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The 2026/27 Nations League changes: the two best third-placed teams stay in League A, only the two worst fourth-placed teams are relegated directly

From 2028/29 the tournament will have a new format. In the meantime, the UEFA Executive Committee have also announced new features for this fifth edition, which will see Italy make their debut next 25 September against Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome

With the Nations League set for a revamp from the 2028/29 season, when it will switch to a format similar to the new club competitions, the regulations for this fifth edition are changing too. The leagues will have three groups of six teams, with each national side playing six matches against five different opponents. Italy begin their campaign against Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Friday 25 September.

UEFA's Executive Committee made it official at today's meeting in Thessaloniki: to realign the national teams in the new format, with each league increasing from 16 to 18 teams, the promotion and relegation system will inevitably change. In short, Italy will have the same chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals, which this year will again be reached by the winners and runners-up in the four groups, while the risk of relegation to League B has been reduced.

Here's what will change. Until last season, the bottom team in each of the four League A groups went straight down to League B, while every third-placed side played a relegation play-off against the runners-up in League B. In the 2026/2027 Nations League, only the two worst fourth-placed teams will go down automatically, the two best third-placed teams across the four groups will stay in League A, and the two worst third-placed teams, along with the two best fourth-placed teams, will go into play-offs against the runners-up in the four League B groups. Italy have four matches in 11 days, a real tour de force, and by the end of it they will probably know whether they can still hope to reach the quarter-finals or whether they have to fight to stay in League A.
So what changes? Until last season, the bottom teams in the four League A groups went down directly to League B, while all the third-placed teams entered a relegation play-off against the runners-up in League B. In the 2026/2027 Nations League, only the two worst fourth-placed teams will be relegated directly. The two best third-placed teams from the four groups will stay in League A, while the two worst third-placed teams, together with the two best fourth-placed teams, will go into play-offs against the runners-up in the four League B groups. Italy have four matches in 11 days. By the end of that run, they will probably know whether they can still hope to reach the quarter-finals or whether they will have to scrap to stay in League A.

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Italy must reach the quarter-finals or at least finish among the two best third-placed teams to secure direct access to League A in the next revamped edition of the Nations League.

Italy's fixtures in UEFA Nations League Group A1

25 September 2026 (8.45pm): Italy v Belgium - Stadio Olimpico, Rome

28 September 2026 (8.45pm): Turkey v Italy - Atatürk Spor Kompleksi, Bursa

2 October 2026 (8.45pm): France v Italy - Stade de France, Saint-Denis

5 October 2026 (8.45pm): Italy v Turkey - Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Bologna

12 November 2026 (8.45pm): Italy v France - Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan

15 November 2026 (8.45pm): Belgium v Italy - King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels