By Andrew Warshaw
December 5 – UEFA has formally outlined how its new Nations League competition – being brought in to replace meaningless friendlies and featuring promotion and relegation – will work.
One can only hope the format becomes a lot clearer in the months ahead after collective groans greeted UEFA general secretary’s Gianni Infantino’s valiant attempt to explain the fine details of the competition that starts in 2018.
The easy part is that the tournament will be played on six dates, two per month, between September and November.
But the fact that it runs before, after and in conjunction with the qualifying competition for Euro 2020, makes it somewhat harder to digest.
All 54 European national teams will take part, divided into four divisions according to rankings, once the European qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup have been concluded.
Each division will feature groups of either three or four teams, the group winners qualifying for the pan-European Euro 2020 – but only if they have not already qualified via the Euros’ own qualifying tournament. Otherwise the next-best team will be chosen. Additionally, based on where they finish, 16 teams will be chosen and drawn in a March 2020 playoff for the final four places for the Euros that summer, being played in 13 countries across Europe. Easy isn’t it?
“It seems complicated but it will look a lot clearer when you read it,” Infantino told reporters. Really?
The rationale for UEFA, as well as making more money, is to make dates traditionally set aside for friendlies more meaningful. The tournament also provides an alternative route for qualifying for the World Cup and Euros.
In each league, the four group winners will be promoted and the four bottom-placed teams relegated for the next competition.
UEFA said in a statement: “The key driver of the Nations League is sporting integrity, as member associations, coaches, players and supporters increasingly feel friendly internationals are not providing adequate sporting competition.
“In addition, the competition will help UEFA realise its stated goal of improving the quality and standing of national team football while maintaining the balance between club and international football.
“The competition will establish the Nations League champions every odd year while also allowing all nations to play competitively at their level.”
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