UEFA Women's Nations League

Last updated

UEFA Women's Nations League
UEFA Women's Nations League logo.svg
Organising body UEFA
Founded2 November 2022;17 months ago (2022-11-02)
RegionEurope
Number of teamsMaximum of 55
Related competitions UEFA Nations League
Current championsFlag of Spain.svg  Spain (1st title)
Most successful team(s)Flag of Spain.svg  Spain (1 title)
Soccerball current event.svg 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League

The UEFA Women's Nations League is a biennial international women's football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the member associations of UEFA, the sport's European governing body.

Contents

The competition feature threes leagues, with promotion and relegation between them in addition to a final tournament to determine the champions. It also acts as part of the qualifying process for the UEFA Women's Championship, FIFA Women's World Cup and Women's Olympic Football Tournament, depending on the season.

History

On 2 November 2022, the UEFA Executive Committee approved a new women's national team competition system, which was publicly announced the following day. This included the announcement of a women's Nations League competition beginning in 2023. The new system came as part of the UEFA women's football strategy for 2019 to 2024 and was approved after discussions between representatives of national associations and the recommendation of the UEFA Women's Football Committee. The Women's Nations League acts as the first phase of a two-part women's national team competition cycle, with the other phase being the European qualifiers for the UEFA Women's Championship or FIFA Women's World Cup. [1]

The new system is designed to create more competitive matches, with teams facing others of similar strength, while generating a greater sporting and commercial interest in women's national team football. However, the system still gives all national teams a chance of qualifying for major international tournaments. The interconnected competition cycles are intended to encourage the long-term development of women's national teams. [2]

Format

The competition begins with the league stage, featuring the national teams split into three leagues (A, B, and C). Leagues A and B both consist of 16 teams in 4 groups of 4, while League C consist ofs the remaining competition entrants split into groups of three or four. The teams in each group play against each other home-and-away in a round-robin format. The four group winners of League A advance to the Nations League Finals, organized by the participating teams, which feature single-leg semi-finals, a third-place play-off, and a final. In Summer Olympic years, the Nations League Finals determine the teams that will qualify for the Women's Olympic Football Tournament.

In addition, the competition features promotion and relegation, which takes effect in the next edition of qualification for the UEFA Women's Championship or FIFA Women's World Cup (both of which have an identical league structure). The group winners of Leagues B and C are automatically promoted, while the fourth-placed teams in Leagues A and B, as well as the lowest-ranked third-placed team in League B (conditional upon the number of entrants), are automatically relegated. Promotion/relegation matches are also held on a home-and-away basis, taking place in parallel with the Nations League Finals, with the winners going into the higher league and the losers going into the lower league. The third-placed teams of League A will play the runners-up of League B, while the three best-ranked third-placed teams in League B will play the three best-ranked League C runners-up (conditional upon the number of entrants), with the team from the higher league hosting the second leg. [2]

The Women's Nations League is linked with qualification for the UEFA Women's Championship and FIFA Women's World Cup. The qualifiers for both competitions use the same league stage system as the Women's Nations League, with teams split into Leagues A, B, and C. Teams in qualification are split into leagues based on the results of the prior edition of the Women's Nations League. The results of the qualification league stage determine which teams qualify automatically for the Women's Euro or World Cup, and which teams enter the play-offs. In addition, teams are automatically promoted and relegated using the same format as in the Women's Nations League, though no promotion/relegation matches take place. This determines the league composition for the next edition of the Women's Nations League. [2]

Results

Finals

SeasonHostFinalThird-place play-off
WinnersScoreRunners-upThirdScoreFourth
2023–24
Finals 		Flag of France.svg  France
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 		Flag of Spain.svg
Spain 		2–0 Flag of France.svg
France 		Flag of Germany.svg
Germany 		2–0 Flag of the Netherlands.svg
Netherlands

Finals appearances by team

TeamWinnersRunners-upThird placeFourth placeTotal
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 1 (2024)1
Flag of France.svg  France 1 (2024)1
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 1 (2024)1
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1 (2024)1

Team performances

This table shows the overall performance of each team per Nations League season, including the intervening Euro or World Cup qualifying competitions which use an identical league structure, and teams' promotion/relegation between the leagues.

Key:

National teamSeasons in leagueSeason
Nations League
2023–24 		Euro 2025
qualifying 		Nations League
2025–26
ABCLgRkMLgRkMLgRkM
Flag of Albania.svg  Albania –11 B 32 C 38
Flag of Andorra.svg  Andorra ––2 C 47 C 51
Flag of Armenia.svg  Armenia ––2 C 51 C 41
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 2–– A 8 A 7
Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan –11 C 37 B 29
Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus –11 B 30 C 36
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 2–– A 10 A 16
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina –2– B 21 B 31
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria ––2 C 40 C 45
Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia –2– B 23 B 26
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus ––2 C 46 C 50
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 11– B 20 A 12
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 2–– A 6 A 5
Flag of England.svg  England 2–– A 5 A 6
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia ––2 C 41 C 46
Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg  Faroe Islands ––2 C 50 C 47
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 11– B 18 A 13
Flag of France.svg  France 2–– A 2 A 3
Flag of Georgia.svg  Georgia ––2 C 48 C 43
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 2–– A 3 A 2
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece –11 B 29 C 39
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary –2– B 24 B 27
Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 2–– A 9 A 9
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel –11 C 35 B 30
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 2–– A 7 A 8
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan ––2 C 44 C 48
Flag of Kosovo.svg  Kosovo –11 C 36 B 32
Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia ––2 C 38 C 44
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania ––2 C 42 C 42
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg ––2 C 43 C 37
Flag of Malta.svg  Malta –11 C 34 B 28
Flag of Moldova.svg  Moldova ––2 C 49 C 49
Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro ––2 C 39 C 35
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 2–– A 4 A 10
Flag of North Macedonia.svg  North Macedonia ––2 C 45 C 40
Ulster Banner.svg  Northern Ireland –2– B 26 B 21
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2–– A 12 A 4
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 11– B 19 A 15
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 11– A 13 B 19
Flag of Ireland.svg  Republic of Ireland 11– B 17 A 14
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania –11 B 31 C 34
Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 11– A 15 B 22
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia –2– B 22 B 20
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia –2– B 25 B 25
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia –11 B 28 C 33
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 2–– A 1 A 1
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 2–– A 11 A 11
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 11– A 14 B 18
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey –11 C 33 B 24
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine –2– B 27 B 23
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 11– A 16 B 17
As of 9 April 2024

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "New women's national team competition system". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "How will the new UEFA women's national team competition system work?". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
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