New Nations League in chaos with Uefa unsure of own plans
MORE questions than answers emerged yesterday after ambiguous plans for a new Nations League tournament beginning in 2018 to replace “meaningless” friendlies were revealed.
European football’s governing body Uefa said the structure of the four-tiered tournament involving 54 teams had yet to be finalised, and president Michel Platini admitted the planned September-to-November match calendar could have to be moved for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Platini said: “I think we will adapt ourselves. The World Cup is the priority. I don’t know when it will take place in 2022, but we will organise this with respect to those dates.”
Under provisional plans, teams will be split into four divisions according to their Uefa coefficient. Each division will then be broken up again into groups, with promotion and relegation possible and the overall Nations League winners securing a spot at the European Championships.
England, the eighth highest ranked European team, would go into Division A and could play teams such as Spain and Germany.
Dates will still be left free to play against teams outside of Europe.
WHAT WE KNOW
54 nations split into four divisions
Each division splits into four groups
Group winners play knockout games
Overall victors of all four divisions qualify for European Championships