The final groupings for the Nations League 2020-21
League A
Group A1: Netherlands, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland
Group A2: England, Belgium, Denmark, Iceland
Group A3: Portugal, France, Sweden, Croatia
Group A4: Switzerland, Spain, Ukraine, Germany
League B
Group B1: Austria, Norway, Northern Ireland, Romania
Group B2: Czech Republic, Scotland, Slovakia, Israel
Group B3: Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Hungary
Group B4: Wales, Finland, Rep of Ireland, Bulgaria
League C
Group C1: Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Montenegro
Group C2: Armenia, Estonia, North Macedonia, Georgia
Group C3: Moldova, Slovenia, Kosovo, Greece
Group C4: Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Belarus, Albania
League D
Group D1: Malta, Andorra, Latvia, Faroe Islands
Group D2: San Marino, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar
I’ve had an email with reaction to the draw for Group C2:
“Pinto isn’t wrong! An Armenia v Georgia international derby is something to look forward to (or is it?),” writes Charles Walmsley. I’ll be glued to it, Charles. I’m going to wrap this blog up by posting the final groupings above. I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have.
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And with that, Luis Figo concludes the draw.
So England will get the chance to give this commentator some more to say when they face Iceland in Group A2.
Switzerland complete Group A4!
Switzerland
Spain
Ukraine
Germany
Luis Figo’s Portugal, the reigning champions, complete Group A3!
Portugal
France
Sweden
Croatia
Updated
England complete Group A2!
England
Belgium
Denmark
Iceland
Group A1 is completed!
Netherlands
Italy
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Poland
Italy join Bosnia and Herzegovina and Poland in Group A1.
Belgium join Denmark and Iceland in Group A2.
France cosy up with Sweden and Croatia in Group A3.
Spain join Ukraine and Germany in Group A4 (Whoof!)
Bosnia and Herzegovina join Poland in Group A1.
Denmark bring a cool Nordic feel to Group A2, where they join Iceland.
Sweden wedge themselves in alongside Croatia in Group A3.
And Ukraine join Germany in Group A4.
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Poor Luis Figo can’t open the first ball! Get David Seaman on! Eventually he summons the strength.
Poland are first out in Group A1.
Iceland are in Group A2.
Croatia are in Group A3.
Germany are in Group A4.
This is fast paced, seat-of-your-pants football admin. We hurry on to League A – and it’s a stellar name for the big boys. It’s Luis Figo! Poor David Seaman. A fourth division ball-plucker.
League A
Pot 1: Portugal, Netherlands, England, Switzerland
Pot 2: Belgium, France, Spain, Italy
Pot 3: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, Denmark, Sweden
Pot 4: Croatia, Poland, Germany, Iceland
Updated
Group B4 is completed – and Wales will face Republic of Ireland!
Wales
Finland
Rep of Ireland
Bulgaria
Group B3 is completed – and it looks tasty!
Russia
Serbia
Turkey
Hungary
Group B2 is completed!
Czech Republic
Scotland
Slovakia
Israel
Group B1 is completed!
Austria
Norway
Northern Ireland
Romania
Updated
It’s Norway, Northern Ireland and Romania in Group B1.
Scotland join Slovakia and Israel (their Euro 2020 play-off rivals) in Group B2.
Serbia are drawn with Turkey and Hungary in Group B3.
Up and coming Finland are grouped with Rep of Ireland and Bulgaria in Group B4.
Northern Ireland join Romania in Group B1.
Slovakia are in with Israel in Group B2.
Turkey cosy up with Hungary in Group B3.
Republic of Ireland join Bulgaria in Group B4.
Romania are first out of the pot for Group B1.
Israel are first out of the pot for Group B2.
Hungary kick Group B3 off.
And Bulgaria are first out in Group B4.
Rafael van der Vaart is going to do the ball-plucking for Group 2. I suppose it redresses the north London bias.
Group B pots
Pot 1: Russia, Austria, Wales, Czech Republic
Pot 2: Scotland, Norway, Serbia, Finland
Pot 3: Slovakia, Turkey, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland
Pot 4: Bulgaria, Israel, Hungary, Romania
Pedro Pinto says there’s some tasty ties to look forward to in Group C. He’s so droll.
Group C4 is completed!
Kazakhstan
Lithuania
Belarus
Albania
Group C3 is completed!
Moldova
Slovenia
Kosovo
Greece
Group C2 is completed!
Armenia
Estonia
North Macedonia
Georgia
Group C1 is completed!
Azerbaijan
Luxembourg
Cyprus
Montenegro
Belarus join Lithuania and Kazakhstan in Group C 4.
Moldova join Slovenia and Moldova in Group C3.
Enjoying yourself? Good. Cyprus are in with Luxembourg and Azerbaijan in Group C1.
Lithuania join Kazakhstan in Group C4.
Slovenia cosy up with Moldova in Group C3.
Estonia join Armenia in Group C2.
Luxembourg join Azerbaijan in Group C1.
Kazakhstan are in Group C4.
Moldova get the honours of kicking off Group C3.
Armenia are in Group C2.
Azerbaijan are plucked out and will be in Group C 1.
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It’s an Arsenal love-in! Philippe Senderos is going to pluck the balls out for League C.
Here are the pots:
League C
Pot 1: Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Georgia
Pot 2: North Macedonia, Kosovo, Belarus, Cyprus
Pot 3: Estonia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Luxembourg
Pot 4: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Moldova
Updated
So that’s the draw for League D completed. Are you still with me? Great. Never doubted you.
San Marino complete Group D 2:
San Marino
Liechtenstein
Gibraltar
Faroe Islands complete Group D 1:
Latvia
Andorra
Malta
Faroe Islands
Liechtenstein are drawn with San Marino in Group D 2.
Andorra are drawn with Malta and Latvia in Group D 1.
San Marino are in Group D 2.
The first team drawn out is Malta. They are in Group D 1.
OK, it’s finally tombola time! We start with League D.
Pot 1: Gibraltar, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Liechtenstein
Pot 2: Andorra, Malta, San Marino
See, you’ve read The Fiver already haven’t you? Meanwhile, Uefa are still trying to explain the draw procedure. Just read my preamble again. It does half the job at least.
While we wait for Uefa deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti to trundle through the technical stuff, why not read The Fiver. I’ll bet you read it faster than he can explain the draw procedure.
We’re going to start with the draw for League D. They need a safe pair of hands to help pluck the balls out, so David Seaman has been invited on stage. Don’t let us down David!
Uefa’s slick presenter Pedro Pinto is on the stage. I once had to sit next to him for a Guardian video. He really does have stage presence. I was invisible. Maybe he’ll hurry things along. Meanwhile, here’s another handy video explainer:
@GreggBakowski It really is the QuizzleStick of International footballhttps://t.co/jHlr2pdVn4
— PKelly (@paulkellington) March 3, 2020
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It’s 5pm folks! But don’t expect the tombola to get under way immediately. Uefa suits do like an extended intro. They’re the King Crimson of football admin.
Preamble
Welcome to coverage of the draw for the 2020-21 edition of the Nations League! In case you have forgotten what it is all about, the Nations League is the competition which Uefa created in 2018 to make international matches more meaningful. Everybody thought it was a ridiculous idea at first (many still do). But there were actually some entertaining games, culminating with Portugal beating the Netherlands in the final last summer, and even Barney Ronay was a convert in the end. There have been a few tweaks to the format from the inaugural tournament. I’m not going to pretend I understand all the machinations because I’m not entirely sure Uefa itself does.
There are now four teams in each group in the top three divisions. The inaugural tournament provided four Euro 2020 places – these are still yet to be decided in the Euro 2020 play-offs this spring. This edition of the tournament does not guarantee Qatar World Cup 2022 places, but two teams could make it to Qatar from the 2020 Nations League because two of the 12 World Cup play-off places (for three spots) are available from this tournament. Still with me? Never mind.
Here’s my assistant Alan with a video explainer:
The main thing is that I will at least be able to tell you who will play who.
The pots for the draw
The 55 teams have been split into four leagues determined by their position in the Uefa National Team Coefficient Rankings (their performance in the last Nations League), so England (who made it to the final four in 2019) are in in pot one of League A with Portugal, Netherlands and Switzerland. They will face a team each from pot two, pot three and pot four in League A.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland could end up in the same group because they are all in different pots in League B. Any team can be drawn against any other team as there are deemed to be no political circumstances preventing this at the moment. Yes, apparently there’s not much going on politically at the moment. The group games will be played between September and November 2020. The finals will take place in summer 2021.
League A
Pot 1: Portugal, Netherlands, England, Switzerland
Pot 2: Belgium, France, Spain, Italy
Pot 3: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, Denmark, Sweden
Pot 4: Croatia, Poland, Germany, Iceland
League B
Pot 1: Russia, Austria, Wales, Czech Republic
Pot 2: Scotland, Norway, Serbia, Finland
Pot 3: Slovakia, Turkey, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland
Pot 4: Bulgaria, Israel, Hungary, Romania
League C
Pot 1: Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Georgia
Pot 2: North Macedonia, Kosovo, Belarus, Cyprus
Pot 3: Estonia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Luxembourg
Pot 4: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Moldova
League D
Pot 1: Gibraltar, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Liechtenstein
Pot 2: Andorra, Malta, San Marino
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