UEFA is preparing a dramatic overhaul of the UEFA Nations League beginning from the 2028/29 season, with the current four-league structure set to be replaced by a new three-tier system designed to increase competitiveness and reduce predictable fixtures.
The proposals were approved during UEFA’s Executive Committee meeting in Istanbul and will undergo further refinement before final ratification at the next Executive Committee session scheduled for September.
Under the proposed format, the Nations League will move away from the existing structure of Leagues A, B, C and D. Instead, the competition will feature three leagues containing 18 teams each.
Each league will be divided into three groups of six teams, with nations playing six matches against five different opponents rather than facing the same teams home and away in traditional round-robin groups. UEFA officials believe the new setup will create more balanced and attractive fixtures while maintaining competitive tension throughout the campaign.
League C will feature a special adjustment, with one group containing seven nations in order to accommodate all 55 UEFA member associations.
Despite the sweeping changes to the league phase, several key elements of the competition will remain intact. UEFA confirmed that the quarter-finals, the Nations League Finals — popularly known as the “Final Four” — and the promotion and relegation play-offs will continue unchanged.
The governing body said the reforms are part of a broader restructuring of European national team competitions ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup qualification cycle. UEFA is also exploring a qualification format inspired by the Champions League “Swiss model,” where teams face different opponents instead of playing full home-and-away group schedules.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has repeatedly stressed the need to improve the quality and competitiveness of international football fixtures, amid growing concerns that fans and broadcasters have lost interest in one-sided qualification matches.
The Nations League was originally introduced in 2018 to replace many international friendlies with more competitive matches between similarly ranked nations. Since then, the tournament has become a major part of UEFA’s international calendar and also provides alternative qualification pathways for the UEFA European Championship and FIFA World Cup.
If approved in September, the revamped format would officially take effect from the 2028/29 edition of the competition.
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