Need to know
Major changes have been made to the qualification format that will come into effect after the next European Championships
(Image: FIFA via Getty Images)
All you need to know as UEFA revamp the qualification process for the 2030 World Cup:
- UEFA will introduce a new two-tier qualification format that will be rolled out after Euro 2028 in an effort to remove uncompetitive matches.
- Scotland have reached this summer’s World Cup finals for the first time since 1998 and will co-host the Euros with England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland in two years’ time.
- But they will take part in a new qualification process when they bid to reach the next World Cup in 2030, which is being jointly held by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
- In the new format, the top 36 nations in the Nations League will be drawn into three groups of 12 in League 1 in a system that mirrors the revamped Champions League group stage process, with the remaining 18 lower-ranked countries playing in a separate competition.
- Every team in the 12-team group will play six home or away matches against six different opponents, facing two nations from each pot.
- The best-ranked sides from each group in League 1 will secure automatic progress to the 2030 World Cup, with the remaining spots being decided via play-offs.
- The remaining 18, lower-ranked countries – under the current format, effectively all but the group winners in Nations League C and all seven countries in Nations League D – will take part in League 2.
- The new proposal also sees a shake-up to the format of the Nations League. The 2028/29 edition will see the existing four league format changed into three leagues with 18 teams in total.
- Each division will be made up of three groups of six teams, who will play six matches against five different opponents, half of them at home and half of them away.
- League C will include one group of 7 teams, whose calendar will start one window earlier.
- The existing format for the semi-finals, finals, promotion and relegation will not be altered.
- UEFA are still to fine tune the new changes before confirming the breakdown of the slots.
- President Aleksander Ceferin said: “The new formats will improve competitive balance, reduce the number of dead matches, offer a more appealing and dynamic competition to fans, while ensuring a fair qualification chance for all teams and without adding any additional dates in the international calendar.”
