UEFA wants to introduce a completely new format for the Nations League, the Euro qualifiers, and the World Cup qualifiers after Euro 2028. Inspired by the recent Champions League reform, the governing body aims to create more competitive matches and increase excitement throughout the qualification campaigns.
UEFA officials reportedly appreciated the success of the new league-phase system in European club competitions and now want to apply a similar structure to international football across Europe.
The new Nations League format would replace the current four-league structure with only three divisions: League A, League B, and League C. UEFA plans to divide teams into several pots before creating groups of six nations. Each country would face five different opponents, including one opponent played twice, for a total of six matches. The top teams in League A would advance to the quarterfinals, while the lowest-ranked teams would face relegation. UEFA also plans promotion and relegation play-offs between the different leagues to maintain competitive balance across all divisions.
UEFA also wants to transform the qualification process for the Euros and the World Cup. The new system would separate European nations into two large leagues based on Nations League rankings. League 1 would include the strongest teams, while League 2 would gather the remaining nations. Teams would play home and away matches in a format similar to the current European club competitions. UEFA still needs to finalize several details regarding qualification spots and the playoff system before the Executive Committee votes on the proposal next September.
