UEFA announces Europa Conference League creation, Nations League change

UEFA will launch a third European club competition, the Europa Conference League, which will start in 2021.

From the 2020-21 season, the new Nations League structure will see 16 teams in Leagues A, B and C and seven teams in League D.

UEFA has announced changes to the Nations League and confirmed the name of a new European club competition - the Europa Conference League.

From the 2020-21 season, the new Nations League structure will see 16 teams in Leagues A, B and C and seven teams in League D.

Those Leagues will be decided by countries' overall ranking after the 2018-19 competition, which was won by Portugal, with the draw taking place in Amsterdam on March 3, 2020.

Changes to the UEFA #NationsLeague format were agreed today at a meeting of the #UEFAExCo in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The changes increase the number of competitive matches and reduce the number of international friendlies.

More info https://t.co/iDnZ9Hqs7Wpic.twitter.com/YKmNlzl0LD

— UEFA (@UEFA) September 24, 2019

 

The format for the Nations League Finals, which sees the four group winners from League A meet in a knockout competition, will remain the same.

Meanwhile, the Europa Conference League will start in 2021, with matches played on Thursdays with kick-off times at 18:45 CET and 21:00 CET.

The new early kick-off time is also set to be in place for some Champions League matches on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2021, replacing the current 18:55 CET kick-off.