Graphic shows UEFA Nation League preview with fixtures for first two matchdays in September 2018.
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New UEFA Nations League tournament gets underway

By Chris Dinsdale

September 6, 2018 - September 11, 2018 - UEFA Nations League Matchdays 1/2. The inaugural UEFA Nations League tournament gets underway, with 2018 World Cup winners France kicking off the competition against Germany. Each matchday features 23 matches across four different leagues over three days, with Matchday 1 games taking place from Sep 6-8 and Matchday 2 from Sep 9-11. Heavyweight contests include England against Spain, and Italy versus Portugal.

Tournament format: 55 member associations are participating in the tournament, which aims to introduce competitive fixtures to replace international friendlies, and offers four places at Euro 2020 for the eventual league winners.

The 55 teams are split into four leagues (A, B, C and D) based on their UEFA ranking at the end of the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers.

There will be two matchdays each in September, October and November 2018. The winners of the four groups in League A will compete to become the Nations League champions in the Final Four competition in June 2019.

At the end of each tournament, four teams will be promoted and four teams relegated. They will then play at their new level in the next competition, which starts in 2020.

League A (four groups of three):
France, Germany, Netherlands
Belgium, Iceland, Switzerland
Italy, Poland, Portugal
Croatia, England, Spain

League B (four groups of three):
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine
Russia, Sweden, Turkey
Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Ireland
Denmark, Republic of Ireland, Wales

League C (one group of three, three groups of four):
Albania,, Israel, Scotland
Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Norway, Slovenia
Lithuania, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia

League D (four groups of four):
Andorra, Georgia, Latvia, Kazakhstan
Belarus, Luxembourg, Moldova, San Marino
Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands, Kosovo, Malta
Armenia, FYR Macedonia, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein

Sources
PUBLISHED: 30/08/2018; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Getty Images
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