The UEFA Nations League returned for its second edition in the 2020-21 season and the European governing body has high hopes that the tournament can continue to capture the imagination of fans.
Introduced with the aim of replacing meaningless friendly matches, the idea was to give national teams more competitive action and greater incentives to field their strongest teams.
The second edition of the competition was the first taste of European international football since November 2019 after the coronavirus pandemic forced the postponement of Euro 2020.
Goal has your guide to the tournament, including details about the groups, fixtures, results and more.
Contents
- Nations League 2020-21 fixtures, results & tables
- When does the Nations League 2020-21 start?
- Is the Nations League 2020-21 linked with World Cup 2022?
- Who won the last Nations League?
Nations League 2020-21 fixtures, results & tables
Nations League finals
The 2020-21 Nations League finals will be contested by Italy, Spain, France and Belgium.
An open draw will take place in December to decide which teams play each other in the semi-finals.
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 6, 2021 | Nations League Semi-final 1 | TBC |
| Oct 7, 2021 | Nations League Semi-final 2 | TBC |
| Oct 10, 2021 | Nations League Third-place play-off | TBC |
| Oct 10, 2021 | Nations League Final | TBC |
League A
There are four Leagues - A, B, C and D. Leagues A, B and C were divided into four groups of four in the draw that took place on March 3, 2020.
League A features the top 16 teams ranked by their UEFA team coefficient.
It makes for some of the most exciting match-ups, with England, Germany and Belgium in Group A2, Portugal and France in Group A3 and Spain in Germany in Group A4.
Group A1 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italy (F) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 12 |
| 2 | Netherlands | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| 3 | Poland | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| 4 | Bosnia & Herzegovina (R) | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | -8 | 2 |
Group A1 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 4 | Italy 1-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina | 7:45pm |
| Sep 4 | Netherlands 1-0 Poland | 7:45pm |
| Sep 7 | Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-2 Poland | 7:45pm |
| Sep 7 | Netherlands 0-1 Italy | 7:45pm |
| Oct 11 | Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-0 Netherlands | 5pm |
| Oct 11 | Poland 0-0 Italy | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Italy 1-1 Netherlands | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Poland 3-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina | 7:45pm |
| Nov 15 | Italy 2-0 Poland | 7:45pm |
| Nov 15 | Netherlands 3-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina | 5pm |
| Nov 18 | Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-2 Italy | 7:45pm |
| Nov 18 | Poland 1-2 Netherlands | 7:45pm |
Group A2 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium (F) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 15 |
| 2 | Denmark | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| 3 | England | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 4 | Iceland (R) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -14 | 0 |
Group A2 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 5 | Iceland 0-1 England | 5pm |
| Sep 5 | Denmark 0-2 Belgium | 7:45pm |
| Sep 8 | Belgium 5-1 Iceland | 7:45pm |
| Sep 8 | Denmark 0-0 England | 7:45pm |
| Oct 11 | England 2-1 Belgium | 5pm |
| Oct 11 | Iceland 0-3 Denmark | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | England 0-1 Denmark | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Iceland 1-2 Belgium | 7:45pm |
| Nov 15 | Belgium 2-0 England | 7:45pm |
| Nov 15 | Denmark 2-1 Iceland | 7:45pm |
| Nov 18 | Belgium 4-2 Denmark | 7:45pm |
| Nov 18 | England 4-0 Iceland | 7:45pm |
Group A3 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France (F) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 16 |
| 2 | Portugal | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 13 |
| 3 | Croatia | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | -7 | 3 |
| 4 | Sweden (R) | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | -8 | 3 |
Group A3 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 5 | Portugal 4-1 Croatia | 7:45pm |
| Sep 5 | Sweden 0-1 France | 7:45pm |
| Sep 8 | France 4-2 Croatia | 7:45pm |
| Sep 8 | Sweden 0-2 Portugal | 7:45pm |
| Oct 11 | Croatia 2-1 Sweden | 5pm |
| Oct 11 | France 0-0 Portugal | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Croatia 1-2 France | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Portugal 3-0 Sweden | 7:45pm |
| Nov 14 | Portugal 0-1 France | 7:45pm |
| Nov 14 | Sweden 2-1 Croatia | 7:45pm |
| Nov 17 | Croatia 2-3 Portugal | 7:45pm |
| Nov 17 | France 4-2 Sweden | 7:45pm |
Group A4 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain (F) | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 11 |
| 2 | Germany | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | -3 | 9 |
| 3 | Ukraine | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -5 | 6 |
| 4 | Switzerland | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | -2 | 3 |
Group A4 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 3 | Germany 1-1 Spain | 7:45pm |
| Sep 3 | Ukraine 2-1 Switzerland | 7:45pm |
| Sep 6 | Spain 4-0 Ukraine | 7:45pm |
| Sep 6 | Switzerland 1-1 Germany | 7:45pm |
| Oct 10 | Spain 1-0 Switzerland | 7:45pm |
| Oct 10 | Ukraine 1-2 Germany | 7:45pm |
| Oct 13 | Germany 3-3 Switzerland | 7:45pm |
| Oct 13 | Ukraine 1-0 Spain | 7:45pm |
| Nov 14 | Germany 3-1 Ukraine | 7:45pm |
| Nov 14 | Switzerland 1-1 Spain | 7:45pm |
| Nov 17 | Spain 6-0 Germany | 7:45pm |
| Nov 17 | Switzerland -- Ukraine | 7:45pm |
League B
League B features the teams ranked 17 to 32, with the likes of Russia, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland in this pool.
Group B1 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austria | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 13 |
| 2 | Norway | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 10 |
| 3 | Romania | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -4 | 5 |
| 4 | Northern Ireland (R) | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | -7 | 2 |
Group B1 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 4 | Norway 1-2 Austria | 7:45pm |
| Sep 4 | Romania 1-1 Northern Ireland | 7:45pm |
| Sep 7 | Austria 2-3 Romania | 7:45pm |
| Sep 7 | Northern Ireland 1-5 Norway | 7:45pm |
| Oct 11 | Northern Ireland 0-1 Austria | 7:45pm |
| Oct 11 | Norway 4-0 Romania | 5pm |
| Oct 14 | Norway 1-0 Northern Ireland | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Romania 0-1 Austria | 7:45pm |
| Nov 15 | Romania -- Norway | 7:45pm |
| Nov 15 | Austria 2-1 Northern Ireland | 7:45pm |
| Nov 18 | Austria 1-1 Norway | 7:45pm |
| Nov 18 | Northern Ireland 1-1 Romania | 7:45pm |
Group B2 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Czech Republic (P) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 12 |
| 2 | Scotland | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| 3 | Israel | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 4 | Slovakia (R) | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -5 | 4 |
Group B2 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 4 | Scotland 1-1 Israel | 7:45pm |
| Sep 4 | Slovakia 1-3 Czech Republic | 7:45pm |
| Sep 7 | Czech Republic 1-2 Scotland | 7:45pm |
| Sep 7 | Israel 1-1 Slovakia | 7:45pm |
| Oct 11 | Israel 1-2 Czech Republic | 7:45pm |
| Oct 11 | Scotland 1-0 Slovakia | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Scotland 1-0 Czech Republic | 2pm |
| Oct 14 | Slovakia 2-3 Israel | 7:45pm |
| Nov 15 | Czech Republic 1-0 Israel | 7:45pm |
| Nov 15 | Slovakia 1-0 Scotland | 2pm |
| Nov 18 | Czech Republic 2-0 Slovakia | 7:45pm |
| Nov 18 | Israel 1-0 Scotland | 7:45pm |
Group B3 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hungary (P) | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| 2 | Russia | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -3 | 8 |
| 3 | Serbia | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 4 | Turkey (R) | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -2 | 6 |
Group B3 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 3 | Russia 3-1 Serbia | 7:45pm |
| Sep 3 | Turkey 0-1 Hungary | 7:45pm |
| Sep 6 | Hungary 2-3 Russia | 5pm |
| Sep 6 | Serbia 0-0 Turkey | 7:45pm |
| Oct 11 | Russia 1-1 Turkey | 7:45pm |
| Oct 11 | Serbia 0-1 Hungary | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Russia 0-0 Hungary | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Turkey 2-2 Serbia | 7:45pm |
| Nov 15 | Turkey 3-2 Russia | 5pm |
| Nov 15 | Hungary 1-1 Serbia | 7:45pm |
| Nov 18 | Hungary 2-0 Turkey | 7:45pm |
| Nov 18 | Serbia 5-0 Russia | 7:45pm |
Group B4 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wales (P) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
| 2 | Finland | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| 3 | Republic of Ireland | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | -3 | 3 |
| 4 | Bulgaria (R) | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | -5 | 2 |
Group B4 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 3 | Bulgaria 1-1 Republic of Ireland | 7:45pm |
| Sep 3 | Finland 0-1 Wales | 7:45pm |
| Sep 6 | Wales 1-0 Bulgaria | 2pm |
| Sep 6 | Republic of Ireland 0-1 Finland | 5pm |
| Oct 11 | Republic of Ireland 0-0 Wales | 2pm |
| Oct 11 | Finland 2-0 Bulgaria | 5pm |
| Oct 14 | Bulgaria 0-1 Wales | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Finland 1-0 Republic of Ireland | 5pm |
| Nov 15 | Bulgaria 1-2 Finland | 5pm |
| Nov 15 | Wales 1-0 Republic of Ireland | 5pm |
| Nov 18 | Republic of Ireland 0-0 Bulgaria | 7:45pm |
| Nov 18 | Wales 3-1 Finland | 7:45pm |
League C
Teams ranked 33 to 48 - including Greece, Kosovo and Belarus among others - make up League C.
Group C1 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montenegro (P) | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 13 |
| 2 | Luxembourg | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 3 | Azerbaijan | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -2 | 6 |
| 4 | Cyprus (RPO) | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -8 | 4 |
Group C1 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (GMT) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 5 | Azerbaijan 1-2 Luxembourg | 5pm |
| Sep 5 | Cyprus 0-2 Montenegro | 5pm |
| Sep 8 | Cyprus 0-1 Azerbaijan | 7:45pm |
| Sep 8 | Luxembourg 0-1 Montenegro | 7:45pm |
| Oct 10 | Luxembourg 2-0 Cyprus | 2pm |
| Oct 10 | Montenegro 2-0 Azerbaijan | 2pm |
| Oct 13 | Azerbaijan 0-0 Cyprus | 5pm |
| Oct 13 | Montenegro 1-2 Luxembourg | 7:45pm |
| Nov 14 | Azerbaijan 0-0 Montenegro | 5pm |
| Nov 14 | Cyprus 2-1 Luxembourg | 5pm |
| Nov 17 | Luxembourg 0-0 Azerbaijan | 7:45pm |
| Nov 17 | Montenegro 4-0 Cyprus | 7:45pm |
Group C2 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Armenia (P) | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| 2 | North Macedonia | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 3 | Georgia | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 4 | Estonia (RPO) | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | -4 | 3 |
Group C2 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 5 | North Macedonia 2-1 Armenia | 2pm |
| Sep 5 | Estonia 0-1 Georgia | 5pm |
| Sep 8 | Armenia 2-0 Estonia | 5pm |
| Sep 8 | Georgia 1-1 North Macedonia | 5pm |
| Oct 11 | Armenia 2-2 Georgia | 5pm |
| Oct 11 | Estonia 3-3 North Macedonia | 5pm |
| Oct 14 | Estonia 1-1 Armenia | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | North Macedonia 0-1 Georgia | 7:45pm |
| Nov 15 | Georgia 1-2 Armenia | 5pm |
| Nov 15 | North Macedonia 2-1 Estonia | 2pm |
| Nov 18 | Armenia 1-0 North Macedonia | 5pm |
| Nov 18 | Georgia 0-0 Estonia | 5pm |
Group C3 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slovenia (P) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| 2 | Greece | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 12 |
| 3 | Kosovo | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -2 | 5 |
| 4 | Moldova (RPO) | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | -10 | 1 |
Group C3 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 3 | Moldova 1-1 Kosovo | 7:45pm |
| Sep 3 | Slovenia 0-0 Greece | 7:45pm |
| Sep 6 | Slovenia 1-0 Moldova | 5pm |
| Sep 6 | Kosovo 1-2 Greece | 7:45pm |
| Oct 11 | Greece 2-0 Moldova | 7:45pm |
| Oct 11 | Kosovo 0-1 Slovenia | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Greece 0-0 Kosovo | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Moldova 0-4 Slovenia | 7:45pm |
| Nov 15 | Moldova 0-2 Greece | 7:45pm |
| Nov 15 | Slovenia 2-1 Kosovo | 7:45pm |
| Nov 18 | Greece 0-0 Slovenia | 7:45pm |
| Nov 18 | Kosovo 1-0 Moldova | 7:45pm |
Group C4 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albania (P) | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 11 |
| 2 | Belarus | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 3 | Lithuania | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | -2 | 8 |
| 4 | Kazakhstan (RPO) | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -4 | 4 |
Group C4 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 4 | Belarus 0-2 Albania | 7:45pm |
| Sep 4 | Lithuania 0-2 Kazakhstan | 7:45pm |
| Sep 7 | Kazakhstan 1-2 Belarus | 3pm |
| Sep 7 | Albania 0-1 Lithuania | 7:45pm |
| Oct 11 | Kazakhstan 0-0 Albania | 2pm |
| Oct 11 | Lithuania 2-2 Belarus | 5pm |
| Oct 14 | Belarus 2-0 Kazakhstan | 7:45pm |
| Oct 14 | Lithuania 0-0 Albania | 5pm |
| Nov 15 | Belarus 2-0 Lithuania | 5pm |
| Nov 15 | Albania 3-1 Kazakhstan | 5pm |
| Nov 18 | Albania 3-2 Belarus | 3pm |
| Nov 18 | Kazakhstan 1-2 Lithuania | 3pm |
Nations League League C relegation play-outs
| Team | Agg. | Team | Leg 1 | Leg 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moldova | - | Kazakhstan | Mar 24/25, 2022 | Mar 28/29, 2022 |
| Estonia | - | Cyprus | Mar 24/25, 2022 | Mar 28/29, 2022 |
League D
League D is the smallest section, featuring the lowest-ranked seven teams.
Group D1 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Faroe Islands (P) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 12 |
| 2 | Malta | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| 3 | Latvia | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 4 | Andorra | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | -10 | 2 |
Group D1 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (GMT) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 3 | Faroe Islands 3-2 Malta | 7:45pm |
| Sep 3 | Latvia 0-0 Andorra | 5pm |
| Sep 6 | Andorra 0-1 Faroe Islands | 2pm |
| Sep 6 | Malta 1-1 Latvia | 7:45pm |
| Oct 10 | Andorra 0-0 Malta | 7:45pm |
| Oct 10 | Faroe Islands 1-1 Latvia | 5pm |
| Oct 13 | Faroe Islands 2-0 Andorra | 7:45pm |
| Oct 13 | Latvia 0-1 Malta | 7:45pm |
| Nov 14 | Malta 3-1 Andorra | 2pm |
| Nov 14 | Latvia 1-1 Faroe Islands | 5pm |
| Nov 17 | Andorra 0-5 Latvia | 7:45pm |
| Nov 17 | Malta 1-1 Faroe Islands | 7:45pm |
Group D2 table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gibraltar (P) | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| 2 | Liechtenstein | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | San Marino | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -3 | 2 |
Group D2 fixtures & results
| Date | Match | Kick-off (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 5 | Gibraltar 1-0 San Marino | 2pm |
| Sep 8 | San Marino 0-2 Liechtenstein | 7:45pm |
| Oct 10 | Liechtenstein 0-1 Gibraltar | 5pm |
| Oct 13 | Liechtenstein 0-0 San Marino | 7:45pm |
| Nov 14 | San Marino 0-0 Gibraltar | 2pm |
| Nov 17 | Gibraltar 1-1 Liechtenstein | 7:45pm |
When does the Nations League 2020-21 start?
The 2020-21 edition of the Nations League will begin on September 3, 2020, with group games being played across September, October and November.
The finals will then take place on June 2, 3 and 6 the following year, with the relegation play-off matches set for March 2022.
| Round | Date |
|---|---|
| Matchday 1 | September 3-5, 2020 |
| Matchday 2 | September 6-8, 2020 |
| Matchday 3 | October 10-11, 2020 |
| Matchday 4 | October 13-14, 2020 |
| Matchday 5 | November 14-15, 2020 |
| Matchday 6 | November 17-18, 2020 |
| Finals | September/October 2021 |
| Relegation play-offs | March 24, 25, 28, 29, 2022 |
Is the Nations League 2020-21 linked with World Cup 2022?
The Nations League 2020-21 is linked with the UEFA qualifying for World Cup 2022, providing two places in the play-offs.
Ten World Cup qualifying group winners advance directly to the tournament in Qatar and the 10 runners-up qualify for the play-offs.
The remaining play-off places are reserved for the best two Nations League group winners (based on overall ranking) who did not directly qualify or reach the play-offs in the World Cup qualifying stage.
Who won the last Nations League?
Portugal won the inaugural edition of the UEFA Nations League in 2018-19. The Selecao defeated the Netherlands in the final to get their hands on the trophy.
Having topped a group containing Italy and Poland in League A, Portugal booked their place in the finals, where they were paired with Switzerland in the semi-finals.
They defeated the Swiss by a score of 3-1, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a hat-trick - the decisive goals coming in the 88th and 90th minute.
A solitary goal from Goncalo Guedes was the difference in the final against the Dutch as Portugal secured a 1-0 victory on home turf at Estadio do Dragao.