UEFA has additionally changed the format of the League of Nations. No modifications are proposed for the European finals, which can nonetheless have 24 groups.
A brand new format for males’s nationwide staff competitions has been accepted to return into power in September 2024, UEFA introduced following a gathering of the organisation’s government committee in Nyon, Switzerland.
The intention of the modifications to the League of Nations and qualification for the European and World Championships is to “present extra enticing and thrilling competitions at current dates, in addition to to strengthen the sources of nationwide federations and guarantee a steady restoration from the influence of the pandemic”, reads the UEFA web site.
The League of Nations will probably be expanded with a brand new knockout stage to be performed in March, creating continuity between the group stage which ends in November and the closing stage which is performed in June.
The winners and runners-up of League A gaggle will take part in the quarter-finals with residence and away video games and the winners of those qualifiers will qualify for the closing 4 (closing stage).
Third-placed in League A and second-placed in League B, third-placed in League B and second-placed in League C play a house and away promotion/relegation play-off.
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 out there for the begin of the European qualifiers.
The new format of European qualification for the European Championship or FIFA World Cup will probably be extra consolidated, with groups drawn in 12 teams of 4 and 5 groups, “thus revitalizing the competitors and making it much less predictable and extra dynamic”, UEFA famous. . .
By sustaining the conventional home-and-away video games and ‘all people performs all people’ rules, 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 taking part in the quarter-finals of the Nations League or the promotion/relegation matches of the identical competitors.
The groups drawn in 4 teams start their respective campaigns in September.
“The group winners of the European qualifiers will qualify instantly for the Euros or the FIFA World Cup, whereas the runners-up will qualify instantly or take part in play-offs (together with groups from the League of Nations) to qualify for the Nations European Championship,” he says.
No modifications are proposed for the European finals, which can nonetheless have 24 groups.
According to the entity led by Alexander Seferin, the modifications, which will probably be carried out after Euro’2024, will end in “extra enticing video games with none enhance in the complete variety of video games”.
“The introduction of the UEFA Nations League was a hit, extra aggressive matches had been performed as a substitute of friendlies. Now, with the begin of the new knockout rounds, groups may have extra alternatives to develop with the identical variety of video games in the worldwide calendar. Games”, harassed the president of UEFA.
According to the official, “The prediction of European qualification has additionally been addressed and handled, with a brand new format that may give all groups an equal likelihood to qualify for main tournaments. The new format guarantees to deliver extra pleasure to nationwide staff competitions. Football in Europe, which is more and more rising.”
At right this moment’s assembly, the Executive Committee additionally 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 will probably be performed in eight venues in eight completely different cities throughout the nation in the summer time of 2025.
At the identical time, following the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic and the present common state of affairs throughout Europe, together with the removing of earlier measures in most home competitions, the UEFA Executive Committee has determined to shut the utility of the UEFA Protocol Return. play
“In line with the cancellation of the protocol, it was determined to now not current the annexes associated to the particular guidelines relevant resulting from Covid-19, which had been included in the UEFA competitors guidelines, as these guidelines had been linked to their utility. Protocol”, UEFA underlined.
Nevertheless, the group assured that it’s going to “proceed to intently monitor the evolution of the epidemic and, in the occasion of a big change in the state of affairs, suggest applicable measures to ensure the security of all events and to proceed easily. Its competitors, if essential, will resume any associated obligations and sanitary measures.” together with implementing
The rules for the 2023-25 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and the rules for the 2023-25 UEFA European Women’s Championship had been additionally accepted.
The subsequent UEFA Executive Committee assembly will probably be held on 4 April 2023, the day earlier than the forty seventh General UEFA Congress in Lisbon.
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