The draw for the group stage of the 2026-2027 UEFA Nations League, held in Brussels, Belgium, on the sidelines of the UEFA meetings, produced some heavyweight clashes promising fierce competition among Europe's elite. Group 3 in League A particularly caught the eye, pitting reigning Euro 2024 champions Spain against a formidable England side and a resilient Croatia, making it undeniably the "group of death.".
Level 1 draw details: Big clashes
The draw saw the elite European teams divided into four tough groups, with the results as follows:
- Group A: This group included the national teams of France, Italy, Belgium, and Turkey. It is considered one of the toughest groups due to the long history between the French and Italian national teams.
- Group B: Germany, the Netherlands, Serbia, and Greece. A classic European football rivalry will be renewed as the German machine faces the Dutch windmills.
- Group Three: Theoretically the strongest, it includes Spain, Croatia, England, and the Czech Republic.
- Group Four: included Portugal, Denmark, Norway and Wales.
Distribution of the remaining levels in the tournament
The excitement was not limited to the first level, but extended to the other levels, which witnessed a great deal of balance:
- Level Two: Its groups included teams such as Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, and Austria, promising strong matches for promotion to the top league.
- Level Three: It included teams seeking to prove themselves, such as Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Northern Ireland.
- Level Four: included teams such as Andorra, Liechtenstein, and Azerbaijan.
Tournament format and dates of crucial matches
The group stage competitions are scheduled to take place between September and November 2026. The teams will play six home-and-away matches, with the top two teams from each group in League A qualifying for the knockout stage.
The quarter-final matches will be held between March 25 and 30, 2027, while the final rounds (semi-finals and final) are scheduled to take place between June 9 and 13, 2027, when the champion of the fifth edition will be crowned.
The strategic importance of the tournament: The road to Euro 2028
This edition of the UEFA Nations League takes on added significance, as its results are directly linked to qualification for the next European Championship (Euro 2028), which will be hosted by the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The tournament offers a second chance, via the play-offs, to teams that might falter in the traditional qualifiers, thus intensifying the competition and everyone's desire to achieve positive results.
The record of heroes and modern history
This edition comes as a continuation of the tournament's relatively recent history, as the Portuguese national team previously won the title in the 2019 and 2025 editions, while France won the 2021 title, and Spain won the 2023 title. The major teams are seeking to add this continental title to their trophy cabinet, especially in light of the great development that the tournament has witnessed in terms of technical level and financial prizes.
