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The Nations League concluded this week in terms of group matches, but other matches still await us: the semi-finals and the final as usual for those competing at the top, but also other matches in an enlarged UEFA. competition.
This time around we have play-offs for the promotion and relegation places, and instead of just a four-way showdown, we also have quarter-finals to look forward to.
Scotland and the Republic of Ireland are both involved in the playoffs, the former following Andy Robertson’s last-minute heroics, while this time around European champions Spain as well as France, Germany and the Netherlands will aim for Nations League glory.
All the preparation, as well as explanations, rules and when the matches will take place, will be detailed in our live blog below – follow the draw as it unfolds:
Nations League draw – live
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The draw begins at 11am GMT
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Quarter-final and semi-final matches to be determined
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Promotion/relegation playoffs will also be drawn, featuring Scotland and Ireland.
Nations League draw – live
11:07 a.m. , Karl Matchett
A surprisingly bold call from Johan singles out Euro 2024 winners Spain as a country to watch, with Lamine Yamal in particular a player he likes.
Roberto Martinez, Didier Deschamps, Ronald Koeman and many others look on in wonder.
Here’s the video explanation of everything we just told you below, so the draw itself should be arriving shortly.
Nations League draw – live
11:05 a.m. , Karl Matchett
We welcome special guest Johan Djourou on stage, apparently, to draw lots. The Swiss defender has of course played for Arsenal, but also for Birmingham, Hamburg and many others.
He “really likes[s] the format because it gives all teams the chance to compete.”
Nations League draw – live
11:03 a.m. , Karl Matchett
OK, we’re on our way, sort of. Giorgio Marchetti, the man who loves draws perhaps more than anyone on planet Earth, is on stage. For the uninitiated, he is the deputy general secretary of UEFA.
He assures us that we are about to begin the drawing, but begins with the usual compliments, explanations and general speeches.
A “special recognition” for San Marino, who achieved their first ever victory in a UEFA competition and promotion to League D.
Nations League draw – live
10:57 a.m. , Karl Matchett
One of the spectators watching the draw will of course be Steve Clarke – his Scotland side secured third place thanks to a fantastic late winner from Andy Robertson against Poland this week. If they also win the playoffs, it means that next time League A will contain each of the Scots, England and Wales – with the latter two this time topping their respective League B groups for go straight up.
The Republic of Ireland’s victories against Finland mean they also hope to stay in League B until the playoffs, while Northern Ireland won the C3 to secure promotion to that level as well. Positives all around, or potentials.
Nations League draw – live
10:50 a.m. , Karl Matchett
Top scorers in the Nations League this time:
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Gyokeres (Sweden) 9
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Haaland (Norway) 7
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Marin (Romania) 6
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Ronaldo (Portugal) 5
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Sesko (Slovenia) 5
A few are still involved in the upcoming matches, even though Sweden – who were in League C this time – achieved comfortable promotion. Gyokeres uses it against Slovakia, Estonia and Azerbaijan.
Nations League draw – live
10:45 a.m. , Karl Matchett
So here are all the teams involved in the upcoming playoff draw, with naturally a third place playing runner-up in each case.
A/B: Scotland, Belgium, Hungary, Serbia; Ukraine, Greece, Austria, Türkiye
B/C: Georgia, Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland; Slovakia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Armenia
C/D: Luxembourg, Latvia; Gibraltar, Malta
Nations League draw – live
10:38 a.m. , Karl Matchett
But the finals are only half of today’s festivities. We now have – in addition to direct promotion and relegation for teams at the top and bottom of the groups – playoffs for a potential second place each way.
Very simply, the teams finishing third in Leagues A, B and C will face those finishing second in B, C or D and the winner stays or moves up accordingly.
The A/B and B/C qualifiers will take place on March 20 and 23, the C/D qualifiers will take place, for a rather obscure reason, to qualify for the World Cup, a year later, on March 26 and 31, 2026 .And might not happen at all, but we’ll worry about that then.
Nations League draw – live
10:30 a.m. , Karl Matchett
Previously, the finals were only semi-finals and finals; as mentioned, this year has expanded. SO:
The quarter-finals will be played back and forth on March 20 and 23, 2025.
Then it’s on to the semi-finals, a one-off match on June 4 or 5, with the final – and a third-place playoff for relevance – taking place on June 8, 2025.
Impressive mileage from a competition that few people seem to worry about, you could say. Still, it’s probably better than friendly matches.
Nations League draw – live
10:23 a.m. , Karl Matchett
So let’s break this down: the playoffs ahead, but first the “finals” to sort out.
We have eight quarter-finalists, including four top seeds – the winners of the League A groups – and four unseeded nations – the runners-up, of course.
Each finalist will be drawn against a winner, but not against the winner from the Nations League group in which they have already played. So Portugal dominated the A1 ahead of Croatia, for example, so they won’t face each other now.
Pot 1 (winners): Portugal, France, Germany, Spain
Pot 2 (r/ups): Croatia, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark
Nations League draw: date, time and how to follow
10:16 a.m. , Karl Matchett
The UEFA Nations League has seen changes this season, with the addition of quarter-finals to the knockout stage as well as promotion/relegation play-offs following the first phase.
England have already secured automatic promotion to League A, winning Group B2, but there is still plenty to play for elsewhere, with further matches to be played in March and June.
Incredibly, this includes Scotland, who saved themselves from automatic relegation with back-to-back wins over Croatia and Poland to finish the campaign in third place in Group A1. Andy Robertson’s dramatic winner in Warsaw means Steve Clarke’s side will face one of the League B finalists in a home-and-away play-off in March, aiming to preserve their top-flight status.
Meanwhile, Spain are the reigning Nations League champions and will look to retain their crown against the likes of France, Portugal, Germany, Italy and Netherlands in the Nations League final. Nations.
The draw takes place today and here’s everything you need to know.
Nations League draw: date, time and how the play-offs unfold as Scotland learn their fate
Nations League draw – live
08:21 , Karl Matchett
Hello everyone, if you thought the international break was over, you took the plunge. We still have one notable activity to attend to before the domestic game returns to our screens and stages: the Nations League draw.
This will take place at 11:00 GMT, with lots of preparation and explanation beforehand as well as the draw itself.
