Italy, Belgium and Israel. The French football team inherited the strongest group in the next Nations League, during the draw carried out on Thursday February 8 in Paris. Didier Deschamps’ players, in full preparations for the Euro, which will take place from June 14 to July 14 in Germany, will participate in this competition from September 5, before embarking on the qualifications for the 2026 World Cup in United States, Canada and Mexico.
Placed in the third hat of League A due to its poor performance in the previous edition, the French team will have a complicated group phase.
The formula of the League of Nations, which the Blues won in 2021, has evolved a little compared to the three previous editions since now the first two of the four groups of League A will play quarter-finals (first leg on March 20, 2025, return on March 25, 2025) of which the four winners will play a four-way final (June 4 to 8, 2025).
A 3rd place synonymous with a jump-off
Unlike previous years, France will have to play the game until the end since this time a possible 3rd place – as in 2022 – will no longer guarantee them a stay in League A. In this scenario, they will have to go through a play-off ( in March 2025) against the runners-up in the League B groups to maintain their position in the continental elite.
In the other League A groups drawn on Thursday, Portugal, winner of the first edition, finds itself with Croatia, third in the 2022 world championship, Poland and Scotland. Title holders Spain will face Denmark, Switzerland and Serbia.
In League B, England and the Republic of Ireland will face each other in official competition for the first time since 1991. Their last clash (1-1) took place at Wembley in qualifying for Euro-1992.
A friendly match in 1995 at Lansdowne Road had to be abandoned mid-game after disturbances caused by supporters. The two teams last met in a friendly in November 2020 (3-0 for England).
