2026–27 UEFA Nations League B
International football competition
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The 2026–27 UEFA Nations League B is the second division of the 2026–27 edition of the UEFA Nations League, the fifth season of the international football competition involving the men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA.
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 24 September – 17 November 2026 |
| Teams | 16 |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 32 |
| Goals scored | 71 (2.22 per match) |
| Attendance | 721,463 (22,546 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | (4 goals each) |
← 2024–25 2028–29 →
All statistics correct as of 6 October 2026. | |
Format
League B consists of 16 UEFA members ranked from 17–32 in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League final overall ranking, split into four groups of four. Each team will play six matches within their group, using the home-and-away round-robin format on matchdays in September, October and November 2026.[1] The winners of each group will be promoted to the 2028–29 UEFA Nations League A. In addition, the second-placed teams of each group will participate in promotion play-offs against a third or fourth-placed team from League A, while the League B fourth-placed teams will participate in relegation play-offs against the second-placed teams from League C, both taking place in March 2027. In the play-offs, teams from the higher leagues will host the second leg, with the winners of each tie participating in the higher league for the next Nations League season, while the losers will enter the lower league.[2]
Originally, the format for promotion and relegation would have involved only the last-placed teams in Leagues A and B being relegated. The promotion/relegation play-offs would have concerned all third-placed teams in Leagues A and B and all runners-up in Leagues B and C, with extra play-offs concerning the two best last-places in League C to be held in March 2028. However, due to the changes scheduled for the 2028–29 UEFA Nations League, in which the competition will be reduced from four leagues to three leagues of 18 teams, promotion/relegation was rebalanced to make all three upcoming leagues be at 18 teams.[3]
Teams
League B includes sixteen teams based on the results of the 2024–25 season: the four group fourth-placed teams from League A, the four losers of the League A/B play-offs, the four group winners from League C and the four winners of the League B/C play-offs.
Team changes
The following were the team changes in League B from the 2024–25 season:[4][5]
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Seeding
The teams were seeded for the league phase based on the 2024–25 Nations League final overall ranking, considering promotion and relegation between the leagues.[6][7]
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The draw for the league phase took place in Brussels, Belgium, on 12 February 2026, 18:00 CET.[8][9] Groups were drawn to contain one team from each pot. For political reasons, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Kosovo was considered a prohibited clash, and thus those teams were unable to be drawn into the same group.[10]
Groups
The fixture list was confirmed by UEFA on 13 February 2026, the day following the draw.[11][12]
Times are CET/CEST,[note 1] as listed by UEFA (local times, if different, are in parentheses).
Group 1
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or qualification | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | +10 | 12 | Promotion to League A | — | 2–1 | 16 Nov | 3–0 | ||
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 7 | Qualification for promotion play-offs | 13 Nov | — | 0–0 | 2–0 | ||
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 4 | 0–3 | 1–2 | — | 13 Nov | |||
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | −10 | 0 | Qualification for relegation play-offs | 0–3 | 16 Nov | 0–2 | — |
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(W) Can at least reach promotion play-offs; (X) Safe from relegation; (Y) Can at best reach promotion play-offs; (Z) Cannot be promoted
Group 2
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or qualification | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 8 | Promotion to League A | — | 0–0 | 14 Nov | 0–0 | ||
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 7 | Qualification for promotion play-offs | 17 Nov | — | 0–1 | 1–0 | ||
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 4 | 0–3 | 1–2 | — | 17 Nov | |||
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 2 | Qualification for relegation play-offs | 0–1 | 14 Nov | 0–0 | — |
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(X) Safe from relegation; (Y) Can at best reach promotion play-offs
| Georgia | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | S. Charles |
Group 3
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or qualification | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 8 | Promotion to League A | — | 3–1 | 14 Nov | 3–1 | ||
| 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 5 | Qualification for promotion play-offs | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 14 Nov | ||
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 5 | 2–2 | 17 Nov | — | 1–1 | |||
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 2 | Qualification for relegation play-offs | 17 Nov | 0–0 | 0–3 | — |
| Kosovo | 1–0 | |
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Report |
| Austria | 3–1 | |
|---|---|---|
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Report |
| Republic of Ireland | 2–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
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Group 4
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or qualification | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 10 | Promotion to League A | — | 14 Nov | 3–1 | 2–1 | ||
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 8 | Qualification for promotion play-offs | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 17 Nov | ||
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 4 | 17 Nov | 0–0 | — | 6–0 | |||
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 13 | −10 | 0 | Qualification for relegation play-offs | 0–1 | 2–4 | 14 Nov | — |
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(X) Safe from relegation; (Y) Can at best reach promotion play-offs; (Z) Cannot be promoted
| Romania | 2–4 | |
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| Report |
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| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1–1 | |
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Report |
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Goalscorers
There have been 71 goals scored in 32 matches, for an average of 2.22 goals per match (as of 6 October 2026).
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
Junior Adamu
David Affengruber
Carney Chukwuemeka
Michael Gregoritsch
Saša Kalajdžić
Christoph Lang
Phillipp Mwene
Alexander Prass
Romano Schmid
Kerim Alajbegović
Ivan Bašić
Armin Gigović
Ermin Mahmić
Tarik Muharemović
Haris Tabaković
Márk Csinger
Milos Kerkez
Milán Tóth
Sayed Abu Farchi
Dor Peretz
Fisnik Asllani
Vedat Muriqi
Edon Zhegrova
Shea Charles
Isaac Price
Jan Bednarek
Sebastian Szymański
Piotr Zieliński
Adam Idah
Jack Moylan
Daniel Bîrligea
Alexandru Cicâldău
Dennis Man
Kieron Bowie
Ryan Christie
John McGinn
Sandi Lovrić
Danijel Šturm
Žan Vipotnik
Yasin Ayari
Alexander Isak
Benjamin Nygren
Nico Elvedi
Remo Freuler
Johan Manzambi
Fabian Rieder
Ricardo Rodriguez
Danylo Sikan
Roman Yaremchuk
1 own goal
Virgil Ghiță (against Poland)
Erik Janža (against Switzerland)
Overall ranking
Following the league phase, the 16 League B teams will be ordered 17th to 32nd in an interim overall ranking for the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League according to the following rules:[2]
- The teams finishing first in the groups will be ranked 17th to 20th according to the results of the league phase.
- The teams finishing second in the groups will be ranked 21st to 24th according to the results of the league phase.
- The teams finishing third in the groups will be ranked 25th to 28th according to the results of the league phase.
- The teams finishing fourth in the groups will be ranked 29th to 32nd according to the results of the league phase.
| Rnk | Grp | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | B1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | +10 | 12 | |
| 18 | B4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 10 | |
| 19 | B3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 8 | |
| 20 | B2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 8 | |
| 21 | B4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 8 | |
| 22 | B1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 7 | |
| 23 | B2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 7 | |
| 24 | B3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 5 | |
| 25 | B3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 5 | |
| 26 | B4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 4 | |
| 27 | B1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 4 | |
| 28 | B2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 4 | |
| 29 | B2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 2 | |
| 30 | B3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 2 | |
| 31 | B4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 13 | −10 | 0 | |
| 32 | B1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | −10 | 0 |
Rules for classification: Ranking criteria
A final overall ranking will also be compiled, though this is only used to rank teams within their new leagues for the following edition of the competition.[2]
Notes
- Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine are required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.[26]
- Due to the Middle Eastern crisis, Israel are required to play their home matches at neutral venues.[33]
- Following a request from the Football Association of Ireland, the Republic of Ireland v Israel match was played at a neutral venue and behind closed doors due to safety concerns.
- The Romania v Bosnia and Herzegovina match was played behind closed doors due to punishment from UEFA following fan misconduct.