The 2024-25 Nations League explained

The Nations League returns this week, entering the play-off and knockout stages of the competition.

The group stage of the new-look tournament concluded in November.

Eight teams remain in the main draw, where they will compete to win the tournament itself.

The play-offs will determine whether teams are promoted or relegated from their respective groups.

Confused? Let us explain...

In League A - the top tier of the Nations League - the teams finishing first and second in each of the four groups progressed to the quarter-finals.

The eight teams were drawn against one another to play two-legged last-eight ties, with the teams listed first playing at home in the opening leg.

The draw is as follows:

Netherlands v Spain

Croatia v France

Italy v Germany

Denmark v Portugal

England and Northern Ireland finished as group winners, earning them promotion to Group A and Group B respectively.

The Three Lions secured automatic promotion to League A after winning their group and are therefore not involved in the next round of the Nations League.

The same applies to Wales, who reached the top tier of the competition in November.

Scotland are the only home nation remaining in the tournament, while the Republic of Ireland are also in the play-offs.

The play-offs run at the same time as the quarter-finals.

These ties will have teams who finished third in League A playing two-legged ties against second-placed sides from League B, with the winner securing a place in League A.

The third-place teams in League B will face second-placed teams in League C. Again, the winner earns a place in League B.

Finally, the two nations who finished bottom in League C with the best record will play the runners-up of League D.

Georgia v Armenia

Slovenia v Slovakia

Iceland v Kosovo

Republic of Ireland v Bulgaria

Serbia v Austria

Scotland v Greece

Hungary v Turkey

Belgium v Ukraine

The first legs of the play-offs and quarter-finals are on 20 March, with the second legs taking place three days later on 23 March.

The quarter-final winners will progress to the semi-finals which are single matches that will take place on 4 and 5 June 2025.

Four teams will qualify for a play-off to reach the World Cup via the Nations League.

They are the four best-ranked group winners who do not go on to finish in the top two of their World Cup qualifying group next year.

With teams in the top Nations League division highly likely to qualify for the World Cup through European qualifying - and many teams in the second tier too - it gives an extra incentive for teams across Leagues B and C.

By finishing top of Group B2, England are extremely likely to have a World Cup play-off spot banked, with the same situation facing Group B4 winners Wales.

Northern Ireland top C3, which gives them at least a chance, but Scotland are not in the running to get a play-off spot through the Nations League.

The four teams who get into the play-offs via the Nations League will be put in with the 12 teams who finish second in their World Cup qualifying groups - with four spots for 2026 up for grabs.

Seedings for the World Cup qualifying groups will largely be decided by Fifa world rankings, not Nations League finishes.

The exception is that the top seeds will be drawn out of the teams who finish in the top two of each League A group - plus the four top countries by world rankings.

England's world ranking of fourth - third in Europe - means they are highly likely to be top seeds despite not having been in League A.