European football ruling body UEFA will expand the Nations League with a new knock-out round and change the format of the European qualifiers for the Euros and the World Cup, the body’s executive committee decided on Wednesday. After the Euro 2024 in Germany, League A group winners and runners-up in the Nations League will participate in home-and-away quarter-finals, with the winners of these ties qualifying for the Final Four. In the current format, the League A group winners moved directly to the Final Four. UEFA will also add a relegation play-off. The new format of the European qualifiers for the Euros and the World Cup will see teams being drawn in 12 groups of four and five teams. The 12 group winners will qualify directly for the tournaments as usual, while the runners-up will either also qualify directly or participate in play-off matches. “The new format promises to bring more excitement to Europe’s national team football competitions that continue to grow from strength to strength,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said. (DPA)
