The UEFA Men’s Nations League is a biennial tournament involving all eligible men’s national teams in UEFA, to be played in the twelve months following each Men’s World Cup or Men’s European Championship.

Teams in the Men’s Nations League are divided into four leagues. There are sixteen teams in League A, sixteen in League B, sixteen in League C, and six in League D. Teams in League A play for the Men’s Nations League championship, and teams in Leagues B, C, and D play for promotion to the next higher league.

ALLOCATION TO LEAGUES

Teams have been allocated to the leagues based upon their performances in the 2024-5 UEFA Men’s Nations League.

• League A:
  • Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Spain
  • Promoted from League B: Czechia, England, Greece, Norway, Türkı̇ye, Wales
• League B:
  • Austria, Georgia, Ireland Rep, Slovenia, Ukraine
  • Promoted from League C: Kosovo, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Romania, Sweden
  • Relegated from League A: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hungary, Israel, Poland, Scotland, Switzerland
• League C:
  • Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Faroe Is, Slovakia
  • Promoted from League D: Moldova, San Marino
  • Relegated from League B: Albania, Finland, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Montenegro
• League D:
  • Andorra, Liechtenstein
  • Relegated from League C: Azerbaijan, Lithuania

The League D promotion playoffs for the 2024-5 UEFA Men’s Nations League will be played in MAR 2026. The winning teams will be placed in League C, and the losing teams will be placed in League D.

Russia have been disqualified due to their invasion and ongoing war in Ukraine.

LEAGUE PHASE

In the league phase, each league is divided into groups, and teams in each group play one another twice. The league phase is held in September through November of even years, immediately after the Men’s World Cup or the Men’s European Championship.

The draw for the 2026 league phase will be held on THU 12 FEB 2026 in Brussels, BEL.

In League A, there are four groups, each containing four teams. The top two teams in each group advance to the elimination phase. The third placed teams in each group play in the League B promotion playoffs, and the last placed teams are relegated to League B for the next edition of the tournament.

LEAGUE A FRA ITA BEL TUR GER NED SRB GRE ESP CRO ENG CZE POR DEN NOR WAL		ADVANCE TO ELIMINATION PHASE
		LEAGUE B PROMOTION PLAYOFFS
		RELEGATED TO LEAGUE B

Likewise, in League B, there are four groups, each containing four teams. The first placed teams in each group are promoted to League A, and the second placed teams play in the League B promotion playoffs. The third placed teams play in the League C promotion playoffs, and the last placed teams are relegated to League C.

		PROMOTED TO LEAGUE A
LEAGUE B SCO SUI SVN MKD HUN UKR GEO NIR ISR AUT IRL KOS POL BIH ROU SWE		LEAGUE B PROMOTION PLAYOFFS
		LEAGUE C PROMOTION PLAYOFFS
		RELEGATED TO LEAGUE C

In League C, there are four groups, each containing four teams. The first placed teams in each group are promoted to League B, and the second placed teams play in the League C promotion playoffs. Of the last placed teams, the two highest ranked play in the League D promotion playoffs, and the other two are relegated to League D.

		PROMOTED TO LEAGUE B
LEAGUE C ALB FIN BLR SMR MNE ARM CYP [W1] KAZ SVK FRO MDA ISL BUL EST [W2]		LEAGUE C PROMOTION PLAYOFFS
		LEAGUE D PROMOTION PLAYOFFS
		RELEGATED TO LEAGUE D

In League D, there are two groups, each containing three teams. The first placed teams in each group are promoted to League C, and the second placed teams play in the League D promotion playoffs.

		PROMOTED TO LEAGUE C
LEAGUE D [L1] [L2] AND LTU AZE LIE		LEAGUE D PROMOTION PLAYOFFS

PLAYOFFS

The promotion playoffs are played after the conclusion of the league phase. Each playoff series is played over two legs, between teams from two different leagues. The draw for the playoffs will be held in NOV 2026.

There are four League B promotion playoffs, each between a third placed team from League A and a second placed team from League B. The winning team is placed in League A for the next edition of the tournament, and the losing team is placed in League B. The League B promotion playoffs are to be played in MAR 2027.

LEAGUE B PROMOTION [B1A] [B1B] [B2A] [B2B] [B3A] [B3B] [B4A] [B4B]		TO LEAGUE A
		TO LEAGUE B

There are four League C promotion playoffs, each between a third placed team from League B and a second placed team from League C. The winning team is placed in League B for the next edition of the tournament, and the losing team is placed in League C. The League C promotion playoffs are to be played in MAR 2027.

LEAGUE C PROMOTION [C1A] [C1B] [C2A] [C2B] [C3A] [C3B] [C4A] [C4B]		TO LEAGUE B
		TO LEAGUE C

There are two League D promotion playoffs, each between a last placed team from League C and a second placed team from League D. The winning team is placed in League C for the next edition of the tournament, and the losing team is placed in League D. The League D promotion playoffs are to be played in MAR 2028.

LEAGUE D PROMOTION [D1A] [D1B] [D2A] [D2B]		TO LEAGUE C
		TO LEAGUE D

ELIMINATION PHASE

The top two teams in each League A group advance to the elimination phase. The draw for the elimination phase will be held in NOV 2026.

The elimination phase begins with the quarterfinals, played in March of odd years. Each quarterfinal is played over two legs.

The quarterfinal winners advance to the final round, held in June of odd years. One of the participating teams is chosen to host the final round.

The teams are drawn into two semifinal matches. The winners contest the final match, and the losers contest the third place match.

QUARTERFINALS [QF1A] [QF1B] [QF2A] [QF2B] [QF3A] [QF3B] [QF4A] [QF4B]

FINAL ROUND [SF1A] [SF1B] [W-SF1] [W-SF2] [SF2A] [SF2B]   [L-SF1] [L-SF2]

CHAMPION

MEN’S EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATION

Some teams will have another opportunity to qualify for the 2028 Men’s European Championship based on their performance in the 2026-7 Men’s Nations League. Details will be confirmed at a later date.