Nations League: how the four-division format works

Four divisions, promotion and relegation, and a path to major-tournament seeding — the Nations League explained.

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What happened. The 2026-27 Uefa Nations League begins on Thursday, with nations split across four divisions and competing for promotion and relegation. Group-stage matches run from September to November, with each team facing their group rivals home and away.

• Leagues A, B and C have four groups of four; League D has six teams
• League A group winners and runners-up reach the quarter-finals
• Group winners in Leagues B, C and D earn promotion; bottom sides in A, B and C go down

The competition, first played in 2018, can boost a nation's chances of qualifying for World Cups and European Championships, though it offers no direct route.

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UEFA Nations League

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