20.05.2026 23:10
UEFA announced after the meeting in Istanbul that a new format will be adopted for national team tournaments and qualifying format starting from the 2028/29 season.
UEFA has announced that a new format will be implemented for national team tournaments and the qualification format as of the 2028/29 season.
NEW FORMAT FOR NATIONAL TEAM TOURNAMENTS
In a statement from UEFA, it was stated that the UEFA Executive Committee, meeting in Istanbul, decided to transition from the current four-league system to a three-league system with 18 teams in the Nations League. In the new format, each league will consist of three groups of six teams, and each team will play six matches against five different opponents (one opponent both home and away).
The statement also said, "With 55 teams participating, there will be a group of 7 teams in League C, and the schedule for this group will start one period earlier. There will be no changes for the quarter-finals, final four, league promotion and relegation play-offs."
In the UEFA statement, it was conveyed that the final adjustments to the new format will be made in the coming months, and the detailed format will be submitted for final approval at the board meeting in September.
CHANGES IN QUALIFICATIONS
In the statement from UEFA, it was emphasized that the European qualifiers for the World Cup and European Championship will also have a tiered structure consisting of two leagues. It was noted that League 1 will consist of 36 teams, while League 2 will consist of the remaining 18 or 19 teams.
Each team in this league will play six home or away matches against six different opponents, with two matches per pot, similar to the format of UEFA club competitions. League 2 will be divided into three groups of 6 and 7 teams, exactly like League C, and each team will again play a total of 6 matches.
IBRAHIM HACIOSMANOGLU ALSO ATTENDED
The UEFA Board Meeting was held in Istanbul. According to a statement from the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), the meeting hosted by Istanbul took place at a hotel in Besiktas.
Chaired by Aleksander Ceferin, the meeting was also attended by presidents and senior executives of UEFA's member national associations. Representing the TFF, President Ibrahim Ethem Haciosmanoglu and General Secretary Abdullah Ayaz participated in the meeting. UEFA President Ceferin presented a plaque to TFF President Haciosmanoglu prior to the meeting.
During the meeting, where important topics on European football's agenda were discussed, the current UEFA men's national team competition formats were comprehensively reviewed. Following consultations with representatives of national associations, it was decided that the new competition formats would be implemented after the 2028 European Football Championship (EURO 2028).
The new formats will be submitted for final approval at the UEFA Board Meeting in September after evaluations to be conducted over the next few months. If approved, they will be presented to the public in full detail following the meeting.
STATEMENT FROM CEFERIN
Commenting on the matter, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said, "The new formats will increase competitive balance, reduce the number of stagnant and unexciting matches, offer fans a more appealing and dynamic organization, provide all teams with a fair opportunity to compete, and will be implemented without adding any extra dates to the international match calendar. Overall, these changes will enhance the value of UEFA men's national team competitions. We look forward with great excitement to the implementation of the new competition formats."
The next UEFA Board meeting will be held on September 15, 2026, in Thessaloniki, Greece.