The new format for the males’s nationwide crew competitors, which is able to come into power in September 2024, was authorised on Wednesday, UEFA introduced after a gathering of the organisation’s government committee in Nyon, Switzerland. The goal of the modifications to the League of Nations and qualification for the European and World Championships is to “present extra engaging and thrilling competitions at present dates, in addition to to strengthen the assets of nationwide federations and guarantee a steady restoration from the influence of the pandemic”, reads the UEFA web site.
The League of Nations can be expanded with a new knockout stage to be performed in March, thus creating continuity between the group stage that ends in November and the last stage to be performed in June.
The winners and runners-up of Liga A gaggle will take part in the quarter-finals with dwelling and away video games, and the winners of these qualifiers will qualify for the ‘Final Four’ (last stage).
Third in League A and second in League B, in addition to third in League B and second in League C, play a home-and-away promotion/relegation playoff.
According to UEFA, the growth of the event in the March worldwide calendar window will cowl just a few groups and the relaxation will already be obtainable for the begin of the European qualifiers.
The new format of European qualification for the European Championship or FIFA World Cup can be extra consolidated, with groups drawn into 12 teams of 4 and 5 groups, “thus revitalizing the competitors and making it much less predictable and extra dynamic”, UEFA stated. .
By sustaining the conventional home-and-away video games and ‘all people performs all people’ ideas, the easier format “will present a extra aggressive group in any respect ranges”, he added.
The groups drawn in the 5 teams start qualifying matches in March or June, if they’re nonetheless collaborating in the quarter-finals of the Nations League or the promotion/relegation matches of the similar competitors.
The groups drawn in 4 teams start their respective campaigns in September.
“The group winners of the European qualifiers will qualify straight for the Euros or the FIFA World Cup, whereas the runners-up will qualify straight or take part in the ‘play-offs’ (together with groups from the League of Nations) of the European Championship,” he says.
No modifications are proposed for the European finals, which is able to nonetheless have 24 groups.
According to the entity led by Aleksander Ceferin, the modifications, which can be carried out after Euro2024, will lead to “extra engaging video games with none enhance in the whole quantity of video games”.
“The introduction of the UEFA Nations League was a hit, extra aggressive matches had been performed as an alternative of friendlies. Now, with the begin of the new knockout rounds, groups may have extra alternatives to develop with the similar quantity of video games in the worldwide calendar. Games”, careworn the president of UEFA.
According to the official, “The prediction of European qualification has additionally been addressed and handled, with a new format that may give all groups an equal probability to qualify for main tournaments. The new format guarantees to deliver extra pleasure to nationwide crew competitions. Football in Europe, which is more and more rising.”
At immediately’s assembly, the Executive Committee determined to appoint the Football Association of Slovakia (SFZ) to host the finals of the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship with 16 groups. The Games can be performed in eight venues in eight totally different cities throughout the nation in the summer time of 2025.
At the similar time, following the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic and the present basic state of affairs throughout Europe, the UEFA Executive Committee has determined to discontinue the software of the UEFA ‘Return Protocol’, together with the removing of earlier measures in most home competitions. ‘to play’.
“In line with the cancellation of the protocol, it was determined to not proceed the connection associated to the particular guidelines relevant on account of Covid-19, which had been included in the UEFA competitors guidelines, as these guidelines had been linked to the software. of the protocol”, UEFA underlined.
Nevertheless, the group assured that it’s going to “proceed to carefully monitor the evolution of the epidemic and, in the occasion of a major change in the state of affairs, suggest applicable measures to ensure the security of all events and to proceed easily. Its competitions, if mandatory, will re-study any related obligations and sanitary measures.” implement.”
The laws for the 2023-25 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and the laws for the 2023-25 UEFA European Women’s Championship had been additionally authorised.
The subsequent UEFA Executive Committee assembly can be held on 4 April 2023, the day earlier than the forty seventh General UEFA Congress in Lisbon.
.