CLUB football might be on pause for the summer but no need to panic as the UEFA Nations League is well underway – and it is shaping up to be a good one.
France displayed their international dominance when they came from behind to beat Spain in last year’s final.
1
Which made amends for their disappointing run in the Euros in the summer of 2021.
However, there’s no guarantee that France will be crowned champions again as Gareth Southgate has begun to orchestrate a sensational young England squad that’ll be hungry for some silverware.
And the likes of Germany, Spain alongside 2019 winners Portugal, will all be determined to add the prestigious trophy to their cabinets.
When is the UEFA Nations League 2022/23?
Match day one and two of the mouth-watering event will take place from Wednesday, June 1 to Tuesday, June 7 with Poland kicking off the tournament against Wales.
The third and fourth round of fixtures begin on Thursday, June 9 and will run on until Tuesday, June 14.
And then viewers will have to wait until Thursday, September 22 to witness match day five and six – whilst the knock-out phases won’t be concluded until June 2023.
How does the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League work?
There are four Leagues: A, B, C and D and every consists of a minimum of two groups.
A, B and C all have 16 teams which were drawn into four groups of four for the league setup.
Whereas the remaining seven teams that slot into League D, get split into two groups, one of four and the other of three.
In all cases, teams will play all their group opponents home and away in June and September 2022.
Due to the winter scheduling of the Qatar World Cup, four of the six match days will be in June whilst the rest are played out in September.
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.
How will the 2023 UEFA Nations League Finals work?
All four League A group winners will proceed to the 2023 Nations League semi-finals which will be played on June 14 and June 15, 2023.
The final and third-place play-off take place shortly after those fixtures on June 18, 2023.
Key dates
- Matchdays 1 & 2: 1–8 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
What is the UEFA Nations League 2022/23 Leagues and Groups?
LEAGUE A
- Group A1: France, Denmark, Croatia, Austria
- Group A2: Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Czech Republic
- Group A3: Italy, Germany, England, Hungary
- Group A4: Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Wales
LEAGUE B
- Group B1: Ukraine, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Armenia
- Group B2: Iceland, Russia (suspended until further notice), Israel, Albania
- Group B3: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Romania, Montenegro
- Group B4: Sweden, Norway, Serbia, Slovenia
LEAGUE C
- Group C1: Turkey, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Faroe Islands
- Group C2: Northern Ireland, Greece, Kosovo, Cyprus
- Group C3: Slovakia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan
- Group C4: Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Georgia, Gibraltar
LEAGUE D
- Group D1: Liechtenstein, Moldova, Andorra, Latvia
- Group D2: Malta, Estonia, San Marino
What TV channel will the UEFA Nations League 2022/23 be on and can I live stream it?
- Channel 4 have won the rights to broadcast all of England’s Nations League matches.
- However, viewers in the UK will have other matches available to watch via Premier Sports.
- Coverage times will be confirmed as the date for the match draws closer.
- Stream ALL of England’s games for FREE via the Channel 4 website or app.
- Premier Sports packages start from £9.99 per month
What has Jurgen Klopp said about the UEFA Nations League?
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp expressed his frustrated opinions on the creation of the newest European tournament in 2019.
The German wizard recently renewed his criticism by saying: “The Nations League is one of the most ridiculous ideas in the world of football.
“Players have played over 70 games and we continue with Nations League games (after the season has ended). Four, five, six games with the national teams.
“I would prefer UEFA take more money from the Champions League finals and get rid of the Nations League.”