UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE (All you need to know about UEFA Nations League)

TJCONNECTNG.COM bring to your knowledge how the European governing body UEFA plans to reshape its football competitions. UEFA Nations League which will begin today September 6, 2018 is perceived to be a way to get rid of insignificant international friendlies. As it is a well known fact that teams around the globe play myriad international friendly matches just to blend their players together before a major competition. It is in lieu of this that the European governing body UEFA reached the idea of ensuring that there should be a competition which will aid its 55 members’ competitiveness towards any upcoming competitions such as Confederations Cup, World Cup to mention but a few.

Moreover, the format of the newly introduced UEFA Nations League includes 55 European national teams partitioned into divisions named “LEAGUES” (League A, League B, League C and League D). League A comprises 12 teams, League B consists of 12 teams and League C contains 15 teams while League D includes 16 teams. It should be noted at this juncture that each teams are arranged depending on their coefficient.

In addition, teams will be promoted and relegated to a higher or lower division. Each group winner (there are four groups in each division) is automatically promoted to the next higher division for the next tournament. On the other hand, each team placing last in its group is automatically relegated to the next lower division. It should be stated here-in that in each group, teams will face each other home and away in September, October and November.

Besides, in each division, four groups are formed (three or four teams in each group) and play each other home and away. In the top division named League A, the winner of the four groups goes on to play in the Nations League Finals, with two semi-finals and one final in order to decide which team will emerge as the Uefa Nations League Champion.

Total prize money of €76,250,000 is up for grabs for the maiden edition of the Uefa Nations League. Furthermore, solidarity and additional benefit fees will be obtainable to all 55 national teams which will be participating in the competition. Each team will receive:

€1,500,000 in League A
€1,000,000 in League B
€750,000 in League C
€500,000 in League D
The winner of this inaugural edition of UEFA Nations League will earn further income of €4,500,000, runner-up will earn €3,500,000, the third placed team will receive €2,500,000 and the fourth placed team will receive €1,500,000.

Beneath are the lists of the teams participating in the UEFA Nations League with their respective groups:

LEAGUE A (12 teams, four groups of three)

Group 1: Germany, France, Holland

Group 2: Belgium, Switzerland, Iceland

Group 3: Portugal, Italy, Poland

Group 4: Spain, England, Croatia

LEAGUE B (12 teams, four groups of three)

Group 1: Slovakia, Ukraine, Czech Republic

Group 2: Russia, Sweden, Turkey

Group 3: Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland

Group 4: Wales, Ireland, Denmark

LEAGUE C (15 teams, three groups of four and one of three)

Group 1: Scotland, Albania, Israel,

Group 2: Hungary, Greece, Finland, Estonia

Group 3: Slovenia, Norway, Bulgaria, Cyprus

Group 4: Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Lithuania

LEAGUE D (16 teams, four groups of four)

Group 1: Georgia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Andorra

Group 2: Belarus, Luxembourg, Moldova, San Marino

Group 3: Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands, Malta, Kosovo

Group 4: Macedonia, Armenia, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar

Here are some of the fixtures below:

Match day one
Thursday 6 September

League A
Group A1: Germany v France (20:45)

League B
Group B1: Czech Republic v Ukraine (20:45)
Group B4: Wales v Republic of Ireland (20:45)

League C
Group C3: Slovenia v Bulgaria (20:45), Norway v Cyprus (20:45)

League D
Group D1: Kazakhstan v Georgia (16:00), Latvia v Andorra (20:45)
Group D4: Armenia v Liechtenstein (20:45), Gibraltar v FYR Macedonia (20:45)

Friday 7 September

League A
Group A3: Italy v Poland (20:45)

League B
Group B2: Turkey v Russia (20:45)

League C
Group C1: Albania v Israel (20:45)
Group C4: Lithuania v Serbia (20:45), Romania v Montenegro (20:45)

League D
Group D3: Azerbaijan v Kosovo (18:00), Faroe Islands v Malta (20:45)

Source: http://tjconnectng.com/uefa-nations-league-all-you-need-to-know-about-uefa-nations-league/