Article 19 Individual league, interim overall and final overall rankings - Nations League

Regulations of the UEFA Nations League
Content Type
Competition Regulations
Category
National teams > Nations League
ft:locale
en-GB
Edition
2026/27
Enforcement Date
15 December 2025
19.01

Individual league rankings are established on completion of the league phase. In order to rank teams in leagues composed of different sized groups, the results against fourth-placed teams are not taken into account for the purposes of comparing teams placed first, second and third in their respective groups. All results are taken into account for the purposes of comparing teams placed fourth in their respective groups. The following criteria are applied, in the order given:

  1. Higher position in the group, on completion of the league phase as determined by Article 14 and Article 15;

  2. Higher number of points in the matches taken into account for the overall rankings;

  3. Superior goal difference in the matches taken into account for the overall rankings;

  4. Higher number of goals scored in the matches taken into account for the overall rankings;

  5. Higher number of away goals scored in the matches taken into account for the overall rankings;

  6. Higher number of wins in the matches taken into account for the overall rankings;

  7. Higher number of away wins in the matches taken into account for the overall rankings;

  8. Lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points) in the matches taken into account for the overall rankings;

  9. Higher position in the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League access list (see Annex C).

19.02

Interim overall 2026/27 UEFA Nations League rankings (see Annex C) are established as follows on completion of the league phase:

  1. The 16 League A teams are ranked 1st to 16th according to their individual league rankings.

  2. The 16 League B teams are ranked 17th to 32th according to their individual league rankings.

  3. The 16 League C teams are ranked 33th to 48th according to their individual league rankings.

  4. The League D teams are ranked 49th to 55th according to their individual league rankings.

19.03

Associations are promoted and relegated between the four leagues for the next edition of the competition as follows:

  1. The four group winners in each of Leagues B and C and the two group winners in League D are promoted to the next league up.

  2. The four fourth-placed teams in each of Leagues A and B are relegated to the next league down.

  3. The two teams from League C ranked 47th and 48th in the interim overall 2026/27 UEFA Nations League rankings on completion of the league phase are relegated to League D.

  4. The four winners of the League A/B play-off ties play in League A and the four defeated teams play in League B.

  5. The four winners of the League B/C play-off ties play in League B and the four defeated teams play in League C.

  6. If contested, the two winners of the League C/D play-off ties play in League C and the two defeated teams play in League D.

19.04

The final overall 2026/27 UEFA Nations League rankings are established based on the results of the League A knockout stage and the play-offs. Teams within each of the groups listed below are ranked based on their position in the interim overall 2026/27 UEFA Nations League rankings (see Annex C).

  1. The four winners of the quarter-finals are ranked 1st to 4th, until the finals have been completed (see Paragraph 19.05).

  2. The four defeated teams of the quarter-finals are ranked 5th to 8th.

  3. The four teams directly promoted from League B to League A and the four winners of the League A/B play-offs are ranked 9th to 16th.

  4. The four teams directly relegated from League A to League B and the four defeated teams of the League A/B play-offs are ranked 17th to 24th.

  5. The four teams directly promoted from League C to League B and the four winners of the League B/C play-offs are ranked 25th to 32nd.

  6. The four teams directly relegated from League B to League C and the four defeated teams of the League B/C play-offs are ranked 33rd to 40th.

  7. The four teams in ranks 41 to 44 remain ranked 41st to 44th.

  8. The two teams directly promoted from League D to League C and the two winners of the League C/D play-offs are ranked 45th to 48th.

  9. The two teams directly relegated from League C to League D and the two defeated teams of the League C/D play-offs are ranked 49th to 52nd.

  10. The teams in ranks 53, 54 and 55 remain ranked 53rd, 54th and 55th.

19.05

The results of the final and the third-place match are reflected in the final overall 2026/27 UEFA Nations League rankings as follows:

  1. The winner is ranked 1st.

  2. The runner-up is ranked 2nd.

  3. The third-placed team is ranked 3rd.

  4. The fourth-placed team is ranked 4th.