UEFA Nations League: Portugal, France, and Spain Aim for Historic Wins Amidst Relegations

The UEFA Nations League is set to captivate football fans this month as Portugal, France, and Spain each vie to become the first two-time winners of the competition. Meanwhile, other participating teams in League A hope to claim the title for the first time. Additionally, League B and C teams, including recently relegated nations like England and Sweden, are eager to improve their standings.

The competition, initiated in 2018, encompasses all 55 member associations of UEFA, divided into four tiers: League A, League B, League C, and League D. Leagues A through C each contain 16 teams split into groups of four, while League D consists of six teams in two groups of three.

Relegation and promotion are key to the tournament’s structure. The last-placed team from each group in Leagues A, B, and C is relegated to a lower league for the subsequent tournament. In contrast, third-placed teams in Leagues A and B face off against a runner-up from a lower group in playoffs to decide who remains or advances. League D’s runners-up battle against League C’s lowest-ranked teams for remaining spots in their group.

Past winners of the Nations League include Portugal’s victory over the Netherlands in the 2018-19 season, France defeating Spain in Italy in the 2020-21 season, and Spain ousting Croatia via penalties in the Netherlands for the 2022-23 season.

England faced unexpected relegation after earning just three points from Group A3 in the last season. Their losses included two defeats to Hungary and one to Italy, along with draws against Germany and Italy. Currently, England is favored to win Group B2 in the 2024-25 season after victories against the Republic of Ireland and Finland, with Greece upcoming.

Similarly, Sweden experienced relegation from Group B following a challenging series against Serbia, Norway, and Slovenia during the 2022-23 season. The current tournament features notable matches such as Israel versus France and Italy against Belgium.

As of now, Portugal leads their group with six points followed by Poland and Croatia, each with three points. In another group, Italy tops with six points, pursued by Belgium and France. Germany and Denmark also hold leadership positions in their respective groups. Recent notable matches include Germany’s significant 5-0 win over Hungary and the Netherlands’ 5-2 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina.