UEFA Nations League 2024-2025 Betting Offers

Before the inaugural Nations League in 2018/19 many were wondering why we have another international football tournament interrupting an already packed club schedule.  The reasoning behind the UEFA Nations League however wasn’t to increase the number of games played but rather change the nature of the matches, reducing the number of meaningless international friendlies and replacing them with a more competitive tournament.

I think it is safe to say the first three editions of the tournament have been a general success, with teams of similar levels playing each other in a much more competitive format. The Nations League also demonstrated in the process that it does mean actually something to fans and players alike.

The Nations League returns again in 2024/2025 and is split into a league phase, running from September to November 2023, and a finals phase, taking place in June 2025.  For this edition, however, UEFA have decided to include some more matches.  Now there will be a quarter-final stage in March 2025 for the League A winners and runners-up to define the four teams progressing to the finals in June.

As usual if there is a betting offer or free bet around worth its salt we will list it here, for both new and existing customers.  Further down find more details of how the Nations League works (the format has changed a little since 2018/19) along with schedules and trivia.

Nations League Betting Offers

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2024-25 Nations League Schedule

League A

Teams in the bottom 4 are relegated to league B for the next edition, teams in the top 4 are in the finals. Third placed teams face relegation play-off against runners-up from group B.

League B

Teams in the bottom 4 are relegated to league C for the next edition, teams in the top 4 are promoted to league A. Runners-up face a promotion play-off against third placed teams in League A. Third placed teams face relegation play-off against runners-up from group C.

League C

Teams in the bottom 4 will contest a play off for two relegation spots to group D, teams in the top 4 are promoted to league B. Runners-up face a promotion play-off against third placed teams in League B.

League D

Top two teams are promoted to league C

Note, Russia have been banned from entering the competition until further notice

Tournament Format

The 55 nations within UEFA are divided into four leagues (A-D) based on their UEFA coefficient ranking.  Following the 2018/19 inaugural tournament changes were made that meant no teams were in fact relegated but group winners were still promoted.

The relegation and promotion for 2022/23 have yet to be finalised.  A relegation ‘play-out’ will take place between 21-26th March 2024.

For 2024/25 we retain the four leagues. Leagues A, B and C contain 16 teams each and League D contains the final 7 teams.  This increases the overall number of matches from 138 in the inaugural version to 168 now (how UEFA love to expand competitions!).

Teams in each league (A-C) are divided into four pots based on ranking order, or two pots for League D.  A team from each pot is then drawn to make four groups of four teams within each league A-C and two groups in league D, one of four teams and one of three.

During the league phase each team in the group will play each other in a round-robin format home and away on the match weeks in the table above.  Groups 1-4 from Leagues A-C and group 1 from League D all contain 4 teams playing 6 matches each, the remaining group in League D contains 3 teams each and play 4 matches.

From 2024/25 the winner of each group in League A no longer qualifies directly for the semi-finals.  Instead UEFA have dreamt up a new two-legged (home and away) quarter-final stage to be played in March 2025 between League A group winners and runners-up.  This will be at the same time as new promotion/relegation play-offs.

The four quarter-final winners will qualify for the Nations League Finals the following June, this is a straight knock out with two semi-finals followed by a third place play off and a final, the winner crowned UEFA Nations League Champions.

The winners of each group in Leagues B, C & D are promoted to the league above, the bottom placed team in groups from Leagues A and B are relegated. As League D has only 2 groups only 2 teams will be promoted.  Therefore, League C’s two ‘worst’ teams are relegated.

The new promotion / relegation play-offs take place between third placed teams in League A/B playing runner-ups in League B/C.  As with the quarter-finals these will be two-legged ties played home and away.

The tournament will be held every two years, largely replacing international friendlies, the next event will be 2024-25.

Prize Money

All teams receive a fee for taking part, irrespective of their finishing position.  Each group winner then receives and additional bonus equal to the league fee.  Those that reach the finals will then receive additional money depending on how far they get.

The maximum a team from League A can win is €10,500,000 (€2.25M fee + €2.25M group winner bonus + €6M final winner), the maximum for a League B team is €3M, League C is €2.25M and League D is €1.5M.

The finalists will receive the following total prize money:

• Winner: €7.5M
• Runner Up: €6.5M
• Third Place: €5.5M
• Fourth Place: €4.5M

European Championship Qualification

The main qualifying process for Euro 2024 decided 20 out of the 23 spots (Germany had a spot as hosts), you can read about how that works on our European Championships page.  The remaining 3 places made available to the Nations League, one place for each league A-C (unless there are not enough unqualified teams from those leagues when a place will be made available to League D).

The winner of each group within each league (or if they have already qualified the highest ranked second placed team, and so on, within the league) go into the play-offs for a Euro spot.

The 12 teams are drawn into three separate play-off paths where they play a two-legged semi final and a final to decide the final three teams.

World Cup Qualification

The Nations League in 2020/21 was also linked with qualification for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.  Unlike the Euro qualification only 2 spots were available at the World Cup from the Nations League. However, with the World Cup now having expanded to 48 teams it means there is now additional opportunity for Nations League teams.

From 2026 onwards there will be 16 places allocated to UEFA in total.  Twelve of these come from the winners of the 12 World Cup qualification groups.  The 12 runner-up go into a play-off round where they are joined by the four best Nations League teams that have not already won or finished runner-up in the WC qualification groups.

These 16 teams are then drawn into four different play-off paths that involve a semi-final and final stage with the four eventual winners qualifying to the World Cup proper.

In 2022 Ukraine and Wales that made it to the World Cup in Qatar via this route.

Why Do We Need The UEFA Nations League?

The Nations League was born out of a desire to rejuvenate National team football away from the World Cup and European Championships.  Consultation on a new Nations League began back in 2011, ironed out over the next three years it was signed off in 2014.

International friendlies have long been a turn off for many supporters and with dwindling match attendances, many now can’t even be bothered to watch the games on the TV either.  Fans of top club teams also get frustrated at how friendlies can break up seasons and injure players, for what they see as a worthless venture.

The idea of replacing many of those friendlies with an actual competition is therefore a move in the right direction. It means the highest ranked teams will play each other more often, which fans want to see, whilst other teams will play nations more closely matched to them in theory creating better competition.

Only teams in the top league can reach the knockout finals and win the actual competition, however the added benefit of additional linked European Championship / World Cup qualification spots also incentivises lower ranked teams to have a go.  It also helps lower ranked teams actually arrange matches, which in the past has proven difficult.

Of course, like most things in football, a lot of the new tournament is focused around money, and how to generate more of it.  In typical UEFA fashion too the structure seems unnecessarily complicated for what should be a simple event.  Still the league has already proved to be better than what we had before.

What Happened In The 2023 Nations League Finals?

Netherlands Selected To Host

The hosts for the finals are not picked until after the league phase is completed, as up until that point we don’t know who will make the finals.  What we did know, however, is that the winners of group A4 would host as in April it was announced that all nations in that group (Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and Wales) had expressed an interest.

The Netherlands were selected as hosts for the 2023 finals by winning group A4, this as confirmed on 29th November 2022 by the UEFA Executive Committee.

2023 Nations League Finals

Although The Netherlands were on home-turf they were sounded beaten by 4-2 Croatia in the semi-finals and shipped a further 3 goals against Italy in the third placed play-off, demonstrating defensive frailties.

Croatia did what they’ve done so well in recent tournaments by scoring freely in the open games, like against The Netherlands, while being able to be tight and compact when they are not favourites.  They frustrated Spain in the finals, who had seen off Italy in their semi, and with no goals after 120 minutes it was decided by penalties.  It went Spain’s way this time and it gives the nation a first Nations League trophy that they absolutely deserve.

2023 Nations League Finals Stadiums

Despite the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam being an obvious choice, as it is the biggest in The Netherlands, it turned out it wasn’t available as there was a gig already booked in for those dates. Therefore the two stadiums put up to host were De Kuip in Rotterdam and De Grolsch Veste in Enschede.

De Kuip – Opened in 1937 and home to Feyenoord this is a stadium that has seen a lot of top level international football, including the Euro 2000 final.  With a capacity over 51,000 it is ample for a Nations League final.

De Grolsch Veste – The semi-final between Spain and Italy will be played in the newer (opened 1998) De Grolsch Veste, which translates to The Grolsch Fortress.  The home of FC Twente it is smaller with a capacity of just over 30,000 but has already hosted the 2017 Women’s Euros.

What Happened In The 2021 Nations League Finals?

Italy Hosted The 2021 Finals

Italy were selected as hosts for the 2021 finals by winning group A1.  The tournament was delayed from June to October to accommodate the Euros moving to 2021 due to the suspension caused by corona virus in 2020.

The other teams from group A1 (Portugal, Poland and Boznia and Herzegovina) would have hosted the finals had they have won the group.  This system is used as the host nation needs to be a qualified finalist, which is why all potential hosts are selected from the same League A group.

2021 Nations League Finals

Despite the home advantage and a record of 37 international matches unbeaten Italy faltered at the semi-final stage, losing to Spain 2-1.  Belgium were 2-0 up at half-time in their semi against France but dramatically lost 3-2 to France.

France went on to win the Nations League title beating Spain 2-1 despite being a goal down.  It was certainly an exciting set of finals matches and far better than the average international friendlies that it has replaced.

2021 Nations League Finals Stadiums

The two stadiums were selected to host the 2021 finals, Milan and Turin.  Given the previous finals were held in Portugal in the summer this was a stark contrast with a much cooler temperatures in Northern Italy in October.

San Siro – The historic home of AC and Inter Milan is certainly steeped in history when it comes to elite European football.  The 75,000 seater stadium, one of the largest in Europe, was opened in 1926.

Juventus Stadium – One of the newer stadiums in Italy, Juventus moved into this stadium in 2011.  The 41,000 seater ground replaced their previous 67,000 seater venue due to the fact they could never fill it. This is one of the most modern stadiums around in Europe and acts as a nice contrast to the San Siro.

What Happened In The 2019 Nations League Finals?

Portugal Selected as Host

Italy, Poland and Portugal all expressed an interest in hosting the the finals of the Nations League, the host however was only decided following the group phase of the Nations League owing to the fact it was to be hosted by a finalist nation.

As all three bidding nations came form the same group (A3) it was guaranteed a finalist would host the event.

Portugal won the group and therefore hosted the event in 2019.  There were four matches, two semi-finals, a third place play off and the final itself, all held between the 5th and 9th June.

2019 Nations League Finals

Home nation Portugal were favourites to win the first ever throphy, and they did just that, beating Switzerland 3-1 followed by the Netherlands 1-0.  Ronaldo of course scoring a hat-trick in the semi-final.

England came third following defeat by the dutch in the semi-finals and a win against Switzerland on penalties in the third place play-off.

2019 Nations League Finals Stadiums

Two stadiums were needed for the finals and those selected were:

Estádio do Dragão –  The home of FC Porto, and therefore of course located in the city of Porto on the north east coast.  The stadium has a capacity of over 50,000 and will be used for the final.

Estádio D. Afonso Henriques – Located in Guimarães the stadium, home to Vitória de Guimarães (aka Vitória Sport Clube), is just 40 miles from the Estádio do Dragão.  The 30,000 seater stadium was renovated for Euro 2004 and is named after the first king of Portugal.