Nations League 2026/27 Draw: Complete Guide to Date, Time and Viewing Information
The highly anticipated draw for the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League is scheduled for today, Thursday 12 February 2026. This crucial event will set the stage for the upcoming tournament, with football powerhouses including England, Spain and defending champions Portugal awaiting their group stage opponents.
Draw Timing and Broadcast Details
The official draw ceremony will commence at 6pm Central European Time (CET) in Brussels, Belgium. For viewers across the United Kingdom and Europe, the proceedings will be broadcast live through UEFA's official channels. Supporters can stream the draw free of charge via the UEFA YouTube channel and the organization's official website, ensuring comprehensive access for all football enthusiasts.
Tournament Context and Historical Background
Portugal enter this edition as defending champions, having secured the 2024/25 trophy following a dramatic penalty shootout victory over European champions Spain in June 2025. Both nations are considered strong contenders as the tournament prepares to recommence in September 2026. England, under the management of Thomas Tuchel, return to League A after achieving promotion during the previous edition and will be seeking their first Nations League triumph in 2027.
While the impending World Cup remains a primary focus for the Three Lions, significant importance is attached to the Nations League campaign. The tournament potentially links to the qualification process for Euro 2028, adding substantial competitive weight to England's participation. The first matches of the 2026/27 Nations League are scheduled for the week of 24 to 26 September 2026, with the group stage concluding in November before knockout phases commence in 2027.
Draw Mechanics and Format Specifications
The draw involves 54 participating nations distributed across four leagues based on the official Access List and results from the 2024/25 UNL League C/D play-offs scheduled for March 2026. League A, B and C will each feature four groups containing four teams, while League D will consist of two groups of three teams each.
Each team in Leagues A, B and C will play six matches within their group, facing the other three nations both home and away. In League D, teams will compete in four matches, playing each opponent twice. Several specific draw conditions apply, including political restrictions preventing Bosnia and Herzegovina from being drawn against Kosovo, and geographical limitations designed to minimize excessive travel distances.
These travel restrictions mean nations with significant geographical separation cannot be drawn together, such as Iceland versus Armenia or the Faroe Islands versus Kazakhstan. Additionally, countries at risk of severe winter conditions can only be paired with one other such nation within the same group, ensuring practical scheduling considerations.
Participating Nations and League Structure
League A Composition:
- Pot 1: Portugal, Spain, France, Germany
- Pot 2: Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia
- Pot 3: Serbia, Belgium, England, Norway
- Pot 4: Wales, Czechia, Greece, Türkiye
League B Composition:
- Pot 1: Scotland, Hungary, Poland, Israel
- Pot 2: Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Ukraine
- Pot 3: Slovenia, Georgia, Republic of Ireland, Romania
- Pot 4: Sweden, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Kosovo
League C Composition:
- Pot 1: Iceland, Albania, Montenegro, Kazakhstan
- Pot 2: Finland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Armenia
- Pot 3: Belarus, Faroe Islands, Cyprus, Estonia
- Pot 4: Latvia or Gibraltar, Luxembourg or Malta, Moldova, San Marino
League D Composition:
- Pot 1: Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Gibraltar or Latvia, Malta or Luxembourg
- Pot 2: Liechtenstein, Andorra
The final rankings for teams in positions 49 to 52 will be confirmed following the 2024/25 UNL League C/D play-offs in March 2026. For today's draw, teams participating in these play-off ties will be represented by designated placeholders.
Tournament Schedule and Key Dates
The 2026/27 Nations League will follow this comprehensive schedule:
- Matchday 1: 24-26 September 2026
- Matchday 2: 27-29 September 2026
- Matchday 3: 30 September-3 October 2026* (may exceptionally be used to schedule Matchday 3 fixtures)
- Matchday 4: 4-6 October 2026
- Matchday 5: 12-14 November 2026
- Matchday 6: 15-17 November 2026
- League A quarter-finals: 25-30 March 2027
- League A/B and B/C play-offs: 25-30 March 2027
- Final tournament: 9-13 June 2027
- League C/D play-offs: 23-28 March 2028
Today's draw in Brussels represents the crucial first step toward determining which nations will compete for European football supremacy in this prestigious international tournament.
