UEFA Nations League

UEFA Nations League
Association	UEFA
First edition	2018/19
hierarchy	League system (A → B → C → D)
Teams	55
Game mode	1st phase: Round tournament 2nd phase: Final Four 3rd phase: Play-offs
Title holder	Portugal
Record winner	Portugal (1 track)
Website	de.uefa.com
Qualification for	UEFA European Championship FIFA World Cup

The UEFA Nations League ( German  UEFA Nations League ) is a by European football's governing body UEFA organized football tournament between the men's national teams of the association. All 55 member associations of UEFA take part in the tournament.

The performance achieved in the UEFA Nations League is used to determine seeding lists in major qualifying tournaments for World and European Championships and thus largely replace the UEFA coefficient . The UEFA Nations League also opens up a second and independent qualification path for major tournaments in addition to the major qualifying tournaments. Portugal was the winner of the first edition in 2018/19 .

history

In 2011, the first plans for a new national tournament began. Several member associations had complained about the declining importance of friendly matches . In October 2013, Yngve Hallén, President of the Norwegian Football Association , confirmed that talks had been held about the introduction of another UEFA competition for national teams. At the 38th Ordinary UEFA Congress in Astana on March 27, 2014, the then 54 member associations of UEFA unanimously passed the resolution on national team football 2018–2022, which also provides for the introduction of the Nations League from 2018.

Since the dates that were previously intended for friendly games are used for the event, there should be no scheduling conflicts with the World and European Championships . The Nations League is planned every two years, every year without a European Championship or World Cup. Therefore, the EM and World Cup qualifying rounds will be postponed by a few months.

Competition mode

The first event took place in the 2018/19 season. For the very first staging of the competition in 2018, the current (since 2016) 55 member associations were divided into four leagues (divisions A, B, C, D) based on their UEFA coefficient in November 2017 , with league A being the highest and league D. the lowest. The member associations with the highest UEFA coefficient went to League A and the member associations with the lowest UEFA coefficient went to League D. This UEFA coefficient route was only used for the first season of 2018, in the following seasons of the UEFA Nations League League affiliations, including promotion and relegation, are determined exclusively on a sporting basis.

A two-year rhythm of the league seasons is then planned. The first season of the leagues of the Nations League will take place in 2018, the second in 2020 and the third in 2022. With the first season in 2018, the teams eligible to start in Leagues A to D in 2020 will be determined. With the second season in 2020, the teams eligible to start in leagues A to D in 2022 will again be determined. The procedure from the draw in the group phase with four groups per league to the determination of promoted and relegated players remains the same in all seasons.

Group stage

League A is the highest league and League D is the lowest. Each league with the teams qualified in it is divided into four groups, each with three or four national teams. The groups within the leagues are drawn freely, there is no seeding list:

• League A and B each consist of four groups of three.
• League C consists of one group with three teams and three groups with four teams.
• League D consists of four groups of four.

The teams compete against each other within the groups in the form of a round-robin tournament, each against each other, so that, depending on the size of a group, either four or six games have to be played. Every victory of a team is counted with three points, a draw with one point. The groups play primarily about promotion and relegation. The positions within the sixteen groups of the group stage and thus the group rank are determined according to the following criteria:

Determination of the group rank within each of the 16 groups of the Nations League

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1. score
2. Score from the direct encounters between all teams with the same number of points
3. Goal difference from the direct encounters between all teams with the same points
4. Number of goals scored from direct encounters between all teams with the same points
5. Number of away goals scored from direct encounters between all teams with equal points
6. If two or more teams remain the same, criteria 1 to 5 are reapplied, but only in pairs of two teams
7. Goal difference
8. Number of goals scored
9. Number of away goals scored
10. Number of victories
11. Number of away wins
12. Fair play quotient
13. UEFA coefficient

The four bottom of the group in Leagues A and B are relegated to the next lower league, i.e. from League A → League B, from League B → League C. The bottom of the group in League D remain in League D. In League C there is Due to the division into a group of three and three groups of four, a special mode: all three group fourths are relegated to League D as well as the worst group third of all four groups in League C (calculated by eliminating the game results against the group fourths who have already been relegated). The 12 group winners of each of the four groups in Leagues B, C and D are promoted, i.e. from League D → League C, from League C → League B and from League B → League A. Only the four group winners of League A remain in the League A, but may move into the 2nd phase of the Nations League, the final round ( Final Four ). All other teams remain in their respective leagues. The promotions and relegations determined by sport will only become effective with the draw for the next group phase of the Nations League.

Final table and European qualifiers

After the end of the group stage of the UEFA Nations League in 2018, 2020, 2022 etc. and the determination of promoted and relegated players for the next season, a large final table of the Nations League with all 55 participating teams will be created. This final table determines the composition of the following qualification groups in UEFA's territory for the next European or World Cup (commonly known as European Qualifiers ); since 2018, these are no longer created and set according to the UEFA coefficient, but according to the results in the group stage of UEFA Nations League. To create the final table, only the results in the group phase are used and weighted using graduated criteria:

Determination of the final table of the entire group stage of the Nations League for all 55 participating teams :

1. league
2. Group rank (for the determination of the group rank within the groups see above)
3. score
4. Goal difference
5. Number of goals scored
6. Number of away goals scored
7. Number of victories
8. Number of away wins
9. Fair play quotient
10. UEFA coefficient

This means that all 55 UEFA Nations League participants are recorded; for example, the 12 participants in League B are 13–24 in the overall table and the four group winners in League B are 13–16 in the final table.

One of the effects of the table is that the best-placed teams are set as group heads for the next European Qualifiers . At the 2020 European Football Championship there will be 10 qualifying groups for a total of 55 teams, with half of the qualifying groups consisting of five teams and the other half consisting of six teams. The top 10 finishers in the UEFA Nations League group stage will be seeded as the 10 group heads of the 10 qualifying groups. These 10 best-placed teams all come from the 12 teams in League A, even the best two of the four determined relegated teams from League A to League B are set as group heads for the European Qualifiers . The four participants in the final round of the Nations League are set as group heads of qualifying groups, which consist of five teams, the other six group heads are set by the fifth to tenth placed in the final table. The four teams that came first in the UEFA Nations League have two fewer qualifying games for the 2020 European Football Championship to play, as they still play the Nations League finals with 2 games per team.

Finals

The four group winners of League A of one season determine the UEFA Nations League winner in a Final Four finals in a tournament - in the year after the group stage of the Nations League, always every two years. A first final round will take place in 2019, in which the four group winners of League A from 2018 will take part. There will be a second final round in 2021 and a third in 2023. There are also two semi-finals, a match for third place and a final in each final round. The semi-final pairings will be drawn. The game is played 2 × 45 minutes. If no decision has been made, there is then an extension of 2 × 15 minutes and, if necessary, a penalty shoot-out. The venue will be determined by UEFA and will be in one of the four qualifying nations. The total of four games will be held at the venue within a few days in tournament format. The winner of the final is the reigning UEFA Nations League winner for the next two years and receives the corresponding challenge cup. In addition to the determination of the UEFA Nations League winner, the Final Four finals have another consequence: the top four positions in the large final table of the Nations League are adjusted if necessary according to the final round results.

Qualification for the European Championship

The results of the UEFA Nations League influence qualification for the following European Championships in two ways. On the one hand, the final placements serve as a seeding list for the drawing of the qualification groups. On the other hand, the participants in the play-offs are determined by the Nations League.

For the qualification for the European Championship 2020 , 4 starting places will be allocated via playoffs, one playoff per league, with 4 nations per playoff. In each league, the respective Nations League group winners have the right to start the playoffs if they have not already qualified for the finals via the EM qualifying groups. In this case, the next worse placed nation, possibly even from a lower league, moves up. In 2020, only Iceland failed from League A in the European Championship main qualification and is thus the only team in the A-League to take part in the A-Playoff. From League B only 4 teams failed in the European Championship qualification, these now form Playoff B. From League C, the three group winners Scotland, Serbia and Norway compete in Playoff C, the fourth group winner Finland is already qualified and will be won by the best Second group replaced Israel. The other three runners-up in the group fill up the three free starting places in the A playoff. Only in League D does it remain that the four group winners of League D actually play the D playoff.

Each playoff consists of 2 semi-finals and a subsequent final. The semi-final pairings are not drawn, but are determined according to the position of the teams in the final table of the group stage of the Nations League. The one of the four teams with the highest position in the final table has home rights for the first semi-final and receives the team that is lowest in the final table. In the second semi-final, the team that is second highest in the final table has home rights. Who receives home rights for the final after the semi-finals will be decided by lot. The two semi-finals and the final will be played in one game in knockout mode, possibly with extra time and penalty shoot-outs.

Qualification for the world championship

The Nations League will also play a role in World Cup qualification, albeit to a much lesser extent, as the European Championship finals are played with 24 teams, but only 13 UEFA representatives make it to the World Cup finals. 10 of these starting places will be allocated directly via the World Cup qualification groups, 3 further starting places will be allocated in World Cup playoffs, here 12 teams will compete in 3 playoff groups. 2 of these teams in turn will be determined via the Nations League. Before that, the performance in the Nations League will again decide the seeding list of the World Cup qualifying groups.

New competition mode 2020/21

After only one event in 2018/19, the event mode was revised. For the 2020/21 UEFA Nations League , leagues A, B and C will each be formed from 4 groups of four, while in League D there will remain a group of three and four. There are only 14 groups in total, instead of the previous 16. The main justification for this step was that the previously prevalent groups of 3 met with negative feedback in many places, and groups of 4 were easier to play. As a result, the bottom of the group (including Germany), who were actually relegated, remain in their league, but the respective group winners rise by one league. In addition, the runners-up in League C are promoted to League B, and from League D a total of nine teams move up one level.

After the Nations League 2020/21 has taken place, all group winners of leagues B, C and D will be promoted, while the bottom group of leagues A and B and two of the four bottom group of league C will be relegated. For the European Championship playoffs from 2024, the two semi-finals in playoff D will be omitted, and only one final of the two D group winners will be played.

The tournaments (Final Four) at a glance

The second phase of the UEFA Nations League, the final tournament of the respective Final Four , the four group winners of League A, is to be played every two years in 2019, 2021 and 2023.

The final tournament must take place in one of the four nations that qualified as group winners of League A for the Final Four . UEFA stipulates that there are two suitable UEFA Category 4 venues that are no more than 150 kilometers apart and that both have a capacity of at least 30,000 spectators. The hosts contest the first semi-final. After two semi-finals (in both venues) there will be a game for third place (loser of the semi-finals) and a final for winning the title in both stadiums.

season	host		final				3rd place match
			winner	Result	2nd place		3rd place	Result	4th Place
2018/19	Portugal		Portugal	1-0	Netherlands		England	0: 0 a.d. (6: 5 in good condition)	Switzerland
2020/21
2022/23

Cup and logo

The Nations League Cup was presented in Lausanne on January 24, 2018 .

The logo of the competition is a flag that was created on the basis of the 55 national flags of the participating nations. The squares arranged in a grid shape within the flag, each composed of two triangles and containing a circle, are intended to symbolize the tournament mode. The triangle pointing upwards stands for promotion to a higher division, the one pointing downwards for descent. The circle in each compound square is a sign of relegation. The four differently colored horizontal stripes in the background of the triangles are based on the four classes of the format. The coloring of the triangles is supposed to create an association with national flags.

Prize money

The organizing UEFA has offered an entry fee for the participants and prize money for the winners, officially known as “solidarity and bonus payments”. The payments are staggered according to the division of the leagues and participation in the "Final Four Tournament" in June 2019. The winner of each individual group receives a staggered amount, the winner of the tournament receives a maximum of 7.5 million euros if he is out of the League A is coming. A total of 76.25 million euros in prize money is to be paid out.

criticism

In Germany , the President of the DFL , Reinhard Rauball, was surprised at the announcement of the new series in 2014 and felt ignored. In addition, Rauball and Michael Zorc feared an additional burden on the clubs and players. UEFA, on the other hand, sees it differently due to the failed friendly matches. Trainers in particular are critical of the pressure to perform. While players in poor health can take a break from a friendly match, they would not be spared in competition. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge criticized UEFA's decision and emphasized that it had to be less about the financial and political and more about football itself. Alexander Rosen also said that UEFA's interests are primarily of a purely financial nature. Reinhard Grindel, on the other hand, sees the Nations League as an attractive competition in contrast to friendly games, which are not about anything. Christian Heidel hopes the league will be abolished. This new league is also not well received by some German football fans and this is also reflected in the relatively poor attendance figures in the football stadiums. In the top match between Germany and the Netherlands on November 19, 2018, only 42,186 spectators came to the Veltins-Arena, which can hold 54,740 spectators.

This competition is also criticized in Austria . Here, however, there is criticism of excessive entry prices, which led to a decline in viewers. The Austrian Football Association defends itself against this criticism. At the international matches, the ticket price ranged from 32 to 66 euros for the seat.

In Great Britain , the Nations League is only broadcast on Pay TV on Sky Sports and not on free-to-air television . This led to strong criticism of UEFA and the English Football Association .

Web links

• UEFA Nations League - Official website of the UEFA Nations League
• UEFA Nations League green light - UEFA article 27 March 2014
• UEFA Nations League and European Championship qualifying mode and timeframe - graphic on uefa.com
• "Regulations of the UEFA Nations League 2018/19" - Document on de.uefa.com .
• “Regulations of the UEFA European Football Championship 2018-20” - Document on de.uefa.com .
• Nations League - German website for the UEFA Nations League, by Nils Römeling

Individual evidence

1. ^ Resolution on national team football 2018-2022. (PDF) XXXVIII. Ordinary UEFA Congress. In: uefa.org. UEFA , March 27, 2014, accessed May 12, 2015 . 
2. ↑ Perfect! The Nations League will come from 2018. kicker, March 27, 2014, accessed June 11, 2017 . 
3. ↑ UEFA.com: UEFA Nations League - All Articles. Retrieved March 25, 2018 . 
4. ↑ UEFA Nations League format approved. In: UEFA. uefa.de, September 20, 2017, accessed September 24, 2017 . 
5. ↑ ^{a b} Italy, Poland and Portugal want to host the Nations League finals , UEFA. March 9, 2018. Retrieved October 18, 2018. 
6. ↑ Finals of the 2019 UEFA Nations League draw procedure , UEFA. August 2018. Retrieved October 18, 2018. 
7. ↑ The most important information about the Nations League. DFB.de, September 26, 2017, accessed on October 2, 2017 . 
8. ↑ Logo guidelines. UEFA.com, September 19, 2017, accessed October 2, 2017 . 
9. ^ Prize money from the UEFA Nations League. Nations-liga.de, accessed on April 13, 2018 . 
10. ↑ Alex Raack: How useful is the Nations League? - Strong news. In: 11Freunde.de. July 24, 2014, p. 1 , accessed November 20, 2018 .  
11. ↑ Team Ruhr24: BVB and Bayern criticize Nations League: "Too much stress". In: dortmund24.de. January 19, 2018, accessed November 25, 2018 .  
12. ↑ Alex Raack: How useful is the Nations League? - Five competitions per year. In: 11Freunde.de. July 24, 2014, p. 2 , accessed November 20, 2018 .  
13. ↑ Alex Raack: UEFA Nations League causes criticism. In: dw.com. March 28, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2018 .  
14. ↑ Bundesliga complains, DFB President waves it away. In: Spiegel Online. January 23, 2018, accessed November 20, 2018 .  
15. ↑ Heidel: Abolish Nations League. In: sport1.de. October 18, 2018, accessed November 20, 2018 .  
16. ↑ SPOX: Germany against Netherlands in the live ticker for reading. In: spox.com. November 19, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018 .  
17. ↑ SPOX Austria: ÖFB defends itself against criticism of ticket prices in the Nations League. In: spox.com. October 16, 2018, accessed November 25, 2018 .