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The home nations discover the fate of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League group stage draw made on Thursday the 8th of February 2024.
Yep, the men’s international football calendar is about to get busier, with the Euros later this summer, the World Cup in two summers after that. But right in the middle of it, in the summer 2025 is the Nations League finals.
Before that, it’s the group stage to determine who makes it there, and it’s time to find out who will face who in the groups.
Who is in it?
League A
Pot 1: Spain, Croatia, Italy, NetherlandsPot 2: Denmark, Portugal, Belgium, HungaryPot 3: Switzerland, Germany, Poland, FrancePot 4: Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Scotland
League B
Pot 1: Austria, Czech Republic, England, WalesPot 2: Finland, Ukraine, Iceland, NorwayPot 3: Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, MontenegroPot 4: Georgia, Greece, Turkey, Kazakhstan
League C
Pot 1: Romania, Sweden, Armenia, LuxembourgPot 2: Azerbaijan, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Faroe IslandsPot 3: North Macedonia, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, CyprusPot 4: Belarus, Lithuania/Gibraltar*, Estonia, Latvia
League D
Pot 1: Lithuania/Gibraltar*, MoldovaPot 2: Malta, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein
* Gibraltar and Lithuania face a play-out, effectively a relegation play-off to see who ends in Leagues C and D, in March 2024.
How does the draw work?
Leagues A, B, and C are comprised of four groups, each consisting of four teams.
These groups are formed by drawing one team from each seeding pot.
The teams in these groups compete against each other both at home and away.
On the other hand, League D is divided into two groups, each consisting of three teams.
There are certain restrictions in place regarding which teams can face each other.
Due to the structure of the leagues and pots, many fixtures are prohibited.
For instance, Kazakhstan can only be placed in a group with a maximum of one of the following teams: England, Wales, Republic of Ireland, or Iceland.
This limitation is imposed due to excessive travel reasons.
Additionally, in League C, Armenia and Azerbaijan cannot be drawn together in the same group.
This restriction is due to political reasons.
UEFA 2024/25 NATIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE DRAW IN FULL
Group A1: Croatia, Portugal (2019 winners), Poland, Scotland.Group A2: Italy, Belgium, France (2021 winners), Israel.Group A3: Netherlands, Hungary, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Group A4: Spain (holders), Denmark, Switzerland, Serbia.
Group B1: Czech Republic, Ukraine, Albania, Georgia.Group B2: England, Finland, Republic of Ireland, Greece.Group B3: Austria, Norway, Slovenia, Kazakhstan. Group B4: Wales, Iceland, Montenegro, Turkey.
Group C1: Sweden, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Estonia.Group C2: Romania, Kosovo, Cyprus, Gibraltar/Lithuania*.Group C3: Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Northern Ireland, Belarus.Group C4: Armenia, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia, Latvia.
*subject to a play-off to decide final placings
Group D1: Gibraltar/Lithuania, San Marino, Liechtenstein.Group D2: Moldova, Malta, Andorra.
When are the games?
Each team in Leagues A, B and C play two group games in September, two in October and two in November 2024.
A lot of teams will play extra games in March 2025, with four teams in the Nations League finals in June 2025.
How does the tournament work?
Leagues A, B, and C are comprised of four groups, each consisting of four teams.
These groups are formed by drawing one team from each seeding pot.
The teams in these groups compete against each other both at home and away.
On the other hand, League D is divided into two groups, each consisting of three teams.
There are certain restrictions in place regarding which teams can face each other.
Due to the structure of the leagues and pots, many fixtures are prohibited.
For instance, Kazakhstan can only be placed in a group with a maximum of one of the following teams: England, Wales, Republic of Ireland, or Iceland.
This limitation is imposed due to excessive travel reasons.
Additionally, in League C, Armenia and Azerbaijan cannot be drawn together in the same group.
This restriction is due to political reasons.
England suffered relegation in the Nations League with a 1-0 defeat to Italy at the San Siro.
England boss Southgate said: “I understand the reaction [boos] at the end because that’s the results we’ve had in this competition. It’s an understandable emotional reaction.
“There’s going to be a lot of noise but that will be around me and that’s absolutely fine. It’s my job to take that pressure for them.
“I personally thought the performance was a step in the right direction but I perfectly understand that because of the result that’s not going to be the reaction.
“We’ve got to keeping working on it and make sure we stay on track. They’ll be a huge amount of noise of course but that’s created from the summer, really and I totally understand that.
“The players in the dressing room know this was a game they well could have won. And if they take their chances and defend the goal better, then we do win. It’s fine margins. We’re playing some of the biggest football nations and the fine margins are decisive.”
Declan Rice said at the time, ahead of the World Cup, which England got to the quarter finals of but lost to France: “I see it in training that there are goals for fun. Trust me we are gonna be good.
“Every tournament we set out we want to win the group, to progress and win every game. In the Nations league we have slipped our standards. I did not think it was all bad tonight. One chance for them and one goal.”
ENGLAND’S RECENT RESULTS
23 March – Euro 2024 qualifying – Italy 1–2 England26 March – Euro 2024 qualifying – England 2–0 Ukraine16 June – Euro 2024 qualifying – Malta 0–4 England19 June – Euro 2024 qualifying – England 7–0 North Macedonia9 September – Euro 2024 qualifying – Ukraine 1–1 England12 September – 150th Anniversary Heritage Match – Scotland 1–3 England13 October – International Friendly – England 1–0 Australia17 October – Euro 2024 qualifying – England 3–1 Italy17 November – Euro 2024 qualifying – England 2–0 Malta20 November – Euro 2024 qualifying – North Macedonia 1–1 England
UPCOMING ENGLAND FIXURES
23 March – Friendly – England v Brazil – London, England26 March – Friendly – England v Belgium – London, England3 June – Friendly – England v Bosnia and Herzegovina – Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England7 June – Friendly – England v Iceland – London, England16 June – Euro 2024 Group C – Serbia v England – Gelsenkirchen, Germany20 June – Euro 2024 Group C – Denmark v England – Frankfurt, Germany25 June – Euro 2024 Group C – England v Slovenia – Cologne, Germany
England fans reacted as home nations discover fate of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League group stage draw…
@ryan_greatorex: Happy with that! Some good aways in there
@JacobSte22: Mint trips that 😎🏴🏴
@LeonWebb_: This is tasty 😍
@blakepfc: Very good draw other than the fact the Greece tick has been done 😂
@LukeCarey1881: Brilliant group and even better trips to do 🏴
@LiamC99_: Unreal trips them gonna be best year of me life #englandaway 🏴
@EdBaker97: Proper happy with that!! Gonna be some cracking away days 😎
@_mstephenson88: Ireland hopefully better than the Borfest in 15, Greece be good. Finland doesn’t appeal whatsoever having been to Helsinki before.
@Denton_james: Well that is a sensational set of games. Thanking you very much
@patmoore97: England, Ireland and Greece all in the same group?!?! This is truly the group of dreams for the Moore/Koulouris household
@Stueycufc: Class drawwww tbff will take that
@DannyOD95: Dublin going to be full of absolute gimps that day. Rest of it is good though!
@BBright388: Decent draw that
@matt_jones122: What a group that is 😍😍😍
@mattbha: away days to Ireland 👀
@JamieHall97_: Dublin 🥳
@Marshall96Scott: Hahaha get me to Ireland 🏴
@olliesteele__: What a group!! 🏴🏴
@Benclifteh: That is unbelievable 😍😍
@Danporter08: Decent draw that ⚽️
@cafc_daniel: We have to top that
Dublin (a) pic.twitter.com/xeJvCE7BbA
— H (@harrymillz6) February 8, 2024
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