Today the Maltese National football Team will start its adventure in the new UEFA Nations League.
The rejuvenation of national team football – and the UEFA Nations League – stems from the desire of UEFA and its 55 member associations to improve the quality and standing of national team football. UEFA and its associations wanted more sporting meaning in national team football, with associations, coaches, players and supporters increasingly of the opinion that friendly matches are not providing adequate competition for national teams.
Extensive consultation and discussions started as far back as the 2011 UEFA Strategy Meeting in Cyprus and continued at a series of Top Executive Programme (TEP) meetings over the following three years. The UEFA Nations League was unanimously adopted at the XXXVIII Ordinary UEFA Congress in Astana on 27 March 2014.
The format of the UEFA Nations League features promotion and relegation. The 55 European national teams have been divided into four leagues in accordance with UEFA’s national association coefficient rankings on 11 October 2017.
Here is what you need to know about the new competition thanks to AIPS Media.
In the meantime here are the results of the matches on Thursday 6 September. These were part of Match Day 1 which will extend till Saturday.
League A
Group A1: Germany 0-0 France
League B
Group B1: Czech Republic 1-2 Ukraine Group B4: Wales 4-1 Republic of Ireland
League C
Group C3: Slovenia 1-2 Bulgaria , Norway 2-0 Cyprus
League D
Group D1: Kazakhstan 0-2 Georgia , Latvia 0-0 Andorra Armenia 2-1 Liechtenstein , Gibraltar 0-2 FYR Macedonia
Friday 7 September
League A Italy v Poland (20:45)
League B Turkey v Russia (20:45)
League C Albania v Israel (20:45)Lithuania v Serbia (20:45), Romania v Montenegro (20:45)
League D Azerbaijan v Kosovo (18:00), Faroe Islands v Malta (20:45)
League A Switzerland v Iceland (18:00)England v Spain (20:45)
League B Northern Ireland v Bosnia and Herzegovina (15:00)
League C Finland v Hungary (18:00), Estonia v Greece (20:45)
League D Belarus v San Marino (18:00), Luxembourg v Moldova (20:45)
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