UEFA will join hands with CONMEBOL to expand the Nations League to include South American teams starting from 2024. The move will counter FIFA’s plan to switch the World Cup to a biennial schedule.
UEFA vice-president Zbigniew Boniek confirmed that plans are in place to expand the Nations League to include South American nations from 2024. Jointly with CONMEBOL – the South American football association – UEFA’s move to grow the Nations League comes at a time when the two associations are fighting against FIFA and its proposed plan to shift the World Cup to a biennial schedule.
Boniek confirmed that conversations have already taken place between the two associations about the same.
“This is the last UEFA Nations League in this format,”
“We had a meeting with CONMEBOL, the confederation of South American countries. From 2024, teams from this continent will join the competition.
“In what format will it be? We’re still working on it. The schedule of matches for the national teams is restricted so you can’t mix it up too much.”
he said.
In terms of the structure, reports indicate that League A will hold the six best-ranked CONMEBOL sides, including Brazil and Argentina.
Meanwhile, the remaining four teams will join League B. All the matches will take place in Europe and will likely use the international windows FIFA has earmarked for its proposed biennial World Cup cycle. Furthermore, the suggested UEFA-CONMEBOL merger will also act as a deterrence for FIFA’s own planned Global Nations League – a Confederations Cup-style tournament for the winners of all continental nations leagues.
Presently, the draw for the 2022 edition of the UEFA Nations League has taken place, pitting 2021 winners France against Denmark, Croatia, and Austria. Meanwhile, runners-up Spain have been drawn alongside 2020 winners Portugal, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.
Furthermore, Italy, who won the Euro 2020 and made it to the semi-finals of the subsequent Nations League, will have to face England, Germany, and Hungary in the group of death.
