UEFA's youngest competition, the UEFA Nations League or League of Nations, was born during the 2018/2019 season with the aim of face national teams of the same level in competitive matches, thus reducing the number of friendlies of the national teams.
But nevertheless, in this edition a new format has been implemented structured as follows: 55 federations have been divided into different leagues (Leagues A, B, C and D) according to their classification in the first edition and, in turn, each league is divided into groups. The champions of these will obtain the prize of the promotion to a superior league, as long as they win the previous playoff, and in the case of those in League A, the opportunity to play a final phase that will decide the absolute champion of the competition. For its part, the last classified in each group will be relegated to a lower league.
When and where is the final phase?
The vast majority of the group stage matches played and with some leaders still in the air, the teams begin to write down on their agendas the next international commitments that this continental tournament has in store for them. The 2020/21 UEFA Nations League finals dates they were established at a meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee in September this year. Here it was decided that the semifinals will be played on October 6 and 7, 2021, Y the final and the match for third place on October 10, 2021.
Until now, the setting chosen to celebrate the UEFA finals is anyone's guess and it will be the group stage who decides which team will play the host role in the last stage of the tournament. Possibilities focus on three federations in Group A1: Italy, Holland Y Poland. At first, the winner of this group will be in charge of organizing the final phase in their country.
What happened in the 2018/2019 UEFA Nations League?
The The first edition of the Nations League concluded with the image of Cristiano Ronaldo raising the European trophy to the sky of Porto, after defeating in the final Holland thanks to a single so much of Guedes. The third place went to England who beat Switzerland in a tight penalty shootout (the English won 6-5). In addition, the proper names of the tournament were: Cristiano Ronaldo (top scorer), Bernardo silva (best player) and Frankie De Jong (young player of the tournament).
For its part, Spain began the championship with a firm step towards the final phase, because reaped two important victories against England (1-2) and Croatia (6-0). However, the course of the classification was twisted when those of Luis Enrique lost the last two games of this qualifying round by the same result (2-3). In this way, six points obtained by Spain could not exceed the seven achieved by the English and “La Roja” was at the gates of the final phase of this new competition. Two years later, Spain is back on the ropes and needs a victory against Germany to be able to play this final four.
Spain – Germany: schedule, TV and where to watch the Nations League live today
Champions and descendants right now
In the absence of a day of matches to be played, some of the leading teams of this edition are already known. At the moment, the only classified to play the final phase is France, Group 3A champions ahead of reigning champions, Portugal. The other side of the coin are Bosnia and Herzegovina (A1), Iceland (A2) and Estonia (C2), as they are positioned as the last classified in their groups Y they will be relegated from the league. But nevertheless, Estonia will have to play a previous relegation play-off to decide your future in competition.