The final standings in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League groups have now been confirmed, and attention will now begin to switch to the knockout stage and playoff formats of the competition.
A total of 30 European nations will participate across the knockout stage and playoff formats. Some of whom - including holders Spain - will be vying for the top prize, while others will either be pushing for promotion or fighting for survival.
Here, Sports Mole rounds up everything you need to know about the UEFA Nations League knockout stage and playoff draws.
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When did the knockout stage and playoff draws take place?
The 2024-25 UEFA Nations League knockout stage and playoff draws took place on midday CET (11am GMT) on Friday, November 22 at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
What draws have taken place?
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A total of four different draws have taken place:
League A knockout stage: This draw has determined the four quarter-final ties between the League A group winners and runners-up, as well as four semi-finals ties.
League A/B playoffs: This draw has determined the four promotion/relegation playoff ties between the nations that finished third in groups from League A and the runners-up from groups in League B.
League B/C playoffs: This draw has determined the four promotion/relegation playoff ties between the nations that finished third in groups from League B and the runners-up from groups in League C.
League C/D playoffs: This draw has determined the two playoff ties between the two best-ranked fourth-placed nations from groups in League C and the two runners-up from the two groups in League D.
How does the knockout stage and playoffs work?
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League A knockout stage:
In previous years, only the four group winners in League A progressed to the knockout stage and competed in the semi-finals. However, the knockout stage for the 2024-25 tournament has been expanded from four nations to eight, meaning two-legged quarter-finals ties will now be played.
The four group winners in League A were seeded and placed in Pot 1, while the four runners-up were placed in Pot 2 and were drawn out first. The only restriction during this draw was that group winners could not be drawn against the runner-up they already faced during the league phase.
Four placeholders that represented the quarter-final winners were then drawn out in the semi-final draw.
League A/B playoffs:
The four third-placed nations in groups from League A were seeded and placed in Pot 1, while the four runners-up from groups in League B were placed in Pot 2. Nations from Pot 2 were drawn out first, with the seeded Pot 1 nations drawn out next to complete each playoff tie.
Each Pot 1 nation will play away in the first legs and then at home in the second legs.
If a current League A nation wins their playoff tie, they will remain in League A and their opponent will remain in League B. However, if a current League A nation loses their playoff tie, they will be relegated and their opponent from League B will subsequently secure promotion.
League B/C playoffs:
The four third-placed nations in groups from League B were seeded and placed in Pot 1, while the four runners-up from groups in League C were placed in Pot 2. Nations from Pot 2 were drawn out first, with the seeded Pot 1 nations drawn out next to complete each playoff tie.
Each Pot 1 nation will play away in the first legs and then at home in the second legs.
If a current League B nation wins their playoff tie, they will remain in League B and their opponent will remain in League C. However, if a current League B nation loses their playoff tie, they will be relegated and their opponent from League C will subsequently secure promotion.
League C/D playoffs:
The two best-ranked fourth-placed nations from groups in League C were seeded and placed in Pot 1, while the two runners-up from the two groups in League D were placed in Pot 2. Nations from Pot 2 were drawn out first, with the seeded Pot 1 nations drawn out next to complete the two playoff tie.
The two Pot 1 nations will play away in the first legs and then at home in the second legs.
If a current League C nation wins their playoff tie, they will remain in League C and their opponent will remain in League D. However, if a current League C nation loses their playoff tie, they will be relegated and their opponent from League D will subsequently secure promotion.
Which nations will not be involved? Who has been promoted and relegated?
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The nations who have finished top of Groups B, C and D all secured automatic promotion and will therefore not be competing in the playoffs. They are:
Promoted to League A: Czech Republic, England, Norway and Wales.
Promoted to League B: North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Sweden and Romania or Kosovo.
Promoted to League C: Moldova and San Marino.
The nations who finish bottom of groups in League A and League B have been relegated to League B and League C respectively, while two nations who finish bottom in League C with the worst records have been relegated to League D. They are:
Relegated to League B: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Israel, Poland and Switzerland.
Relegated to League C: Albania, Finland, Kazakhstan and Montenegro.
Relegated to League D: Azerbaijan and Lithuania
Which nations will compete in the knockout stage and playoffs?
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League A knockout stage qualifiers:
Portugal – Group 1 winners
France – Group 2 winners
Germany – Group 3 winners
Spain – Group 4 winners
Croatia – Group 1 runners-up
Italy – Group 2 runners-up
Netherlands – Group 3 runners-up
Denmark – Group 4 runners-up
League A/B playoff qualifiers:
Scotland – Finished third in League A Group 1
Belgium – Finished third in League A Group 2
Hungary – Finished third in League A Group 3
Serbia – Finished third in League A Group 4
Ukraine – League B Group 1 runners-up
Greece – League B Group 2 runners-up
Austria – League B Group 3 runners-up
Turkey – League B Group 4 runners-up
League B/C playoff qualifiers:
Georgia – Finished third in League B Group 1
Republic of Ireland – Finished third in League B Group 2
Slovenia – Finished third in League B Group 3
Iceland – Finished third in League B Group 4
Slovakia – League C Group 1 runners-up
Romania / Kosovo – League C Group 2 runners-up
Bulgaria – League C Group 3 runners-up
Armenia – League C Group 4 runners-up
League C/D playoff qualifiers:
Estonia – Finished third in League C Group 1
Cyprus – Finished third in League C Group 2
Belarus – Finished third in League C Group 3
Faroe Islands – Finished third in League C Group 4
Gibraltar – League D Group 1 runners-up
Malta – League D Group 2 runners-up
UEFA Nations League knockout stage and playoff draw confirmed:
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League A quarter-finals:
Quarter-final 1: Netherlands vs. Spain
Quarter-final 2: Croatia vs. France
Quarter-final 3: Denmark vs. Portugal
Quarter-final 4: Italy vs. Germany
Semi-final 1: Winner of QF4 vs. Winner of QF3
Semi-final 2: Winner of QF1 vs. Winner of QF2
League A/B playoffs:
Turkey vs. Hungary
Ukraine vs. Belgium
Austria vs. Serbia
Greece vs. Scotland
League B/C playoffs:
Kosovo vs. Iceland
Bulgaria vs. Republic of Ireland
Armenia vs. Georgia
Slovakia vs. Slovenia
League C/D playoffs:
Gibraltar vs. Latvia
Malta vs. Luxembourg
When will the knockout stage and playoff matches take place?
The League A quarter-finals, League A/B playoffs and League B/C playoffs are scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 20 and Sunday, March 23, 2025.
The League A semi-finals will take place on Wednesday, June 4 and Thursday, June 5, 2025 while the third-place playoff and final will follow on Sunday, June 8.
The League C/D playoffs are scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 26 and Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
Oliver Thomas
