so this nations thingy won’t see us qualify that route fully unless we fail by the usual method ? So we will be trying to qualify on two fronts at the same time ? But the usual league format of qualification will finish first and then we will have the nations thingy as back up if not qualified by the usual route? Say we miss out on the nations thingy and then struggle through normal qualification , will there be a normal qualification back up play off thingy , asking for a Scottish friend of mine :-)
Unfortunately there’s not really a simple answer but I’m going to try to break the whole thing down from this weekend through until 2020...
Everyone plays in their Nations League group between now and November - with a total of six assigned matchdays (two in Sep, two in Oct, two in Nov).
In groups of four, all six matchdays will be used up by Nations League matches (three opponents home and away). In groups of three such as England’s the teams from that group must schedule two friendly matches to make up the full six match days.
Side note: group winners in Leagues B, C, D will also be promoted into the League above for the next edition of Nations League while group losers in Leagues A, B, C will be relegated. This is why we want to avoid finishing bottom of the group with Spain and Croatia.
From the next assigned international matchday in March 2019, regular Euro 2020 qualifying will begin and run through until November 2019. Teams are placed into ten qualifying groups of either five or six and there are a total of ten international matchdays - two in Mar, two in June, two in Sep, two in Oct, two in Nov.
If you’re in a group of six, all ten matchdays will be used up in qualifying. If you’re in a group of five, you’ll need to find two friendlies to play in 2019.
While everyone else is battling for Euro 2020 qualification on match day three and four in June, the four League A group winners will take part in the first Nations League Finals (two semi finals and then a final to crown an inaugural winner) the result of which has no baring on who qualifies for Euro 2020.
To account for the two lost matchdays that would usually be taken up by qualifying, the four finalists will be guaranteed to be placed in groups of five meaning they only require eight qualification matches and forego the friendly matches instead.
At the end of qualifying in November 2019, the top two from each of the ten qualifying groups will progress to the Euro 2020 tournament, making 20 qualified teams. The final four places will be determined by play-offs to be played in March 2020. The teams that compete in these play-offs will be determined by Nations League performance, rather than by performance in the qualifying groups.
A ‘Path A’ play off will be played between the four best League A teams that did not qualify normally. A ‘Path B’ play off will be similarly played for League B teams as will a play off for ‘Path C’ and ‘Path D’.
In most cases, these will be the group winners unless they have already qualified through the normal channel. In which case, the play off spot goes to a 2nd placed team, or 3rd placed, until all play off spots are filled.
From there, all 24 teams are qualified and ready to compete in Euro 2020.
Ok so the nations guff replaces the original backdoor 3rd place play off chuff that Scotland/ Ireland /Wales sometimes fail at . So will be cheering on Spain to qualify if we come 2nd in the nations and have a mare in the group ? Could we come bottom of our Euro qualifying group , second in Spain and Croatia nations group (Spain qualify through Euro group) and then we go through to a Nations play off thingy Oh my let’s just qualify normally and leave the other stuff to the chuff
A load of rubbish really, just more international games which always break up the football season as it is. Good explanation though @Callumcafc
No more games than usual, just less friendly matches
Sounded like more games , more often... still international games get in the way of a proper weekend of football. Really enjoyed the world cup and will always get behind the boys but find it rubbish to watch other than the WC/ Euros
September to November is Nations League Then throughout 2019 is Euro Qualifying
Forget all the permutations until next year when it will be clear who needs to do what. Qualifying is easier than before and even IF a big nation misses out by coming 3rd of the 5 or 6 in their group, they'll get an extra chance.
UEFA like to dress is up that this will give smaller nations a chance to qualify (and it will) but the main reason is to ensure big teams don't miss out. A tournament without Italy, Netherlands or England etc. generates a lot less money.
September to November is Nations League Then throughout 2019 is Euro Qualifying
Forget all the permutations until next year when it will be clear who needs to do what. Qualifying is easier than before and even IF a big nation misses out by coming 3rd of the 5 or 6 in their group, they'll get an extra chance.
UEFA like to dress is up that this will give smaller nations a chance to qualify (and it will) but the main reason is to ensure big teams don't miss out. A tournament without Italy, Netherlands or England etc. generates a lot less money.
At the end of the day, if you want more smaller nations to qualify, you increase the size of the tournament. Make the Euros a 48 country tournament lasting 3 months, and even Scotland might qualifyl
This is a second chance to qualify, but as the groups take place before the main Euro qualifying, I guess UEFA are hoping that countries will try hard to get this in the bank
September to November is Nations League Then throughout 2019 is Euro Qualifying
Forget all the permutations until next year when it will be clear who needs to do what. Qualifying is easier than before and even IF a big nation misses out by coming 3rd of the 5 or 6 in their group, they'll get an extra chance.
UEFA like to dress is up that this will give smaller nations a chance to qualify (and it will) but the main reason is to ensure big teams don't miss out. A tournament without Italy, Netherlands or England etc. generates a lot less money.
At the end of the day, if you want more smaller nations to qualify, you increase the size of the tournament. Make the Euros a 48 country tournament lasting 3 months, and even Scotland might qualifyl
This is a second chance to qualify, but as the groups take place before the main Euro qualifying, I guess UEFA are hoping that countries will try hard to get this in the bank
When they have there full team I think Denmark will have enough to beat both teams, but Wales will be facing a Amateur Denmark team, so if Ireland fail to beat Wales tomorrow I could see that group finshing
If it was a qualifying campaign against smaller countries, everyone moans.
A new initiative that allows for qualification, cuts down on friendlies and means more competitive matches. Everyone moans.
Welcome to international football.
Personally I have no problems with friendlies, as everyone knows where they stand with them. It's good for countries to be able to experiment and blood new players without the pressure of qualifying.
The Nations League risks being a bit in between, with some countries taking them very seriously, and others nor so bothered.
As the highest placed team in the A league that hasn't qualified will qualify - if I understand correctly - you can see how a safety net has been created for one big nation that slips up in actual qualifying groups.
You would expect most in Group A will qualify so you might not need to be that high in the table to get a Euros place. Whereas that will not be the case in Group B where teams are still half decent. Where I can see a problem is the lower groups. Surely you would want to be in the lowest group with teams like San Marino in it if you are placed in the group above! Maybe there shouldn't be a place for the lowest group, but merely the incentive to get promoted to the next group. My head is hurting now so I'll stop!
The minnows (especially well done to Andorra) are going to learn so much more from these games than from the constant thrashings they get from the Standard Qualifying routes - Wonder if they wont be so defensive in a few years come those games as they'll have learnt to win / draw a bit more often
Comments
Everyone plays in their Nations League group between now and November - with a total of six assigned matchdays (two in Sep, two in Oct, two in Nov).
In groups of four, all six matchdays will be used up by Nations League matches (three opponents home and away). In groups of three such as England’s the teams from that group must schedule two friendly matches to make up the full six match days.
Side note: group winners in Leagues B, C, D will also be promoted into the League above for the next edition of Nations League while group losers in Leagues A, B, C will be relegated. This is why we want to avoid finishing bottom of the group with Spain and Croatia.
From the next assigned international matchday in March 2019, regular Euro 2020 qualifying will begin and run through until November 2019. Teams are placed into ten qualifying groups of either five or six and there are a total of ten international matchdays - two in Mar, two in June, two in Sep, two in Oct, two in Nov.
If you’re in a group of six, all ten matchdays will be used up in qualifying. If you’re in a group of five, you’ll need to find two friendlies to play in 2019.
While everyone else is battling for Euro 2020 qualification on match day three and four in June, the four League A group winners will take part in the first Nations League Finals (two semi finals and then a final to crown an inaugural winner) the result of which has no baring on who qualifies for Euro 2020.
To account for the two lost matchdays that would usually be taken up by qualifying, the four finalists will be guaranteed to be placed in groups of five meaning they only require eight qualification matches and forego the friendly matches instead.
At the end of qualifying in November 2019, the top two from each of the ten qualifying groups will progress to the Euro 2020 tournament, making 20 qualified teams. The final four places will be determined by play-offs to be played in March 2020. The teams that compete in these play-offs will be determined by Nations League performance, rather than by performance in the qualifying groups.
A ‘Path A’ play off will be played between the four best League A teams that did not qualify normally. A ‘Path B’ play off will be similarly played for League B teams as will a play off for ‘Path C’ and ‘Path D’.
In most cases, these will be the group winners unless they have already qualified through the normal channel. In which case, the play off spot goes to a 2nd placed team, or 3rd placed, until all play off spots are filled.
From there, all 24 teams are qualified and ready to compete in Euro 2020.
So will be cheering on Spain to qualify if we come 2nd in the nations and have a mare in the group ?
Could we come bottom of our Euro qualifying group , second in Spain and Croatia nations group (Spain qualify through Euro group) and then we go through to a Nations play off thingy
Oh my let’s just qualify normally and leave the other stuff to the chuff
Then throughout 2019 is Euro Qualifying
Forget all the permutations until next year when it will be clear who needs to do what.
Qualifying is easier than before and even IF a big nation misses out by coming 3rd of the 5 or 6 in their group, they'll get an extra chance.
UEFA like to dress is up that this will give smaller nations a chance to qualify (and it will) but the main reason is to ensure big teams don't miss out.
A tournament without Italy, Netherlands or England etc. generates a lot less money.
These cool graphics help to visualise what is going on. Unfortunately the words are in Norwegian! We need an English version.
This is a second chance to qualify, but as the groups take place before the main Euro qualifying, I guess UEFA are hoping that countries will try hard to get this in the bank
When they have there full team I think Denmark will have enough to beat both teams, but Wales will be facing a Amateur Denmark team, so if Ireland fail to beat Wales tomorrow I could see that group finshing
Wales
Denmark
Ireland
If it was a qualifying campaign against smaller countries, everyone moans.
A new initiative that allows for qualification, cuts down on friendlies and means more competitive matches. Everyone moans.
Welcome to international football.
The Nations League risks being a bit in between, with some countries taking them very seriously, and others nor so bothered.
Its not as though either have filled their teams with a load of players with no caps
Then England v Spain on Saturday.
Andorra 0-0 Latvia | Macedonia 2-0 Gibraltar | Armenia 2-1 Liechtenstein
The minnows (especially well done to Andorra) are going to learn so much more from these games than from the constant thrashings they get from the Standard Qualifying routes - Wonder if they wont be so defensive in a few years come those games as they'll have learnt to win / draw a bit more often
i.e. Azerbaijan | Armenia ... Spain | Gibraltar ... Albania | Kosovo arent allowed to put into the same Group for that reason