and last ball is drawn and the team assigned to group C4, after which Pot 1 has been emptied and groups C1 to C4 all contain one Pot 1 team.

The draw continues with Pot 2 and follows the same rules as described above for Pot 1. The same procedure is then applied to Pot 3 and finally to Pot 4. When all pots have been emptied, each of the four groups of League C contains four teams, one from each pot.

League B

The draw follows the same procedure as for League C. When all pots are emptied, each of the four groups of League B will contain four teams, one from each pot.

League A

The draw for League A follows the same procedure as for Leagues C and B.

The draw concludes with the fourth and last ball being drawn from Pot 4 of League A.

When all pots have been emptied, the four groups of League A will contain four teams, one from each pot

Draw conditions

When a draw condition occurs or is anticipated to occur, the computer used to assist with the draw will indicate the next available group for the drawn team. Further details can be found in the draw procedure.

Prohibited team clashes

Based on UEFA Executive Committee decisions valid at the time of the draw, the following teams cannot be drawn into the same group:

Bosnia and Herzegovina (League B, pot 2) / Kosovo (League B, pot 4)

Other prohibited clashes cannot occur due to the teams concerned not playing in the same league.

Excessive travel conditions

A group can include a maximum of one pair of teams that has been identified as excessive travel distance (applicable both ways, 8 hours or above, based on direct flight times plus 90 minutes ground operations).

Out of the 20 country pairs that have been identified as excessive, five pairs with excessive travel restrictions in League C may apply to the 2026/27 UNL league phase draw.

Iceland (League C, pot 1) to/from Armenia (League C, pot 2), Cyprus (League C, pot 3)

Kazakhstan (League C, pot 1) to/from Faroe Islands (League C, pot 3), Gibraltar (*if in League C, pot 4), Malta (*if in League C, pot 4)

*Condition applies in the draw, even if the results of the League C/D play-offs will be known in March 2026 only.

The following draw condition therefore applies: if a team of the list is or could be drawn into a group which already contains two such teams, the team drawn is placed in the first available group in alphabetical order as indicated by the computer.

Winter venues 

Seven countries have been identified as venues with high or medium risk of severe winter conditions.

Estonia (League C)
Faroe Islands (League C)
Finland (League C)
Iceland (League C)
Latvia (League C or League D)
Lithuania (League D)
Norway (League A)

A maximum of two such countries can be drawn into the same group. This condition therefore only applies to League C, where one team is present in pot 1 (Iceland), one in pot 2 (Finland), two in pot 3 (Estonia and Faroe Islands), and one in pot 4 (Latvia).

What are the dates for the 2026/27 Nations League?

League phase draw: 12 February 2026
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

*Wednesday, 30 September 2026 is not a regular day of the Week of Football, but may exceptionally be used to schedule Matchday 3 fixtures