The UEFA Executive Committee, which includes FRF President Răzvan Burleanu, met today, May 20, in Istanbul, and decided to implement a new format for European qualifiers starting after the UEFA EURO 2028 final tournament. The new structure, following an in-depth analysis of existing formats and extensive consultations with UEFA member associations, will significantly alter the current system.

Starting with the 2028/29 edition, the UEFA Nations League will transition from its current four-tier system to three leagues, each comprising 18 teams. Each league will consist of three groups of six teams, with each team playing six matches against five different opponents. The matches will take place either at home or away against teams from different urns, and home-and-away against teams from the same urn. Given the participation of 55 teams, League C will include a group of seven teams, whose calendar will start with an earlier international window. The quarter-finals, Final Four, and promotion/relegation play-off matches will complete the format, remaining unchanged.

Innovative Format Inspired by Romania’s Cup

The European qualifiers will also adopt a hierarchical structure:

  • Liga 1, comprising the 36 teams from Leagues A and B of the Nations League
  • Liga 2, comprising the remaining 18 (or 19) teams from the Nations League.

The new format for the European qualifiers for final tournaments (EURO and World Cup) proposes an innovative system, similar to the one already implemented in the group stage of Romania’s Betano Cup and European club competitions. Teams will no longer play matches against all formations in the group but will play a limited number of matches against predetermined opponents based on urns.

In Liga 1, there will be three groups of 12 teams, drawn from three urns of 12 teams each. Each team will play six matches (home or away) against six different opponents, with two from each urn, similar to the current format of UEFA club competitions. Liga 2 will proceed exactly like League C in the Nations League, with three groups of six teams (or one group of seven).

While host teams are qualified directly for the final tournament, they will participate in the European qualifiers with the objective of improving their position in the next edition of the UEFA Nations League. The top-ranked teams in each Liga 1 group will qualify directly, while the remaining spots will be allocated through a playoff system, ensuring fair qualification opportunities for teams from Liga 2.