UEFA Nations League 2020/2021
The UEFA Nations League 2020/2021 will be the second edition of this European national teams' competition. This tournament arrived to replace the friendly matches during FIFA dates. Likewise, it will be part of the qualifying process for the FIFA World Cup 2022. This competition had very well accepted in its first version in which the Portuguese team was its winner. In its second edition, it will have a new format.
UEFA Nations League New Format
There will be 55 national teams participating in this new edition distributed in four leagues. These leagues are arranged being the countries with the best UEFA ranking included in the League A. Leagues B, C, and D are formed by selections with lower rankings in decreasing order. Leagues A, B, and C will have four groups with four selections each for 16 teams per league. Meanwhile, the League D only will count with seven teams distributed in one four-group and another three-group.
There will be a group stage that will be disputed between September and November 2020. The final stage will then come, where four teams will fight for the title in June 2021. Besides, there will be playoffs to define which selections will descend from League C to League D in March 2022. Every team will play against its group rivals one match at home and another as visitor. The League A's four group winners will qualify for the finals in June 2021. This stage will have two semi-finals and one match for the third and fourth place, besides the final match. The Leagues B, C, and D winners will obtain the promotion. On the other hand, those ending last in each Leagues A and B's group will descend. Because League D only has two groups, there will be two playoffs in March 2022 to determine the two League C descending teams.
Does The UEFA Nations League Give Spots To The 2022 FIFA World Cup?
Europe will have thirteen places in the next Qatar 2022 World Cup. Ten of them will be for the first qualified from the ten groups of the FIFA qualifying stage. The other three places will surge from two eliminatory rounds among the ten second-best teams of each group. The two best UEFA Nations League group stage teams that don't get spots through the FIFA qualification will play these rounds.
Favorites To Win The UEFA Nations League 2020/2021
The teams most favored by the media and fans are France, England, and Belgium. France is presented as the greatest favorite. This selection is taking advantage of having one of the best generations in its history. Experienced players like Kanté, Griezmann, and Lloris coincide with young talents like Hernández, Pavard, and Mbappé. For their part, England will show us what could be their best team in recent times. Therefore, they are located in the second position among the favorites. This is the turn of Rashford, Sancho, Kane, Sterling, Alexander Arnold, and company, which is a fearsome squad.
Belgium completes the list of main favorites to win the UEFA Nations League 2020/2021. De Bruyne, Hazard, Lukaku, and Courtois, know that this tournament will be one of their last chances to win their country's first international title. It only rests to enjoy the exciting matches this tournament surely will bring us.
