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Nations League: New European tournament to be confirmed

  • Thread starter Thread starter al.exe
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al.exe

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From BBC Sport.....

A "League of Nations" that would be a third major tournament for European countries after the World Cup and European Championship is expected to be given the go-ahead by Uefa on Thursday.

Games would be played in odd-numbered years on dates reserved for friendlies, starting after the 2018 World Cup.

No exact details have been confirmed, but there would be up to four divisions with promotion and relegation, plus a 'final four' competition in the summer.

England would likely be in a top tier.

The 54 member associations of European football's governing body will vote on the proposal at its annual congress in Kazakhstan.

Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino has confirmed an agreement to set up the new tournament should be reached on Thursday.

He said: "What has triggered what is being called the Nations League is the international calendar and the dates for friendly matches.

"We have been looking at optimising the structure of the calendar without bringing in any more dates.

"There are teams everyone wants to play against and other teams who struggle to get the opponents they'd ideally like. For all national associations, the fact is that national team matches are key for their development."

On rankings, England would be in the top division alongside the likes of Spain, Germany and Italy. Each division would then be divided into groups with the winners qualifying for a semi-final and final, played at neutral venues.

Winners of the lower divisions could be granted entry to the European Championship.

Northern Ireland and Wales - ranked 47 and 48 respectively by Uefa - could find themselves playing each other in the bottom division.

Scotland's ranking of 24 could see them meeting the likes of Sweden, Croatia and Poland in the league.

While matches will be played on dates reserved for friendlies, there will still be flexibility for smaller countries to arrange high-profile fixtures with bigger European teams and for nations to play friendlies against national sides from outside Europe.

The Football Association is in favour of the plan, with chairman Greg Dyke saying earlier this month: "The hard thing is the detail but I think a Nations League where we played the top nations would be very attractive."
 

i don't really understand what it is or its meaning. i mean they could use it instead of the qualifiers for european qualification, but qualification is too short for it to work.

so it's a league instead of the ranking system? but only for europe? i just don't understand its meaning at all.
 
wales did the double over scotland, but are 48th (below northern ireland)? while scots are 24th? hmm. suppose they did just pip us in qualififcation.
 

Can't really see the point of it. Summer friendlies are largely pointless because none of the players can really be bothered. Giving them a worthless trophy to aim for doesn't seem likely to change that.
 

Players should not be playing 50+ games a season of high intensity football. It's ridiculous.

There are two CONCACAF Gold Cups every World Cup cycle, one that's the same year as the Confederations Cup and one the year after the World Cup.

Most countries just play B teams in the one that aligns with the Confederations Cup, as World Cup Qualifying is normally going on as well.

I wouldn't be surprised if something similar happens with this idea.
 
Surely having a league comprising of the top teams and have them play each other to determine a winner is a hell of a lot better than the tournaments that exist today?

Why would you want to be bothered about the world cup if you are above spain germany and france in the league? the trophies would be diminished compared to being the out and out best country in the world based on actually proving that.
 
Lol, you have to love Uefa, brilliant idea, if it didn't involve humans, let me the first to encourage Ireland to get badly relegated to the group with the Faros and San Marino, then qualify their brains out, while Germany, Dutchland and the other big European teams smash each other!

We prob still wouldn't qualify like!
 

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