EXPLAINING UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE
-= Abiodun Samuel Sonaike
Since the Uefa Nations League commenced, I have been inundated with questions as to what the League connotes, how it works and the essence of the league itself. In this article we will try within a short space to explain how the Uefa Nations League work and then do a small opinion on the propriety or otherwise of same.
What materialized today as the Uefa Nations League was a result of the 2013 decision made by the UEFA members to create another International competition apart from the FIFA World Cup and European Championships (Euro). The argument was that member nations engage in friendlies which “fail to deliver meaningful football” and that small soccer nations find it difficult to organize matches that could help grow soccer in their countries.
FORMAT
The 55 Uefa member nations were divided into four leagues A, B, C and D based on their ranking and results from recent matches and competitions prior to the groupings. Nations considered as the strongest or giants among member nations were placed in League A, those considered less stronger though strong were placed in League B while the weakest of the footballing member nations were placed in League D.
League A- France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Iceland, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Croatia, England and Spain
League B- Czech republic, Ukraine, Slovakia, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Republic of Ireland and Wales
League C- Scotland, Israel, Albania, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Estonia, Cyprus, Norway, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania, Montenegro and Serbia
League D- Georgia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Andorra, Luxembourg, Moldova, Belarus, San Marino, Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands, Kosovo, Malta, FYR Macedonia, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein and Armenia
In each League, teams are also divided into four groups of three or four teams each. The winners of each of the four groups in League A will qualify for the Semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League which will be hosted by Portugal in June 2019, while the teams which placed last in their groups will be relegated to League B. What does this mean? It means that the winners of each group from League B to League D will promote to a League higher than the one they are currently occupying while the teams that placed last in groups from League A to League C will relegate to a League lower than the one they are currently occupying.
This tournament will also serve as a route to determining at least four spots in the Euro 2020 UEFA Championship. How? 20 Nations would have qualified for the Championship through the regular Qualifiers. Then a spot would be given to each of the Leagues A, B, C and D. All the group winners except those who are already qualified (any group winner that has qualified will be replaced by the next team to them that has not qualified) will play each other in a Semifinals, final play off with the winner qualifying for the finals of the European Championship.
OPINION
Since this competitions started there have been praises as well as criticism of the Uefa Nations League from different quarters, even from those who never understood it. Obviously, praises or criticism most times are driven by personal biases towards the persons involved than the rationality involved but however, biases can also be presented to look logical and rational.
Many of the protractors of this League believes that Friendlies are meaningless and adds little or nothing to the development of football or the teams involved because players don’t take them serious but a competition mindset will virtually turn every International break to interesting one.
The other argument for this tournament was that it gives teams that would naturally not make it to the European Championships the opportunity of qualifying through the new playoff system, especially when at least a spot will go to League D where the weakest of Nations are placed.
Also the money made from the television rights in this tournament is plowed to develop football in respective member nations and this helps to generate funds for small and indigent member Nations.
However, there are also backlash at this tournament which many non-European nations see as largely unnecessary, a waste of time, energy and resources aimed at achieving nothing in particular.
Another criticism against the League is actually the fact that weak Nations are aided to qualify for European Championships thereby unjustly denying other countries that merits being at the tournament for a Nation that will most likely be at the said tournament to be the whipping boys of their group
Lastly, this tournament almost rob European Nations of the opportunity of organizing friendlies with teams from other Confederation and making it look like Uefa is existing in isolation from other Confederations
WHAT DO YOU ALSO THINK OF THE UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE?
Abiodun Samuel Sonaike is a Sport Lawyer, Sport and Social Analyst and an Administrator with Saveplaysports
DISCLAIMER: THE OPINION EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE IS EXCLUSIVELY THAT OF THE AUTHOR AND DOES NOT REPRESENT OUR OPINION AT SAVEPLAYSPORTS DEVELOPMENT AND MEDIA ENTERTAINMENT LTD. SAVEPLAYSPORTS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, FINES, INFRACTION OR ANY OTHER LIABILITY ARISING AS A RESULT OF THIS POST.
Since the Uefa Nations League commenced, I have been inundated with questions as to what the League connotes, how it works and the essence of the league itself. In this article we will try within a short space to explain how the Uefa Nations League work and then do a small opinion on the propriety or otherwise of same.
What materialized today as the Uefa Nations League was a result of the 2013 decision made by the UEFA members to create another International competition apart from the FIFA World Cup and European Championships (Euro). The argument was that member nations engage in friendlies which “fail to deliver meaningful football” and that small soccer nations find it difficult to organize matches that could help grow soccer in their countries.
FORMAT
The 55 Uefa member nations were divided into four leagues A, B, C and D based on their ranking and results from recent matches and competitions prior to the groupings. Nations considered as the strongest or giants among member nations were placed in League A, those considered less stronger though strong were placed in League B while the weakest of the footballing member nations were placed in League D.
League A- France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Iceland, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Croatia, England and Spain
League B- Czech republic, Ukraine, Slovakia, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Republic of Ireland and Wales
League C- Scotland, Israel, Albania, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Estonia, Cyprus, Norway, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania, Montenegro and Serbia
League D- Georgia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Andorra, Luxembourg, Moldova, Belarus, San Marino, Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands, Kosovo, Malta, FYR Macedonia, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein and Armenia
In each League, teams are also divided into four groups of three or four teams each. The winners of each of the four groups in League A will qualify for the Semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League which will be hosted by Portugal in June 2019, while the teams which placed last in their groups will be relegated to League B. What does this mean? It means that the winners of each group from League B to League D will promote to a League higher than the one they are currently occupying while the teams that placed last in groups from League A to League C will relegate to a League lower than the one they are currently occupying.
This tournament will also serve as a route to determining at least four spots in the Euro 2020 UEFA Championship. How? 20 Nations would have qualified for the Championship through the regular Qualifiers. Then a spot would be given to each of the Leagues A, B, C and D. All the group winners except those who are already qualified (any group winner that has qualified will be replaced by the next team to them that has not qualified) will play each other in a Semifinals, final play off with the winner qualifying for the finals of the European Championship.
OPINION
Since this competitions started there have been praises as well as criticism of the Uefa Nations League from different quarters, even from those who never understood it. Obviously, praises or criticism most times are driven by personal biases towards the persons involved than the rationality involved but however, biases can also be presented to look logical and rational.
Many of the protractors of this League believes that Friendlies are meaningless and adds little or nothing to the development of football or the teams involved because players don’t take them serious but a competition mindset will virtually turn every International break to interesting one.
The other argument for this tournament was that it gives teams that would naturally not make it to the European Championships the opportunity of qualifying through the new playoff system, especially when at least a spot will go to League D where the weakest of Nations are placed.
Also the money made from the television rights in this tournament is plowed to develop football in respective member nations and this helps to generate funds for small and indigent member Nations.
However, there are also backlash at this tournament which many non-European nations see as largely unnecessary, a waste of time, energy and resources aimed at achieving nothing in particular.
Another criticism against the League is actually the fact that weak Nations are aided to qualify for European Championships thereby unjustly denying other countries that merits being at the tournament for a Nation that will most likely be at the said tournament to be the whipping boys of their group
Lastly, this tournament almost rob European Nations of the opportunity of organizing friendlies with teams from other Confederation and making it look like Uefa is existing in isolation from other Confederations
WHAT DO YOU ALSO THINK OF THE UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE?
Abiodun Samuel Sonaike is a Sport Lawyer, Sport and Social Analyst and an Administrator with Saveplaysports
DISCLAIMER: THE OPINION EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE IS EXCLUSIVELY THAT OF THE AUTHOR AND DOES NOT REPRESENT OUR OPINION AT SAVEPLAYSPORTS DEVELOPMENT AND MEDIA ENTERTAINMENT LTD. SAVEPLAYSPORTS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, FINES, INFRACTION OR ANY OTHER LIABILITY ARISING AS A RESULT OF THIS POST.
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