Nations League draw live - Scotland learn playoff fate plus quarter-final ties featuring Spain and France
England weren’t involved in the draw after securing an immediate return to League A
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Your support makes all the difference.The Nations League came to a close this week in terms of the actual group action, but further fixtures yet lie ahead: the semi-finals and final as usual for those competing at the top end, but also even more games in yet another an expanded Uefa competition.
This time around we have play-offs for promotion and relegation spots, and instead of just a final four encounter, we’ve got quarter-finals to look forward to too.
Scotland and Republic of Ireland are both involved in the playoffs, the former after Andy Robertson’s last-minute heroics, while aiming for Nations League glory this time around will be the likes of European champions Spain, along with France, Germany and Netherlands.
See the full draw along with explanations, rules and when the matches will take place and reaction to the draw in our live blog below:
Nations League draw - live
Here we go then, with the B teams who will all be drawn second so they are at home in the second leg, and firstly the C teams.
Kosovo v Iceland
Bulgaria v Republic of Ireland
Armenia v Georgia
Slovakia v Slovenia
Nations League draw - live
Quick as that we’re done and dusted with those at the bottom rung of Uefa’s ladder. Wasn’t that quick really, was it?
Anyway we’re on to the B/C playoffs which includes Republic of Ireland.
A Caoimhin Kelleher-inspired win ensured they’d finish third, but they were heavily beaten by England last time after a red card out so still improvements to come.
Nations League draw - live
Playoffs first and it’s C/D groups up - these won’t be played until 2026, if at all, remember.
Gibraltar v Latvia
Malta v Luxembourg
Nations League draw - live
A startlingly bold call from Johan picks out Euro 2024 winners Spain as ones to watch, with Lamine Yamal in particular a player he enjoys.
Roberto Martinez, Didier Deschamps, Ronald Koeman and more look on in rapt wonder.
Here comes the video explanation of everything we’ve just told you below, so the draw itself should be along shortly.
Nations League draw - live
We’re welcoming on stage special guest Johan Djourou, apparently, to do the draw. The Swiss defender formerly played for Arsenal of course, as well as Birmingham, Hamburg and plenty of others.
He “really love[s] the format because it gives all the teams the chance to compete”.
Nations League draw - live
OK we’re underway, of sorts. Giorgio Marchetti, the man who loves a draw perhaps more than anybody else on planet Earth, is on the stage. For the uninitiated, he’s the deputy general secretary of Uefa.
He assures us we’re close to starting the draw, but starts with the usual compliments, explanations and general speaking.
A “special recognition” for San Marino, who sealed a first-ever Uefa competition win and promotion from League D.
Nations League draw - live
One of the keen onlookers to the draw will of course be Steve Clarke - his Scotland side secured third place with a fantastic late winner by Andy Robertson against Poland this week. If they come through the playoffs victorious too, it means League A next time around will contain each of the Scots, England and Wales - the latter two topping their respective League B groups this time to go straight up.
Republic of Ireland’s wins over Finland mean they are hoping to stay in League B by way of the playoffs too, while Northern Ireland won C3 to earn promotion to that tier too. Positives all around, or potential ones.
Nations League draw - live
Top scorers from the Nations League this time:
- Gyokeres (Sweden) 9
- Haaland (Norway) 7
- Marin (Romania) 6
- Ronaldo (Portugal) 5
- Sesko (Slovenia) 5
A couple there still involved in the games to come, though Sweden - who were in League C this time around - earned comfortable promotion. Gyokeres helping himself to a bagful against Slovakia, Estonia and Azerbaijan.
Nations League draw - live
So here are all the teams involved in the upcoming playoff draw, with naturally a third place playing a runner-up in each case.
A/B: Scotland, Belgium, Hungary, Serbia; Ukraine, Greece, Austria, Turkey
B/C: Georgia, Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland; Slovakia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Armenia
C/D: Luxembourg, Latvia; Gibraltar, Malta
Nations League draw - live
The finals are just one half of today’s festivities, though. We now - in addition to direct promotion and relegation for the top and bottom team of groups - have a playoff for a second potential spot each way.
Very simply, teams finishing third in Leagues A, B and C will face those finishing second from B, C or D and the winner stays or goes up accordingly.
A/B and B/C playoffs are on 20 and 23 March, C/D playoffs will be for a fairly obscure World Cup qualification reason held a year later, 26 and 31 March 2026. And might not be held at all, but we’ll worry about that at the time.
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