inb4 the start of moaning. People will now completely forget about their own moaning about the meaninglessness of friendlies and will start moaning on the new thing, just because it's a new thing. :lol:
EUROPE - UEFA Nations League
G
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ionary-Uefa-plan-earns-unanimous-backing.html
At first I thought this was just going to replace friendlies, but it seems like a full blown tournament. So I think speculation on it, including the stadiums that will be used to host the latter stages of the tournament, deserves a thread of its own. If mods decide otherwise, that's cool, but I wanted to get the discussion going about this newly devised tournament.
What we know
- All 54 member nations will compete in the Nations League
- It will become the third fully fledged tournament that European nations take part in (alongside the Euros and World Cup)
- It will be a biennial event that replaces the current set of friendlies scheduled
- Scheduled to commence after the 2018 World Cup in Russia
About the Nations League
- Event will be divided into 3 or 4 divisions, with promotion relegation in between
- The top division will have up to 16 nations
For example, it may look something like this: 16 in the first division, 12 in the second, 12 in the third and 14 in the fourth.
- The top division will be further divided into four groups (4*4).
- The winners of each of the four groups would then advance to a ‘Final Four’ tournament at a neutral venue, with two semi-finals and a final taking place over several days during the summer of odd-numbered years.
- As well as the chance of promotion, winners of the lower divisions could be rewarded with wild-card places at future European Championships.
Possible scenario
"Premier League"
Group A
England
Greece
Belgium
Croatia
Group B
Germany
Italy
Russia
Poland
Group C
Spain
Ukraine
Netherlands
Turkey
Group D
France
Sweden
Portugal
Switzerland
Semi: England v France - Venue: Stade de France - 16th June
Semi: Germany v Spain - Venue: Stade de France - 17th June
Final: England v Germany
Venue: Stade de France - 23th June
With the short pre season/pre-season friendlies, and World Cup/Euros every 2 years in the European summer already meaning that soccer is a year round sport, this ensures that soccer is now a year round sport in Europe, every year.
As a neutral observer, this is a really awesome idea.
I admit there is not much to discuss here yet, aside from listing the candidates to host the Final Four. This is also going to be another major landmark event for stadiums to host, alongside the Champions League final and Euro's Final. Again I understand if mods want to move it somewhere.
At first I thought this was just going to replace friendlies, but it seems like a full blown tournament. So I think speculation on it, including the stadiums that will be used to host the latter stages of the tournament, deserves a thread of its own. If mods decide otherwise, that's cool, but I wanted to get the discussion going about this newly devised tournament.
What we know
- All 54 member nations will compete in the Nations League
- It will become the third fully fledged tournament that European nations take part in (alongside the Euros and World Cup)
- It will be a biennial event that replaces the current set of friendlies scheduled
- Scheduled to commence after the 2018 World Cup in Russia
About the Nations League
- Event will be divided into 3 or 4 divisions, with promotion relegation in between
- The top division will have up to 16 nations
For example, it may look something like this: 16 in the first division, 12 in the second, 12 in the third and 14 in the fourth.
- The top division will be further divided into four groups (4*4).
- The winners of each of the four groups would then advance to a ‘Final Four’ tournament at a neutral venue, with two semi-finals and a final taking place over several days during the summer of odd-numbered years.
- As well as the chance of promotion, winners of the lower divisions could be rewarded with wild-card places at future European Championships.
Possible scenario
"Premier League"
Group A
England
Greece
Belgium
Croatia
Group B
Germany
Italy
Russia
Poland
Group C
Spain
Ukraine
Netherlands
Turkey
Group D
France
Sweden
Portugal
Switzerland
Semi: England v France - Venue: Stade de France - 16th June
Semi: Germany v Spain - Venue: Stade de France - 17th June
Final: England v Germany
Venue: Stade de France - 23th June
With the short pre season/pre-season friendlies, and World Cup/Euros every 2 years in the European summer already meaning that soccer is a year round sport, this ensures that soccer is now a year round sport in Europe, every year.
As a neutral observer, this is a really awesome idea.
I admit there is not much to discuss here yet, aside from listing the candidates to host the Final Four. This is also going to be another major landmark event for stadiums to host, alongside the Champions League final and Euro's Final. Again I understand if mods want to move it somewhere.
1 - 20 of 110 Posts
No, I think this is an idea which has some merit. Be interesting to see exactly how it works, but at least it'll give a bit of competitive edge to previously meaningless internationals.
Im generally against UEFA and FIFA and every decision they make, but im neutral to this idea. I don't really care. But I think my moaning about euro 2020 or the WCC 2022 is justified. However the only thing I can think of with this is its basically a smaller version on Euro 2020. Surely Euro 2020 will be devalued if exactly the same thing will happen the year before and the year after?inb4 the start of moaning. People will now completely forget about their own moaning about the meaninglessness of friendlies and will start moaning on the new thing, just because it's a new thing. :lol:
I very much doubt that.Its fair to say that with the semi finals and final held in the same venue, Wembley, San Siro, Luzhniki, Allianz, and SdF will be some of the first hosts. For the stadiums it will be more lucrative than the CL final.
What is basically the right idea seems to be turned into the same crap that we already have. Instead of taking over the 6 nations format of Rugby Union where the table topper at the end of single round-robin wins a trophy we get yet another tournament of group phases and play-offs. That, my dear UEFA, is just rubbish. The whole point of this nations league is have competetive home games against one's equals. With the proposed format, however, these games will yet again be played at neutral venues read the far end of the continent.
I like the idea in principle as it will mean a 'meaning' to the friendly games but i hope space is also left in the calender for the odd friendly with South American nations. Also I hope this new Nations league will not impact the importance of the European Championships.
G
Really? You think 3 games played at Wembley possibly including Germany, Spain, France and (England) in the space of a week will be less lucrative to the FA than a Champions League final? The final itself will probably have a very similar ticketing structure to a CL final, not to mention the financial windfall of all 3 games taken into account.I very much doubt that.
Only the semi finals and final are played at a neutral venue - a grand total of three games. You will still play 3 games at home, 3 games away in your division's group.That, my dear UEFA, is just rubbish. The whole point of this nations league is have competetive home games against one's equals. With the proposed format, however, these games will yet again be played at neutral venues read the far end of the continent.
The reason why you can't do something similar to the 6 Nations is that there are 54 competing nations. The only way to achieve what you want is to have upwards of 10 divisions. They've chosen to go with 4 divisions, meaning that all divisions will at least have 12 teams. The first division seems like it will have 16 teams, so it can be split up into 4*4, so that each group winner can advance to the semi finals.
These 3 home matches will be against lesser teams though. Just as it is now. I don't want the likes of Sweden or Cratia, but Italy, Spain, France, England and the Netherlands.Only the semi finals and final are played at a neutral venue - a grand total of three games. You will still play 3 games at home, 3 games away in your division's group.
G
I see what you're saying, but it will still result in far more high profile matches than today.These 3 home matches will be against lesser teams though. Just as it is now. I don't want the likes of Sweden or Cratia, but Italy, Spain, France, England and the Netherlands.
This was also one of the first things that came into my mind too. Then I remembered that in the last international break my home country (Romania) played Argentina. It was such a non-event that at half-time I switched over to France - Netherlands. Last year (I think) was the same for Romania - Uruguay.I like the idea in principle as it will mean a 'meaning' to the friendly games but i hope space is also left in the calender for the odd friendly with South American nations.
So it won't be a "friendly" tournament, but it's basically a pre-season schtick.
Seems pointless to me.
Seems pointless to me.
G
From the Daily Mail
HOW THE NATIONS LEAGUE WILL WORK
There will be four divisions, each containing 12-14 teams based on UEFA's coefficients. England and other top European sides will be in Division A.
Each division will have four mini-leagues - so England would play three or
four other Division A teams on a home-and-away basis between September and November 2018.
The winners of each mini-league go into their division's semi-finals and then final at a neutral venue in June 2019. Each division winner will qualify for Euro 2020 meaning one of the smaller nations in Division D will be guaranteed a place at the Euros. - Wow.....
The remaining 20 qualification places for Euro 2020 will be decided via the usual qualifying groups in matches played from 2019, possibly going on as late as March 2020.
Four of Europe's 13 qualifying places for the 2022 World Cup may also be decided via the top two divisions of the Nations League.... I can't help but feel this is the start of a complete reworking of the way qualification and tournaments work in Europe
TV income is likely to organised in a similar way to the Champions League, with each country being awarded half the value of its Nations League TV rights deal, and the rest shared out across the 54 nations via participation money and match bonuses.
HOW THE NATIONS LEAGUE WILL WORK
There will be four divisions, each containing 12-14 teams based on UEFA's coefficients. England and other top European sides will be in Division A.
Each division will have four mini-leagues - so England would play three or
four other Division A teams on a home-and-away basis between September and November 2018.
The winners of each mini-league go into their division's semi-finals and then final at a neutral venue in June 2019. Each division winner will qualify for Euro 2020 meaning one of the smaller nations in Division D will be guaranteed a place at the Euros. - Wow.....
The remaining 20 qualification places for Euro 2020 will be decided via the usual qualifying groups in matches played from 2019, possibly going on as late as March 2020.
Four of Europe's 13 qualifying places for the 2022 World Cup may also be decided via the top two divisions of the Nations League.... I can't help but feel this is the start of a complete reworking of the way qualification and tournaments work in Europe
TV income is likely to organised in a similar way to the Champions League, with each country being awarded half the value of its Nations League TV rights deal, and the rest shared out across the 54 nations via participation money and match bonuses.
If there's a "big 7" of European football (Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands, Portugal and England), then the chances for at least another heavyweight in England's group are very high. (One of these 7 would though be paired with someone like Greece or Switzerland though.) There are exciting teams in the next "tier" though, like Belgium, Turkey or Croatia, plus in the case of England there are also the home nations rivals. Anyway, the difference between playing the same countries in meaningless and boring friendlies versus playing them in a competitive context set up in groups as tight as those of summer tournaments (compared to qualifying groups) should be obvious, in terms of either excitement generated or quality of football.These 3 home matches will be against lesser teams though. Just as it is now. I don't want the likes of Sweden or Cratia, but Italy, Spain, France, England and the Netherlands.
Had I been English I would be advocating something more similar to the 6 Nations, with a top division of 8 countries that would play each other twice (home and away), with no KO rounds and the winner declared solely based on the table. England does well in qualifiers because of the boost of Wembley and the lack of psychological pressure that you get in a KO match, which is why I think such a format would suit England best. However as a neutral I do prefer a larger top division for more representativity and some KO fixtures for the excitement.
Listening to the great Rio-based pundit Tim Vickery on a regular basis on the BBC's World Football Phone-In, one of the ideas I picked from him is that about the great development (in event size, relevance, public interest, quality of the competition and development of all nations teams but especially the lesser ones like Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia) of NT football in South America since the format where everyone plays everyone home and away on a regular basis, once for each WC cycle. He contrasts the SA format with that of Europe, where very few of the regular international fixtures have the same "weight" of those from SA. This Nations League idea should address exactly this issue.
This is complete bullshit, that I hope players, clubs and fans will rise against.
Instead of getting rid of useless FIFA dates, such as that midweek friendly earlier this month, they want to add more official matches, that will tire the players more, with a competition that only reminds us of the defunct Intertoto cup.
The point of friendlies is to allow national teams to experiment with different players, different configurations, against different teams of different continents.
Nobody knew of this 48 hours ago, and now they have cowardly voted for this league behind closed doors before any third-party could give any sort of critical input about it.
I hope this league fails.
Instead of getting rid of useless FIFA dates, such as that midweek friendly earlier this month, they want to add more official matches, that will tire the players more, with a competition that only reminds us of the defunct Intertoto cup.
The point of friendlies is to allow national teams to experiment with different players, different configurations, against different teams of different continents.
Nobody knew of this 48 hours ago, and now they have cowardly voted for this league behind closed doors before any third-party could give any sort of critical input about it.
I hope this league fails.
G
This has been mooted for a year. And what is a third party going to say when all 54 associations have voted for it? :nuts:Nobody knew of this 48 hours ago, and now they have cowardly voted for this league behind closed doors before any third-party could give any sort of critical input about it.
I hope this league fails.
That's actually a very good point.The point of friendlies is to allow national teams to experiment with different players, different configurations, against different teams of different continents.
It seems look like rugby 6 nations format. At the first look, i don't like this idea. It will decrease popularity in other countries. imho...
It'd make sense if it replaced the actual European Championships, or at least made it every 4 years incorporating it into the European Championship qualifiers.
There just isn't the space in the calendar though. FIFA dates:
September and October - Euro/World Cup qualifiers
November - friendly
February - 1 friendly date
March - Euro/World Cup qualifiers
June - World Cup/European Championship tournament or qualifiers. Then there's the Confederations Cup which would shadow this tournament.
It's a nonsense. The more games they create, the more tournaments they create then it just dilutes everything because fans become bored with it and the players are just shattered anyway so more players are injured and the quality dips.
There just isn't the space in the calendar though. FIFA dates:
September and October - Euro/World Cup qualifiers
November - friendly
February - 1 friendly date
March - Euro/World Cup qualifiers
June - World Cup/European Championship tournament or qualifiers. Then there's the Confederations Cup which would shadow this tournament.
It's a nonsense. The more games they create, the more tournaments they create then it just dilutes everything because fans become bored with it and the players are just shattered anyway so more players are injured and the quality dips.
Well im pretty sure the FA would rather hold 1 champions league final than 3 fairly irrelevant games between neutral nations. The demand for CL final tickets was immense, fans were willing to pay over a grand for seats. You would never get that sort of demand for international friendlies which don't involve England.Really? You think 3 games played at Wembley possibly including Germany, Spain, France and (England) in the space of a week will be less lucrative to the FA than a Champions League final? The final itself will probably have a very similar ticketing structure to a CL final, not to mention the financial windfall of all 3 games taken into account.
Other people's posts have in fact convinced me that this isnt a good idea. Maybe with a little tweaking it might be ok- make it more of a league with no neural games and less importance to the winners.
And Back to my earlier point, how different is this to Euro 2020?
1 - 20 of 110 Posts
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