On Thursday, February 8 in Paris, the draw for the UEFA Nations League-2024/2025 will take place (start - 7 PM Kyiv time). The Ukrainian national team is waiting to find out its opponents in League B.

In Leagues A, B and C, there will be 16 teams each, while in League D – six teams.

Ukraine has been placed in the second pot of League B and will receive one opponent from each of the first, third, and fourth pots.

The pots were formed according to the ranking of national teams based on the results of the UEFA Nations League-2022/2023. Russia, the only member of UEFA not allowed back into competition again.

Seeding of Participants in League A

Pot 1: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Netherlands.

Pot 2: Denmark, Portugal, Belgium, Hungary.

Pot 3: Switzerland, Germany, Poland, France.

Pot 4: Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Scotland.

Seeding of Participants in League B

Pot 1: Austria, Czech Republic, England, Wales.

Pot 2: Finland, Ukraine, Iceland, Norway.

Pot 3: Slovenia, Ireland, Albania, Montenegro.

Pot 4: Georgia, Greece, Turkey, Kazakhstan.

Seeding of Participants in League C

Pot 1: Romania, Sweden, Armenia, Luxembourg.

Pot 2: Azerbaijan, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Faroe Islands.

Pot 3: North Macedonia, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Cyprus.

Pot 4: Belarus, Lithuania/Gibraltar, Estonia, Latvia.

Seeding of Participants in League D

Pot 1: Lithuania/Gibraltar, Moldova.

Pot 2: Malta, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein.

In Leagues A, B and C participants will be divided into four groups of four teams each. In League D there will be two groups of three teams.

Winners of the groups in League A and teams that finish second will participate in quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League at home and away, with winners qualifying for the final four. Teams finishing last in their quartets will drop to League B.

Teams finishing first in the groups of Leagues B, C, and D will be promoted respectively to Leagues A, B, and C. Teams finishing last in League B will drop to League C. The two worst teams from League C will drop to League D.

Teams finishing third in the groups of League A and third in League B will play home-and-away promotion/relegation playoffs against teams finishing second in the groups of Leagues B and second in League C, respectively. The two best teams from among those finishing last in League C will face other national teams from League D.

What awaits Ukraine in League B?

As is known, based on the results of the UEFA Nations League-2022/2023, the Ukrainian national team, finishing second in its group, remained in League B.

After changes to the format for the group stage tournament in League B, where Ukraine will participate:

• first place — promotion to League A;
• second place — play-off matches against a team finishing third in a League A group;
• third place — play-off matches against a team finishing second in a League C group;
• fourth place — relegation to League C.

Play-off matches are scheduled for March 2025.

The positions that teams will occupy in the UEFA Nations League-2024/2025 will determine which group, with four or five teams, they will enter into the World Cup qualification tournament.

Teams divided into groups of five for the World Cup 2026 qualifier will start their tournament in March or June 2025 if they are still participating in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals or promotion/relegation matches. Teams grouped into four participants will begin qualification to the World Cup in September 2025.

UEFA Nations League-2024/2025 Match Calendar

Round 1: September 5—7, 2024.

Round 2: September 8—10, 2024.

Round 3: October 10—12, 2024.

Round 4: October 13—15, 2024.

Round 5: November 14—16, 2024.

Round 6: November 17—19, 2024.

Play-offs: March 17—25, 2025.

Semi-finals and Final: June 2—10, 2025.

World Cup 2026 Qualifiers through the Nations League

The qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Europe, where 16 spots will be contested, will run from March 2025 to March 2026 and consist of two rounds.

Round 1: Twelve groups of five or four teams each will play in a traditional group stage format from March to November 2025. The twelve winners of the groups will receive direct tickets to the final tournament.

The twelve second-placed teams and the four best group winners of the UEFA Nations League-2024/2025 who finish below second place in the European qualification group stage, will participate in home-and-away playoffs.

Round 2: Home-and-away mini-tournaments in March 2026 will consist of one-legged semi-finals and finals. The sixteen participants will be divided into four playoff paths. Four winners will receive tickets to the FIFA World Cup 2026.