Credit: @UEFANationsLeague / X

UEFA Nations League 2024-25 Schedule, Fixtures, Rules and Dates

Spain are the reigning UEFA Nations League champions, having defeated Croatia in a penalty shootout to claim the 2023 title.

Credit: @UEFANationsLeague / X

The UEFA Nations League has become one of the most competitive international tournaments in European football. Introduced to replace international friendlies, the tournament featured an updated format for the 2024/25 edition, with an added quarter-final stage and play-offs, making the tournament even more intense.

The UEFA Nations League returns on Thursday, March 20, 2025, with the first legs of the League A/B and League B/C play-offs, along with the quarter-final matchups. The second legs will follow just three days later, on Sunday, March 23, 2025. The winners of the quarter-finals will then progress to the Nations League Finals, set to take place in June 2025.

The UEFA Nations League Finals will be hosted by the winner of the quarter-final clash between Italy and Germany, which adds an extra layer of significance to this highly-anticipated match. Four teams will compete in the final stage, with the semi-finals, third-place play-off, and final set to be played over a five-day period.

125 years of legacy. One legendary jersey ✨

📸 DFB/ Philipp Reinhard pic.twitter.com/NeQWGtdqBl
— German Football (@DFB_Team_EN) March 17, 2025

The German national team has released a special edition kit to mark 125 years of its football history. The German players will wear this iconic anniversary jersey when they face Italy on March 20 in the UEFA Nations League quarter-final.

Knockout Stage Fixtures

Quarter-finals

First Leg – Thursday 20 March 2025
Netherlands vs Spain
Croatia vs France
Denmark vs Portugal
Italy vs Germany

Second Leg – Sunday 23 March 2025
Spain vs Netherlands
France vs Croatia
Portugal vs Denmark
Germany vs Italy

Also read: Gunther took playful jibe at Lamine Yamal, chanted ‘Hala Madrid’ in enemy territory

Semi-finals – Wednesday 4 June or Thursday 5 June 2025
Italy / Germany vs Denmark / Portugal
Netherlands / Spain vs Croatia / France

Third-place match – Sunday 8 June 2025

Final – Sunday 8 June 2025

Play-offs Fixtures

League A/B play-offs -Thursday 20 March 2025
Türkiye vs Hungary
Ukraine vs Belgium
Austria vs Serbia
Greece vs Scotland

Sunday 23 March 2025
Hungary vs Türkiye
Belgium vs Ukraine
Serbia vs Austria
Scotland vs Greece

League B/C Play-offs – Thursday 20 March 2025
Kosovo vs Iceland
Bulgaria vs Republic of Ireland
Armenia vs Georgia
Slovakia vs Slovenia

Sunday 23 March 2025
Iceland vs Kosovo
Republic of Ireland vs Bulgaria
Georgia vs Armenia
Slovenia vs Slovakia

Also read: Real Madrid Warns of Boycott Over Fixture Congestion and Insufficient Rest

League C/D Play-offs – Thursday 26 March 2026
Gibraltar vs Latvia
Malta vs Luxembourg

Tuesday 31 March 2026
Latvia vs Gibraltar
Luxembourg vs Malta

How Will the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League Finals Work?

The 2024/25 UEFA Nations League finals will feature a four-team knockout tournament. This final stage will determine the champion of the fourth edition of the tournament, providing an exciting conclusion to the competition. The semi-finals are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 4, and Thursday, June 5, 2025. The two winners from these matches will progress to the final on Sunday, June 8, 2025, where they will compete for the coveted Nations League trophy. Meanwhile, the two losing semi-finalists will face each other in the third-place play-off, which will also take place on June 8, earlier in the day before the final.

In the UEFA Nations League finals, if a match is level after 90 minutes, the game will go into extra time to determine a winner. Two 15-minute periods of extra time will be played at the end of the second leg, giving both teams an additional 30 minutes to find a decisive goal.

If the score remains tied after extra time, the match will be decided by a penalty shoot-out. Each team will take five penalties, and if the score is still level, the shootout will continue into sudden death until one team emerges victorious.

Previous Winners of UEFA Nations League

2018/19: Portugal

2020/21: France

2022/23: Spain

UEFA Nations League

Abhinav Goel

soccer

I am a soccer writer at The PlayOffs, covering everything from match analysis to transfer buzz and tactical deep dives. Ever since I was a kid, soccer has been more than just a sport to me—it’s been an obsession. Playing and watching the game from a young age fueled my passion, eventually leading me into the world of sports media and betting. Now, I get to analyze the sport I love and bring the latest updates to fans worldwide.