2018–19 UEFA Nations League C

2018–19 UEFA Nations League C
Tournament details
Dates 6 September – 20 November 2018
Teams 15
Tournament statistics
Matches played 22
Goals scored 39 (1.77 per match)
Attendance 87,000 (3,955 per match)
Top scorer(s) Serbia Aleksandar Mitrović (4 goals)

The 2018–19 UEFA Nations League C is the third division of the 2018–19 edition of the UEFA Nations League, the inaugural season of the international football competition involving the men's national teams of the 55 member associations of UEFA.[1]

Format

League C will consist of 15 UEFA members ranked from 25–39, to be split into four groups (one group of three and three groups of four). The winners of each group will be promoted to the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League B, and the bottom four ranked teams will be relegated to the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League D (the bottom teams of Group 2, 3, and 4, along with the lowest ranked third-placed team of League C).[2]

In addition, League C will be allocated one of the four remaining UEFA Euro 2020 places. Four teams from League C which have not already qualified for the European Championship finals will compete in the play-offs for each division, to be played in March 2020. The play-off berths will be first allocated to the group winners, and if any of the group winners have already qualified for the European Championship finals, then to the next best ranked team of the division, etc. If there are fewer than four teams in League C which have not already qualified for the European Championship finals, the play-off berths will be allocated via one of two methods. If League C has a group winner selected for the play-offs, the next best team in the overall ranking from a lower league will be selected. If League C has no group winner available, the best team in the overall ranking will be selected. The play-offs will consist of two "one-off" semi-finals (best-ranked team vs. fourth best-ranked team and second best-ranked team vs. third best-ranked team, played at home of higher-ranked teams) and one "one-off" final between the two semi-final winners (venue drawn in advance between semi-final 1 and 2).[3][4]

Seeding

Teams will be allocated to League C according to their UEFA national team coefficients after the conclusion of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying group stage on 11 October 2017. Teams will be split into four pots (three pots of four teams and one pot of the three lowest teams), ordered based on their UEFA national team coefficient.[5][6] The group with three teams will contain teams only from pots 1, 2, and 3. The seeding pots for the draw were announced on 7 December 2017.[7]

Pot 1
Team Coeff Rank
 Hungary 26,486 25
 Romania 26,057 26
 Scotland 25,662 27
 Slovenia 25,148 28
Pot 2
Team Coeff Rank
 Greece 24,931 29
 Serbia 24,847 30
 Albania 24,430 31
 Norway 24,208 32
Pot 3
Team Coeff Rank
 Montenegro 23,912 33
 Israel 22,792 34
 Bulgaria 22,091 35
 Finland 20,501 36
Pot 4
Team Coeff Rank
 Cyprus 19,491 37
 Estonia 19,441 38
 Lithuania 18,101 39

The group draw took place at the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne, Switzerland on 24 January 2018, 12:00 CET.[8][9][10][11][12] Due to winter venue restrictions, a group could only contain a maximum of two of the following teams: Norway, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania.[13]

Groups

The fixture list was confirmed by UEFA on 24 January 2018 following the draw.[14][15]

Times are CET/CEST,[note 1] as listed by UEFA (local times, if different, are in parentheses).

Group 1

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation Israel Scotland Albania
1  Israel 3 2 0 1 4 2 +2 6 Promotion to League B — 2–1 2–0
2  Scotland 2 1 0 1 3 2 +1 3[lower-alpha 1] 20 Nov — 2–0
3  Albania 3 1 0 2 1 4 −3 3[lower-alpha 1] Possible relegation to League D[lower-alpha 2] 1–0 17 Nov —
Updated to match(es) played on 14 October 2018. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Head-to-head points: Scotland 3, Albania 0.
  2. ↑ The lowest ranked third-placed team of Nations League C will be relegated to League D.
Albania  1–0  Israel
 Report
Attendance: 4,126[16]
Scotland  2–0  Albania
 Report
Attendance: 17,455[17]
Referee: Matej Jug (Slovenia)
Israel  2–1  Scotland
 Report
Referee: Daniel Stefański (Poland)
Israel  v  Albania
Report
Albania  v  Scotland
Report
Scotland  v  Israel
Report

Group 2

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation Finland Greece Hungary Estonia
1  Finland 4 4 0 0 5 0 +5 12 Promotion to League B — 2–0 1–0 1–0
2  Greece 4 2 0 2 3 4 −1 6 15 Nov — 1–0 18 Nov
3  Hungary 4 1 1 2 5 6 −1 4 Possible relegation to League D[lower-alpha 1] 18 Nov 2–1 — 15 Nov
4  Estonia 4 0 1 3 3 6 −3 1 Relegation to League D 0–1 0–1 3–3 —
Updated to match(es) played on 15 October 2018. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ↑ The lowest ranked third-placed team of Nations League C will be relegated to League D.
Finland  1–0  Hungary
 Report
Attendance: 10,220[18]
Estonia  0–1  Greece
Report
Attendance: 5,567[19]
Hungary  2–1  Greece
 Report
Attendance: 0[note 2]
Finland  1–0  Estonia
 Report
Attendance: 4,632[21]
Greece  1–0  Hungary
 Report
Estonia  0–1  Finland
Report
Estonia  v  Hungary
Report
Finland  v  Greece
Report
Referee: Paweł Gil (Poland)
Hungary  v  Estonia
Report
Greece  v  Finland
Report
Hungary  v  Finland
Report
Greece  v  Estonia
Report

Group 3

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation Bulgaria Norway Cyprus Slovenia
1  Bulgaria 3 3 0 0 5 2 +3 9 Promotion to League B — 1–0 2–1 19 Nov
2  Norway 3 2 0 1 3 1 +2 6 16 Oct — 2–0 1–0
3  Cyprus 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 3 Possible relegation to League D[lower-alpha 1] 16 Nov 19 Nov — 2–1
4  Slovenia 3 0 0 3 2 5 −3 0 Relegation to League D 1–2 16 Nov 16 Oct —
Updated to match(es) played on 13 October 2018. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ↑ The lowest ranked third-placed team of Nations League C will be relegated to League D.
Slovenia  1–2  Bulgaria
 Report
Attendance: 5,100[22]
Referee: Davide Massa (Italy)
Norway  2–0  Cyprus
 Report
Attendance: 6,572[23]
Bulgaria  1–0  Norway
 Report
Attendance: 7,100[24]
Referee: Daniel Stefański (Poland)
Cyprus  2–1  Slovenia
 Report
Attendance: 1,115[25]
Norway  1–0  Slovenia
 Report
Bulgaria  2–1  Cyprus
 Report
Referee: Srđan Jovanović (Serbia)
Norway  v  Bulgaria
Report
Slovenia  v  Cyprus
Report
Referee: Mads-Kristoffer Kristoffersen (Denmark)
Cyprus  v  Bulgaria
Report
Slovenia  v  Norway
Report
Bulgaria  v  Slovenia
Report
Cyprus  v  Norway
Report

Group 4

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation Serbia Montenegro Romania Lithuania
1  Serbia 4 2 2 0 5 2 +3 8 Promotion to League B — 17 Nov 2–2 20 Nov
2  Montenegro 4 2 1 1 6 3 +3 7 0–2 — 20 Nov 2–0
3  Romania 4 1 3 0 4 3 +1 6 Possible relegation to League D[lower-alpha 1] 0–0 0–0 — 17 Nov
4  Lithuania 4 0 0 4 2 9 −7 0 Relegation to League D 0–1 1–4 1–2 —
Updated to match(es) played on 14 October 2018. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ↑ The lowest ranked third-placed team of Nations League C will be relegated to League D.
Lithuania  0–1  Serbia
Report
Attendance: 4,378[26]
Romania  0–0  Montenegro
Report
Attendance: 0[note 3]
Serbia  2–2  Romania
 Report
Attendance: 15,496[28]
Montenegro  2–0  Lithuania
 Report
Attendance: 5,239[29]
Lithuania  1–2  Romania
 Report
Referee: François Letexier (France)
Montenegro  0–2  Serbia
Report
Romania  0–0  Serbia
Report
Lithuania  v  Montenegro
Report
Serbia  v  Montenegro
Report
Romania  v  Lithuania
Report
Serbia  v  Lithuania
Report
Montenegro  v  Romania
Report

Ranking of third-placed teams

Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Relegation
1 C4  Romania 3 0 3 0 2 2 0 3
2 C2  Hungary 3 1 0 2 2 3 −1 3
3 C1  Albania 3 1 0 2 1 4 −3 3
4 C3  Cyprus 2 0 0 2 1 4 −3 0 Relegation to League D
Updated to match(es) played on 15 October 2018. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Counting only matches against teams ranked first and second in the group, 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Away goals scored; 5) Wins; 6) Away wins; 7) Disciplinary points; 8) UEFA national team coefficient.

Goalscorers

There have been 39 goals scored in 22 matches, for an average of 1.77 goals per match.

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Overall ranking

The 15 League C teams will be ranked 25th to 39th overall in the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League according to the following rules:[2]

  • The teams finishing first in the groups will be ranked 25th to 28th according to the results of the league phase, not taking into account results against the fourth-placed teams.
  • The teams finishing second in the groups will be ranked 29th to 32nd according to the results of the league phase, not taking into account results against the fourth-placed teams.
  • The teams finishing third in the groups will be ranked 33rd to 36th according to the results of the league phase, not taking into account results against the fourth-placed teams.
  • The teams finishing fourth in the groups will be ranked 37th to 39th according to the results of the league phase, taking into account all results.
Rnk Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
25 C2  Finland 2 2 0 0 3 0 +3 6
26 C1  Israel 3 2 0 1 4 2 +2 6
27 C3  Bulgaria 2 2 0 0 3 1 +2 6
28 C4  Serbia 3 1 2 0 4 2 +2 5
29 C1  Scotland 2 1 0 1 3 2 +1 3
30 C3  Norway 2 1 0 1 2 1 +1 3
31 C2  Greece 3 1 0 2 2 4 −2 3
32 C4  Montenegro 2 0 1 1 0 2 −2 1
33 C4  Romania 3 0 3 0 2 2 0 3
34 C2  Hungary 3 1 0 2 2 3 −1 3
35 C1  Albania 3 1 0 2 1 4 −3 3
36 C3  Cyprus 2 0 0 2 1 4 −3 0
37 C2  Estonia 4 0 1 3 3 6 −3 1
38 C3  Slovenia 3 0 0 3 2 5 −3 0
39 C4  Lithuania 4 0 0 4 2 9 −7 0
Updated to match(es) played on 15 October 2018. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Ranking criteria

Prize money

The prize money to be distributed was announced in March 2018.[30] Each team in League C will receive a solidarity fee of €750,000. In addition, the four group winners will receive double this amount with a €750,000 bonus fee. This means that the maximum amount of solidarity and bonus fees for a team from League C is €1.5 million.

Qualifying play-offs

The four best teams in League C according to the overall ranking that have not qualified for UEFA Euro 2020 through the qualifying group stage will compete in the play-offs, with the winners qualifying for the final tournament. If there are fewer than four teams in League C that have not qualified, the remaining slots are allocated to teams from another league, according to the overall ranking.

Teams guaranteed at least play-offs
(may still qualify directly)
Team Type
Group winners
Group winners
Group winners
Group winners

Notes

  1. ↑ CET (UTC+1) for matches in November 2018, and CEST (UTC+2) for all other matches.
  2. ↑ The Hungary v Greece match was played behind closed doors due to a UEFA punishment against Hungary for racist behaviour in their UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying home match against Romania.[20]
  3. ↑ The Romania v Montenegro match was played behind closed doors due to a UEFA punishment against Romania for racist behaviour in their UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying home match against Greece.[27]

References

  1. ↑ "UEFA Nations League receives associations' green light". UEFA. 27 March 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Regulations of the UEFA Nations League 2018/19" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  3. ↑ "UEFA Nations League format and schedule approved". UEFA.com. 4 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "UEFA Nations League format and schedule confirmed". UEFA. 4 December 2014.
  5. ↑ "Confirmed: How the UEFA Nations League will line up". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  6. ↑ "National Team Coefficients Overview" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  7. ↑ "UEFA Nations League draw seedings confirmed". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  8. ↑ "UEFA Nations League format confirmed". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 20 September 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  9. ↑ "All you need to know: UEFA Nations League draw". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 17 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  10. ↑ "League Phase Draw Press Kit" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 22 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Group stage draw". UEFA.com. 24 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "UEFA Nations League 2018/19 League Phase draw". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "UEFA Nations League 2018/19 – League Phase Draw Procedure" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  14. ↑ "UEFA Nations League calendar: all the fixtures". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  15. ↑ "UEFA Nations League 2018/19: Fixtures List – League Phase" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  16. ↑ "Albania 1–0 Israel". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  17. ↑ "Scotland 2–0 Albania". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  18. ↑ "Finland 1–0 Hungary". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  19. ↑ "Estonia 0–1 Greece". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  20. ↑ "Zárt kapus lesz a magyar csapat első hazai meccse" [Closed gate the first home match of the Hungarian team]. Origo.hu (in Hungarian). New Wave Media Group. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  21. ↑ "Finland 1–0 Estonia". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  22. ↑ "Slovenia 1–2 Bulgaria". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  23. ↑ "Norway 2–0 Cyprus". livescore.net. LiveScore. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  24. ↑ "Bulgaria 1–0 Norway". livescore.net. LiveScore. 9 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  25. ↑ "Cyprus 2–1 Slovenia". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  26. ↑ "Lithuania 0–1 Serbia". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  27. ↑ "A fost stabilit țintarul din Liga Națiunilor: România debutează acasă, fără spectatori!" [The draw of the Nations League is set: Romania starts at home without spectators!]. gsp.ro (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  28. ↑ "Serbia 2–2 Romania". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  29. ↑ "Montenegro 2–0 Lithuania". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  30. ↑ "UEFA Nations League solidarity and bonus fees". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
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