Update: The group stage of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying is complete, meaning that UEFA could confirm the line-ups for the inaugural UEFA Nations League. The Netherlands snatched a League A spot from Wales at the last.
UEFA Nations League - Groups
The group stage draw for the all-new UEFA Nations League will be on 24 January 2018, while the first matches will be played from 6-8 September 2018.
With the introduction of the UEFA Nations League, qualifying for UEFA EURO 2020 has also changed (with 24 finalists in all). The European Qualifiers will now begin in the March after a major tournament instead of immediately in September (i.e. March 2019 rather than September 2018 in this case). No team will gain automatic qualification for the EURO 2020 as hosts (there are 13 host nations in all).
UEFA Nations League - Schedule
Group stage draw*: 24 January 2018 – SwissTech Convention Centre, Lausanne Matchday 1: 6–8 September 2018
Matchday 2: 9–11 September 2018
Matchday 3: 11–13 October 2018
Matchday 4: 14–16 October 2018
Matchday 5: 15–17 November 2018
Matchday 6: 18–20 November 2018
Finals draw: early December 2018
Finals: 5–9 June 2019
UEFA EURO 2020 play-off draw: 22 November 2019
UEFA EURO 2020 play-offs: 26–31 March 2020
The new UEFA Nations League brand identity and format has been officially launched today.
UEFA's new tournament is the first national team competition to follow a league format in which all 55 UEFA member associations will compete against equally-ranked opponents in a race to win promotion to a higher league. The teams in League A will compete for a place in the UEFA Nations League finals.
Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA's marketing director, said: "This innovative competition format needed a brand identity that is equally innovative. The bold, colourful and dynamic graphics give this competition its unique place in the landscape of football brands."
UEFA Nations League Logo
This is the new UEFA Nations League logo.
Developed in collaboration with the Lisbon-based creative agency Young & Rubicam Branding, the new UEFA Nations League logo features a colorful and vibrant design. The logo includes all the colours of the national flags of the 55 competing nations included. A brand that, like the competition itself, is always in motion and this is represented through triangles – moving up and downwards – which underline promotion and relegation with constantly changing shapes.
The competition logo forms the heart of the brand identity: a flag that represents all 55 nations with the four leagues that make up the competition and participating countries moving up and down between the leagues.
What do you think of the new UEFA Nations League? Let us know in the comments below and find out all about the UEFA Nation League on UEFA's website.