UEFA Proposes Major Overhaul for European Championship Qualifying System
UEFA is actively considering a significant transformation of the men's European Championship qualifying format, with a model inspired by the Nations League emerging as the leading contender. This potential change, which would likely take effect after the 2028 tournament, aims to address longstanding concerns about the current system's appeal to fans and television broadcasters.
New Format Modeled on Women's World Cup Qualifying
The proposed format would closely resemble the structure currently used for Women's World Cup qualifying in Europe. This approach utilizes the most recent Nations League rankings as its foundation, dividing teams into three leagues before creating groups of four with similarly-ranked opponents. Under this system, group winners from League A would qualify automatically for the European Championship, with an expanded playoff system determining the remaining qualifiers.
Given that 24 teams qualify for the European Championship—compared to just 11 UEFA teams progressing to the Women's World Cup—any new format approved by UEFA would likely feature more direct qualification spots. The Nations League-style scheme is particularly favored by Europe's top football nations, who believe the current qualifying system has become predictable and stale.
Broad Support from Leading Football Associations
The plans were formally presented to UEFA's national team competitions committee on Tuesday and will now be reviewed by individual Football Associations across the continent. These associations will discuss the proposals in smaller groups over the coming days before a final decision is made by the UEFA executive committee in Istanbul ahead of next month's Europa League final.
A working group that includes FA chief executive Mark Bullingham has been studying various options for several months. While finding consensus across Europe's diverse football landscape may prove challenging, there is growing recognition that the current qualifying format has become routine for larger nations, especially since the expansion of finals spots for both European Championships and World Cups.
Alternative Systems Considered and Rejected
Other potential formats have been examined but appear less likely to gain approval. The "Swiss system," recently implemented in the Champions League, remains among the possibilities but is understood to be less favored by broadcasters. While this approach would guarantee smaller nations some high-profile fixtures against top teams, it could still result in mismatches and lacks the appeal of the Nations League model.
Retaining the current qualifying structure will also be discussed during this week's federation meetings, but this option is particularly undesirable to countries like England. The English national team has lost only once in qualifying campaigns for major tournaments since 2009, highlighting the predictability that many believe has diminished fan interest.
Implementation Timeline and Practical Considerations
Importantly, any format change would not increase the total number of matches played. However, sources familiar with the process indicate that the practical implementation of such a change—including necessary agreements with broadcast partners—is unlikely to be finalized before Euro 2028 qualifying begins next March.
The Nations League-style approach would satisfy demand for more competitive matches between Europe's leading football nations, though there are concerns that teams lower in the rankings might feel marginalized. This delicate balance between competitive integrity and commercial appeal will be a central topic in the upcoming discussions between football federations across the continent.
