Ireland fans: Your Nations League confusion days are over

IT’S the question on every Ireland fan’s lips as the international break continues: What the hell is the Nations League?

While football lovers have eagerly tuned in to watch glamour clashes including top European teams like France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Portugal, the Nations League remains a puzzle. When Irish fans gave the English national anthem the bird at the Aviva before their 0-2 loss on Saturday, they fully understood the ancient enmity behind the booing, but precious few of them knew what their team was even there for.

But enough’s enough. As Ireland prepare to take on Greece in Dublin on Tuesday night in their second game of the Nations League, it’s time for supporters to know what’s at stake. And as new boss Heimir Hallgrímsson attempts to put the weekend disappointment behind him with a decent performance against a solid Greek outfit 20 places above Ireland in the Uefa rankings, here's your chance to find out why you'll be cheering. Or booing. 

 
The Nations League: Why?

Who knows, really? It’s bloody Uefa. 

What we can say is that the project was first mooted back in 2014 as a third tournament for Uefa member countries alongside the World Cup and the Euros. Uefa officials have advanced a number of reasons for the Nations League, the most frequently cited being as a replacement for the much-derided international friendlies. That's probably the one we'll have to settle for, as the full-cap Uefa-endorsed friendlies have gone and the early Nations League games took place on dates previously set aside for them. Uefa have also claimed that the tournament is aimed at giving “less glamorous teams” a financial leg-up. Believe that and I've an Oasis ticket to sell you. 

4

PARABENS! Portugal celebrate after becoming the inaugural Nations League champions in June 2019

So what’s the craic?

The first Nations League (2018/2019) culminated in a June 2019 final victory for Portugal over the Netherlands (France won the next, Spain are the holders). But since the format has been considerably tweaked since then, we’ll concern ourselves only with what’s going on right now. So…

•The 55 Uefa member nations are split into four leagues – A, B, C, D – according to their previous form (A being the top teams, D being the lesser teams). 

• The A, B and C leagues are sub-divided into four groups (mini-leagues) of four teams; the minnows' D league has just two groups of three.

 
What happens then?

• Each country plays a home and away match against the other teams in their group.

• Only teams from the A league can win the Nations League. Teams in leagues B, C and D are simply engaged in a battle to get to the A league via promotion. And of course teams are also relegated.

• The top two teams from the four groups in the A league progress to the March 2025 quarter finals, which are played on a home-away basis.

• The four victorious quarter final teams will advance to the June 2025 Nations League Finals from which a winner will emerge.

4

HOLDERS: Nations League champions Spain also won the Euros this year and are the team to beat

 
Is that it?

Not quite. Let’s see if we can complete your understanding (perhaps read this final bit a tad slower). 

• The fourth-placed teams in the league A and B groups are relegated, while the two worst-performing teams from league C groups are relegated.

• Winners of the groups in leagues B, C and D are promoted.

• The teams ranked third in league A groups play the runners-up in league B groups on a home-away basis to decide promotion/relegation. Ditto for groups B and C.

• The two best-performing league C relegation place teams get a second chance with a promotion/relegation home-away play-off against the two league D runners-up.
 
Phew! Bet you're glad that’s over. All that remains is a quick explainer of where Ireland are at present…

They’re in League B, Group B2 with England, Greece and Finland (England managed to get relegated from the top tier last time around). Ireland are sitting in third place after that England defeat, ahead of Finland on goal difference (the Finns were beaten 3-0 away to Greece). None of these teams, remember, can win the Nations League, or even qualify for next year’s Finals. They’re simply toiling to get into Group A – and stay out of Group C.

4

SICKENER: Former Irish international Declan Rice scored the opener against Ireland to silence the Aviva crowd

Oh, and before you go, the eight Nations League quarter-finalists will be guaranteed a spot in the much-expanded World Cup 2026 Finals in the US, Canada and Mexico. They’re nailed-on to qualify anyway, but a guaranteed spot is a little insurance. 

The four best-performing teams who don’t make the Nations League quarter-finals will also be granted World Cup qualification. 

Anybody betting on Ireland for one of those? No?

You're not a bad judge.