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UEFA Nations League

Wouldn't there normally be a couple of friendlies in June?

Ah, yes. I was thinking everything finished after the CL/EL finals unless it was a Euros or World Cup year but you’re right there are still 2 friendlies slated for June.
So, whilst the format makes more interesting viewing, it also means a meaningless friendly is now a competitive fixture with a (currently) meaningless trophy at the end of it. Which our players in the England squad will take seriously.
I have mixed feelings about the whole thing.
 
Ah, yes. I was thinking everything finished after the CL/EL finals unless it was a Euros or World Cup year but you’re right there are still 2 friendlies slated for June.
So, whilst the format makes more interesting viewing, it also means a meaningless friendly is now a competitive fixture with a (currently) meaningless trophy at the end of it. Which our players in the England squad will take seriously.
I have mixed feelings about the whole thing.


To us corithians all trophies are meaningless, yet the general consensus about Spurs is they aren't any good because they haven't won any trophies meaningful or not.
 
  • Teams have been split into four groups of three, with the group winners then contesting the UEFA Nations League Finals (semi-finals, third-place match and final) in June 2019 to become the UEFA Nations League winners. One host country will be appointed in December 2018 from among the finalist teams.
  • The four teams that finish bottom of their groups will be relegated to League B for the 2020 edition.
  • The top four ranked teams that do not qualify for UEFA EURO 2020 will enter a play-off in March 2020, with one finals place on offer
 
This game was actually fun to watch. The international break is actually bearable when games are competitive and not ruined by the second half consisting of a gazillion substitutions. And with relegation at stake, it means something. The Croats seemed genuinely upset after the game. And Germany got relegated, which was fun.

I wonder how the next nations league will pan out, as the playing field will be less even with weaker nations promoted and strong nations in a lower division.
 
Bar the borefest in Croatia (caused mainly by no crowd) these Nations league matches have been really entertaining, and far better than frendlies. And now even better, instead of 2 meaningless friendlies next June, we will now see 2 competitive matches against top european competition. Looks like the other 3 teams are likely to be Portugal, probably Belgium and at a guess Holland
 
How does the tournament qualifying (either World Cup or Euros) fit in with this nations league? Normally we’d be a few games in to a 5/6 team group qualifying campaign, what happens with that now?
 
This game was actually fun to watch. The international break is actually bearable when games are competitive and not ruined by the second half consisting of a gazillion substitutions. And with relegation at stake, it means something. The Croats seemed genuinely upset after the game. And Germany got relegated, which was fun.

I wonder how the next nations league will pan out, as the playing field will be less even with weaker nations promoted and strong nations in a lower division.

The qualification/relegation issues made for a brilliant ending to our match. Had that been a friendly today, I am convinced it probably would have fizzled out to a 1-1 draw once we had equalised, with both sides settling for a draw and, like you say, a final 15 minutes of players getting a token few minutes and a cap. But with the prospect oe us being relegated at 1-1 and Croatia having the chance to qualify it meant both teams actually 'went for it'
 
How does the tournament qualifying (either World Cup or Euros) fit in with this nations league? Normally we’d be a few games in to a 5/6 team group qualifying campaign, what happens with that now?

Not entirely sure,but, I believe the 4 winners of each diviisonal play-offs (ABC and D) automatically qualify for Euro 2020 irrespective of where they finish in the Qualifying campaign

edit: Scrub that. here we go...

Euro qualifiers for 2020 will commence in March 2019, with double headers in the March, June, September, October and November international breaks.

Teams will be split into five groups of five teams and five groups of six teams. In total, there will be 10 match days - the same number as now.

The top two teams from the 10 groups qualify automatically for the Euros, while four more places at the finals will be awarded to play-off winners. Sixteen teams will compete in the play-offs.

Now, here's the interesting bit...

Each Nations League league gets four play-off spots. If the winner of a group has already qualified for the Euros, the next best team which has not qualified goes into the play-offs.

Those 16 teams will go into four groups, with the top team going to the Euros. The four teams play two one-off semi-finals and one one-off final to determine play-off winners.
 
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Not entirely sure,but, I believe the 4 winners of each diviisonal play-offs (ABC and D) automatically qualify for Euro 2020 irrespective of where they finish in the Qualifying campaign

Surely if you win your group and get automatic qualification, there is no point being in it? It just jeopardises other teams chances for no reason?
 
Surely if you win your group and get automatic qualification, there is no point being in it? It just jeopardises other teams chances for no reason?

I dont know now. I thought I had it sussed until I googled it. Edited my post above, but good luck if you can follow it because I cant
 
Think the current ‘tournament’ needs further work done on it.
But the idea of a serious international league is excellent.
I’m not sure it will survive in it’s current format though.
Not easy to get the balance right, it may need an ongoing International super league or something along those lines.
 
Actually, as far as I've understood, the finals in June will only decide the winner and is only for division A.

After the euro qualification is over, the teams already qualified for it will be "taken out of" nations league, and the remaining teams will play each other in semi finals and ultimately four finals for the final four qualificatiom places. The rules for how this is setup are kind of hard to explain quickly, but basically the best teams remaining meet the other best teams remaining and the crappier teams remaining will play the other crappy teams remaining (but the best of the crappiest, if that makes sense). Some teams won't qualify for this knockout though. Anyhow, this all means that at least one tier 4 team will qualify for the euros, one tier 3 team etc.
 
Switzerland going nick a spot in the semis here. Would be a good semi v them, would rather avoid Portugal in their own back yard
 
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