Nations League draw: France to play Italy, Belgium in group stage
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World Cup runners-up France, European champions Italy and Belgium will face off in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League, while holders Spain will be favourites to win a group comprising Denmark, Switzerland and Serbia.
Israel are the fourth team in Group A2 alongside Didier Deschamps' France following their promotion to the top tier for the first time.
Croatia, who lost last year's final to Spain on penalties, are in Group A3 with former winners Portugal, Poland and Scotland. Euro 2024 hosts Germany meet the Netherlands in Group A3 along with Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
England will play the Republic of Ireland, Finland and Greece after Gareth Southgate's team were relegated to League B. They avoided being grouped with Kazakhstan because of UEFA rules pertaining to excessive travel conditions.
Each league contains four groups of four teams except for the bottom League D, which has six teams in total and just two groups. Russia remain banned due to the invasion of Ukraine.
This Nations League will feature a new knockout round, with the winners and runners-up from League A groups taking part in two-legged quarter-finals. The winners of the four ties will advance to the Nations League Finals, which retains its format of having four teams compete in a single-elimination tournament to decide the champion.
All group winners in League B, C and D are automatically promoted, while the last-placed teams in League A and B will be relegated as before.
The two worst-ranked teams in League C drop into League D, the bottom tier.
There will also be play-offs between third-placed sides in League A and those finishing second in League B. The same ties will be played to determine further promotion and relegation between League B and C.
Full Nations League draw
LEAGUE A
- Group A1: Croatia, Portugal, Poland, Scotland
- Group A2: Italy, Belgium, France, Israel
- Group A3: Netherlands, Hungary, Germany, Bosnia
- Group A4: Spain, Denmark, Switzerland, Serbia
LEAGUE B
- Group B1: Czechia, Ukraine, Albania, Georgia
- Group B2: England, Finland, Ireland, Greece
- Group B3: Austria, Norway, Slovenia, Kazakhstan
- Group B4: Wales, Iceland, Montenegro, Turkey
LEAGUE C
- Group C1: Sweden, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Estonia
- Group C2: Romania, Kosovo, Cyprus, Lithuania/Gibraltar
- Group C3: Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Northern Ireland, Belarus
- Group C4: Armenia, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia, Latvia
LEAGUE D
- Group D1: Lithuania/Gibraltar, San Marino, Liechtenstein
- Group D2: Moldova, Malta, Andorra
Note: Lithuania and Gibraltar will meet in a relegation play-off in March
Nations League match dates
- Matchday 1 and 2: September 5-10, 2024
- Matchday 3 and 4: October 10-15, 2024
- Matchday 5 and 6: November 14-19, 2024
- Knockout round playoffs: March 20-25, 2025
- League A quarterfinals: March 20-25, 2025
- Finals: June 4-8, 2025