2022/23 UEFA Nations League: League phase draw
Thursday, December 16, 2021
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The league phase draw for the third edition of the competition took place on 16 December 2021.
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The draw for the league phase of the third edition of the UEFA Nations League took place in Nyon at 18:00 CET on 16 December 2021.
Draw result
League A
Group 1: France, Denmark, Croatia, Austria
Group 2: Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Czech Republic
Group 3: Italy, Germany, England, Hungary
Group 4: Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Wales
League B
Group 1: Ukraine, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Armenia
Group 2: Iceland, Russia, Israel, Albania
Group 3: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Romania, Montenegro
Group 4: Sweden, Norway, Serbia, Slovenia
League C
Group 1: Turkey, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Faroe Islands
Group 2: Northern Ireland, Greece, Kosovo, Cyprus/Estonia
Group 3: Slovakia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan/Moldova
Group 4: Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Georgia, Gibraltar
League D
Group 1: Liechtenstein, Kazakhstan/Moldova, Andorra, Latvia
Group 2: Malta, Cyprus/Estonia, San Marino
Draw procedure
All 55 UEFA member associations participate in the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League and were divided into the four leagues based on the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League Access List (Annex C of the UNL competition regulations). The Access List was compiled based on the teams' results in the 2020/21 UEFA Nations League, including promotion and relegation between the leagues and pending the results of the UNL 2020/21 finals and the relegation play-outs.
Leagues A, B and C all have 16 teams, which were each drawn into four groups of four for the league phase. The remaining seven teams, in League D, were split into two groups, one of four and the other of three.
The 16 teams allocated to League A were divided into four draw pots as follows:
• Pot 1 contained the four best-ranked teams, i.e. the teams ranked 1st to 4th
• Pot 2 contained the four teams ranked 5th to 8th
• Pot 3 contained the four teams ranked 9th to 12th
• Pot 4 contained the four teams ranked 13th to 16th
The 16 teams allocated to League B were divided into four draw pots as follows:
• Pot 1 contained the four teams ranked 17th to 20th
• Pot 2 contained the four teams ranked 21st to 24th
• Pot 3 contained the four teams ranked 25th to 28th
• Pot 4 contained the four teams ranked 29th to 32nd
The 16 teams allocated to League C were divided into four draw pots as follows:
• Pot 1 contained the four teams ranked 33rd to 36th
• Pot 2 contained the four teams ranked 37th to 40th
• Pot 3 contained the four teams ranked 41st to 44th
• Pot 4 contained the four teams ranked 45th to 48th
The 7 teams allocated to League D were divided into two draw pots as follows:
• Pot 1 contained the four teams ranked 49th to 52nd
• Pot 2 contained the three teams ranked 53rd to 55th
In all cases teams will play all their group opponents home and away in June and September 2022. Four of the six matchdays will be in June due to the winter scheduling of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The four group winners in League A will advance to the knockout Finals in June 2023. The group winners in the other three leagues will all be promoted for the 2024/25 edition.
The teams finishing fourth in the groups in Leagues A and B will be relegated. The teams finishing fourth in the League C groups will enter the play-outs in March 2024, with the two teams defeated in those ties moving to League D.
What league is each team in?
Currently 51 of the 55 UEFA nations know which of the four leagues they will take part in, following the conclusion of the league phase last autumn. The other four will play in Leagues C or D depending on the results of next March's play-outs, where Kazakhstan play Moldova and Cyprus face Estonia.
What are the dates?
Matchdays 1 & 2: 2–7 June 2022
Matchdays 3 & 4: 9–14 June 2022
Matchdays 5 & 6: 22–27 September 2022
Finals draw: tbc
Semi-finals: 14 & 15 June 2023
Final & third-place match: 18 June 2023
Play-outs: 21–23 & 24–26 March 2024
How will the Finals work?
The four League A group winners will take part, with in principle one appointed as hosts. The semi-finals will be played on 14 and 15 June 2023, with the final and third-place play-off to follow on 18 June.
How does UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying fit into this?
The format for UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying is not yet confirmed, including any details of how teams might earn play-off spots via the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League.
The UEFA EURO 2024 competition regulations are expected to be approved and published by June 2022.