2026–27 UEFA Nations League B

2026–27 UEFA Nations League B
Tournament details
Dates24 September – 17 November 2026
Teams16
2028–29 →

The 2026–27 UEFA Nations League B is the second division of the 2026–27 edition of the UEFA Nations League, the fifth season of the international football competition involving the men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA.

Format

League B consists of 16 UEFA members ranked from 17–32 in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League final overall ranking, split into four groups of four. Each team will play six matches within their group, using the home-and-away round-robin format on matchdays in September, October and November 2026.[1] The winners of each group will be promoted to the 2028–29 UEFA Nations League A, and the fourth-placed team of each group will be relegated to the 2028–29 UEFA Nations League C. In addition, the second-placed and third-placed teams of each group will advance to the promotion/relegation play-offs, played home-and-away over two legs. The League B second-placed teams will participate in promotion play-offs against the third-placed teams from League A, while the League B third-placed teams will participate in relegation play-offs against the second-placed teams from League C, both taking place in March 2027. In the play-offs, teams from the higher leagues will host the second leg, with the winners of each tie participating in the higher league for the next Nations League season, while the losers will enter the lower league.[2]

Teams

League B includes sixteen teams based on the results of the 2024–25 season: the four group fourth-placed teams from League A, the four losers of the League A/B play-offs, the four group winners from League C and the four winners of the League B/C play-offs.

Team changes

The following were the team changes in League B from the 2024–25 season:[3][4]

Incoming
Relegated from
Nations League A 		Promoted from
Nations League C
Outgoing
Promoted to
Nations League A 		Relegated to
Nations League C

Seeding

The teams were seeded for the league phase based on the 2024–25 Nations League final overall ranking, considering promotion and relegation between the leagues.[5][6]

Pot 1
Team Rank
 Scotland 17
 Hungary 18
 Poland 19
 Israel 20
Pot 2
Team Rank
  Switzerland 21
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 22
 Austria 23
 Ukraine 24
Pot 3
Team Rank
 Slovenia 25
 Georgia 26
 Republic of Ireland 27
 Romania 28
Pot 4
Team Rank
 Sweden 29
 North Macedonia 30
 Northern Ireland 31
 Kosovo 32

The draw for the league phase took place in Brussels, Belgium, on 12 February 2026, 18:00 CET.[7][8] Groups were drawn to contain one team from each pot. For political reasons, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Kosovo was considered a prohibited clash, and thus those teams were unable to be drawn into the same group.[9]

Groups

The fixture list was confirmed by UEFA on 13 February 2026, the day following the draw.[10][11]

Times are CET/CEST,[note 1] as listed by UEFA (local times, if different, are in parentheses).

Group 1

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation Scotland Switzerland Slovenia North Macedonia
1  Scotland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Promotion to League A — 29 Sep 6 Oct 13 Nov
2   Switzerland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for promotion play-offs 16 Nov — 3 Oct 6 Oct
3  Slovenia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for relegation play-offs 26 Sep 13 Nov — 29 Sep
4  North Macedonia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation to League C 3 Oct 26 Sep 16 Nov —
First match(es) will be played: 26 September 2026. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Slovenia v Scotland
Report
North Macedonia v  Switzerland
Report
Scotland v  Switzerland
Report
Slovenia v North Macedonia
Report
North Macedonia v Scotland
Report
Switzerland v Slovenia
Report
Scotland v Slovenia
Report
Switzerland v North Macedonia
Report
Scotland v North Macedonia
Report
Slovenia v  Switzerland
Report
North Macedonia v Slovenia
Report
Switzerland v Scotland
Report

Group 2

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation Hungary Ukraine Georgia (country) Northern Ireland
1  Hungary 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Promotion to League A — 25 Sep 2 Oct 17 Nov
2  Ukraine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for promotion play-offs 5 Oct — 17 Nov 2 Oct
3  Georgia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for relegation play-offs 14 Nov 28 Sep — 25 Sep
4  Northern Ireland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation to League C 28 Sep 14 Nov 5 Oct —
First match(es) will be played: 25 September 2026. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Georgia v Northern Ireland
Report
Hungary v Ukraine
Report
Georgia v Ukraine
Report
Northern Ireland v Hungary
Report
Hungary v Georgia
Report
Ukraine v Northern Ireland
Report
Northern Ireland v Georgia
Report
Ukraine v Hungary
Report
Georgia v Hungary
Report
Northern Ireland v Ukraine
Report
Hungary v Northern Ireland
Report
Ukraine v Georgia
Report

Group 3

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation Israel Austria Republic of Ireland Kosovo
1  Israel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Promotion to League A — 17 Nov 27 Sep 1 Oct
2  Austria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for promotion play-offs 24 Sep — 14 Nov 27 Sep
3  Republic of Ireland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for relegation play-offs 4 Oct 1 Oct — 17 Nov
4  Kosovo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation to League C 14 Nov 4 Oct 24 Sep —
First match(es) will be played: 24 September 2026. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Austria v Israel
Report
Kosovo v Republic of Ireland
Report
Austria v Kosovo
Report
Israel v Republic of Ireland
Report
Israel v Kosovo
Report
Republic of Ireland v Austria
Report
Kosovo v Austria
Report
Republic of Ireland v Israel
Report
Kosovo v Israel
Report
Austria v Republic of Ireland
Report
Israel v Austria
Report
Republic of Ireland v Kosovo
Report

Group 4

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation Poland Bosnia and Herzegovina Romania Sweden
1  Poland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Promotion to League A — 25 Sep 2 Oct 17 Nov
2  Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for promotion play-offs 5 Oct — 17 Nov 2 Oct
3  Romania 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for relegation play-offs 14 Nov 28 Sep — 5 Oct
4  Sweden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation to League C 28 Sep 14 Nov 25 Sep —
First match(es) will be played: 25 September 2026. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Poland v Bosnia and Herzegovina
Report
Sweden v Romania
Report
Romania v Bosnia and Herzegovina
Report
Sweden v Poland
Report
Bosnia and Herzegovina v Sweden
Report
Poland v Romania
Report
Bosnia and Herzegovina v Poland
Report
Romania v Sweden
Report
Romania v Poland
Report
Sweden v Bosnia and Herzegovina
Report
Bosnia and Herzegovina v Romania
Report
Poland v Sweden
Report

Overall ranking

Following the league phase, the 16 League B teams will be ordered 17th to 32nd in an interim overall ranking for the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League according to the following rules:[2]

  • The teams finishing first in the groups will be ranked 17th to 20th according to the results of the league phase.
  • The teams finishing second in the groups will be ranked 21st to 24th according to the results of the league phase.
  • The teams finishing third in the groups will be ranked 25th to 28th according to the results of the league phase.
  • The teams finishing fourth in the groups will be ranked 29th to 32nd according to the results of the league phase.
Rnk Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
17 1st-ranked group winner 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 2nd-ranked group winner 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19 3rd-ranked group winner 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20 4th-ranked group winner 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
21 1st-ranked group runner-up 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 2nd-ranked group runner-up 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 3rd-ranked group runner-up 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
24 4th-ranked group runner-up 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
25 1st-ranked group 3rd place 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
26 2nd-ranked group 3rd place 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
27 3rd-ranked group 3rd place 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
28 4th-ranked group 3rd place 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
29 1st-ranked group 4th place 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
30 2nd-ranked group 4th place 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
31 3rd-ranked group 4th place 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
32 4th-ranked group 4th place 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 24 September 2026. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Ranking criteria

A final overall ranking will also be compiled, though this is only used to rank teams within their new leagues for the following edition of the competition.[2]

Notes

  1. ^ CEST (UTC+2) for matchdays 1–4 (September and October 2026), CET (UTC+1) for matchdays 5–6 (November 2026).
  2. ^ a b c Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine are required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.[12]
  3. ^ a b c Due to the Gaza war, Israel are required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.[13]
  4. ^ a b The prospect of playing Israel is very controversial in the Republic of Ireland due to Israeli war crimes in the Gaza war and the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict, many calling for the games to be boycotted. In 2025, the Football Association of Ireland voted in favour of suspending the Israel Football Association from club and international competitions, but said on 12 February 2026 that they would play against Israel.[14] Taoiseach (prime minister) Micheál Martin said the games should go ahead;[15] it has been suggested to move the Irish home game to a neutral venue.[16]

References

  1. ^ "2026/27 UEFA Nations League: All you need to know". UEFA. 9 February 2026. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b c "Regulations of the UEFA Nations League 2026/27". UEFA. December 2025. Archived from the original on 11 February 2026. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  3. ^ "Nations League final standings: Who made the quarter-finals? Who's been promoted? Who's been relegated? Who's in the play-offs?". UEFA. 22 November 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  4. ^ "Nations League play-offs: Results, promotion and relegation". UEFA. 23 March 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  5. ^ "Final overall rankings of the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 (updated following the UNL finals 2025)" (PDF). UEFA. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  6. ^ "UEFA Nations League 2026/27 – League phase draw and fixture list procedures". UEFA Circular Letter. No. 03/2026. UEFA. 23 January 2026. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  7. ^ "League phase draw". UEFA. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Draw for the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League". UEFA. 11 February 2026. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  9. ^ "League phase draw procedure" (PDF). UEFA. 12 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  10. ^ "2026/27 UEFA Nations League: All the league phase fixtures". UEFA. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  11. ^ "2026/27 UEFA Nations League: League phase fixture list per matchday" (PDF). UEFA. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  12. ^ "Decisions from today's extraordinary UEFA Executive Committee meeting". UEFA. Union of European Football Associations. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  13. ^ "European Qualifier match between Belgium and Sweden declared abandoned with half-time result confirmed as final". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  14. ^ Brussels, Gavin Cummiskey in. "'It's not my decision if you play or not', says Hallgrímsson after Ireland draw Israel in Nations League". The Irish Times.
  15. ^ "Ireland match against Israel should go ahead, Taoiseach says". BreakingNews. 13 February 2026.
  16. ^ Fallon, John (13 February 2026). "Ireland's home game against Israel likely to be moved abroad". Irish Examiner.
allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026%E2%80%9327_UEFA_Nations_League_B