Nations League 2026-27: Groups revealed and format explained as new campaign kicks off
Nations League returns for a fourth edition
The 2026-27 UEFA Nations League campaign gets under way this week, with nations across Europe competing in the competition that has been running since 2018. Portugal (twice), Spain and France have all won the men's title so far, and a new champion will be crowned next June.
The format sees each nation compete across four different divisions, with every side battling for promotion and relegation in each campaign. The best-performing nations in the top league go on to reach the play-offs at the end of the campaign, while strong Nations League showings can also strengthen a country's chances of qualifying for World Cups and European Championships.
Notably, no team can directly qualify for a major tournament through the Nations League alone, but the best-performing nations that miss out via the regular qualifiers get a second shot through Nations League play-offs.
How the fixtures and format work
Between September and November, every team in the Nations League faces each other side in their group twice — once at home and once away. In League A, the top two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals, with an eight-team knockout tournament then deciding the overall Nations League winner.
In Leagues B, C and D, each group winner is promoted up one league, while the teams finishing bottom of their groups in Leagues A, B and C are relegated down one league. Teams finishing second in groups in Leagues B, C and D enter relegation play-offs against the teams that finish third in Leagues A, B and C.
The March international break in 2027 sees the League A quarter-finals and the relegation play-offs between Leagues A/B and B/C take place. The semi-finals and final follow in the June 2027 international break, alongside the League C/D play-off. The best-performing Nations League sides that fail to qualify for the 2028 European Championships through the qualification campaign will then enter play-offs to earn the final spots at the tournament.
Who is in each league
Leagues A, B and C are split into four groups of four, while League D contains just six teams. Here is the full breakdown:
League A
- Group A1: France, Italy, Belgium, Turkey
- Group A2: Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, Greece
- Group A3: Spain, Croatia, England, Czech Republic
- Group A4: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Wales
League B
- Group B1: Scotland, Switzerland, Slovenia, North Macedonia
- Group B2: Hungary, Ukraine, Georgia, Northern Ireland
- Group B3: Israel, Austria, Republic of Ireland, Kosovo
- Group B4: Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Sweden
League C
- Group C1: Albania, Finland, Belarus, San Marino
- Group C2: Montenegro, Armenia, Cyprus, Latvia
- Group C3: Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Faroe Islands, Moldova
- Group C4: Iceland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Luxembourg
League D
- Group D1: Gibraltar, Malta, Andorra
- Group D2: Lithuania, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein
Nations League beyond Europe
UEFA also operates a Nations League in international women's football using a similar format, and the concept has spread globally. Nations League competitions are also played in the Asian and North and Central American confederations.
South America do not currently have their own men's Nations League, although reports in late 2025 suggested CONMEBOL may be considering launching their own equivalent. There is, however, already a South American Nations League in women's football. Africa and Oceania — the other continental confederations — do not currently run a Nations League competition.
This article is based on BBC Sport's latest Nations League explainer from the Ask Me Anything team.