UEFA overhauls European qualifiers and Nations League after 2028 Euro

UEFA has announced a major overhaul of its national team competition formats, set to take effect after the 2028 European Championship. The changes will introduce a new, two-league structure for qualifying tournaments and restructure the Nations League, aiming to increase competitive balance and fan interest.

The new qualifying format, described as a "Champions League-style" system, will split European nations into two leagues based on their Nations League performance. League 1 will consist of the 36 highest-ranked teams, divided into three groups of 12. Each team will play six matches—home or away—against six different opponents drawn from three seeding pots. The winners of each League 1 group will qualify automatically for major tournaments, with the remaining qualification spots decided through playoffs involving teams from both leagues. League 2 will contain the remaining nations, drawn into groups of six or seven.

A key consequence of this structure is that Europe's traditional football powers will no longer face the continent's smallest nations in qualifying, a move designed to prevent lopsided matches. Officials cited recent results like France's 14-0 victory over...