BRUSSELS (AP) — On Thursday, European champions Spain were placed in the same group as England and Croatia for the next Nations League.
The Czech Republic completed the most testing game of the top four groups in Ligue A.
Spain and England are ranked 1st and 4th respectively in the FIFA rankings and faced each other in the Euro 2024 final. spain won. Croatia reached the semi-finals in each of the last two World Cups.
Nations League defending champion Portugal It was grouped with Denmark, Norway and Wales.
France drew with Italy, Belgium and Türkiye.
The other League A groups include Germany, Netherlands, Serbia and Greece.
The group phase of the 2026-27 Nations League will be held from September to November. The top two teams in the League A group will play the quarter-finals in March 2027, followed by the final tournament in June.
Ireland and Israel are drawn together
Ireland and Israel are in the same group in League B, so tensions could arise.
The Irish Football Federation resolved to submit a motion to UEFA in November. ban israel From a tournament sponsored by Europe’s governing body for soccer.
The Irish Football Association cited two alleged violations of UEFA regulations by the Israeli Football Association. The first is “the organization of a club in the Occupied Palestinian Territories without the consent of the Palestinian Football Federation,” and the second is “the IFA’s alleged failure to implement an effective anti-racism policy.”
Complete lottery
League A
Group A1: France, Italy, Belgium, Türkiye
Group A2: Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, Greece
Group A3: Spain, Croatia, England, Czech Republic
Group A4: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Wales
League B
Group B1: Scotland, Switzerland, Slovenia, North Macedonia
Group B2: Hungary, Ukraine, Georgia, Northern Ireland
Group B3: Israel, Austria, Ireland, Kosovo
Group B4: Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Sweden
League C
Group C1: Albania, Finland, Belarus, San Marino
Group C2: Montenegro, Armenia, Cyprus, Latvia/Gibraltar
Group C3: Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Faroe Islands, Moldova
Group C4: Iceland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Luxembourg/Malta
League D
Group D1: Latvia/Gibraltar, Luxembourg/Malta, Andorra
Group D2: Lithuania, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
