UEFA Nations League to Adopt Champions League-Style Format

UEFA, under the leadership of President Aleksander Čeferin, is set to implement significant changes to the UEFA Nations League and European Championship qualifiers, aiming to enhance the competition's quality and fan engagement. Beginning after the Euro 2028 tournament, the revamped structure will draw inspiration from the current UEFA Champions League format, promising a more dynamic and competitive international football landscape.

The core of the Nations League reform involves consolidating the current four leagues into three, each comprising 18 national teams. These leagues will be further divided into three groups of six teams. Participants will engage in six matches against distinct opponents, playing each team once at home and once away. This structure is designed to ensure national teams face a varied set of opponents, moving away from repetitive group stage encounters and increasing the stakes of each match.

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This new format will increase competitive balance, reduce the number of uninteresting matches, and provide a more dynamic competition for fans.

Crucially, the knockout stages of the Nations League, including the quarter-finals, Final Four, and promotion/relegation play-offs, will be retained. Similarly, the Euro qualifiers will see teams play six home and away fixtures against six different opponents. Notably, even host nations, who automatically qualify for the final tournament, will participate in the qualifiers. Their results will still count towards their standing in the subsequent Nations League season, ensuring continued competitive relevance.

From our perspective at Republika, these changes signal UEFA's commitment to evolving international football. The goal is to create a more balanced competitive environment, reduce the number of uninteresting matches, and ultimately deliver a more compelling product for fans. The emphasis on ensuring fair qualification opportunities for all nations while managing the international calendar is a delicate balancing act. We believe this new format, by increasing the competitive intensity and variety of opponents, will indeed elevate the prestige and appeal of both the Nations League and the Euro qualifiers, making them more engaging for supporters across the continent and particularly here in Indonesia, where football is followed with such passion.

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These changes will enhance the value of UEFA men's national team football, and we look forward to its implementation.