2018–19 UEFA Nations League B

2018–19 UEFA Nations League B
Tournament details
Dates 6 September – 20 November 2018
Teams 12
Tournament statistics
Matches played 12
Goals scored 27 (2.25 per match)
Attendance 128,713 (10,726 per match)
Top scorer(s) Czech Republic Patrik Schick
Denmark Christian Eriksen
Turkey Emre Akbaba
(2 goals each)

The 2018–19 UEFA Nations League B is the second 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 B consists of 12 UEFA members ranked from 13–24, split into four groups of three. The winners of each group will be promoted to the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A, and the third-placed team of each group will be relegated to the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League C.[2]

In addition, League B will be allocated one of the four remaining UEFA Euro 2020 places. Four teams from League B 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 B which have not already qualified for the European Championship finals, the play-off berths will be allocated via one of two methods. If League B 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 B 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 were allocated to League B according to their UEFA national team coefficients after the conclusion of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying group stage on 11 October 2017. Teams were split into three pots of four teams, ordered based on their UEFA national team coefficient.[5][6] The seeding pots for the draw were announced on 7 December 2017.[7]

Pot 1
Team Coeff Rank
 Austria 29,418 13
 Wales 29,269 14
 Russia 29,258 15
 Slovakia 28,555 16
Pot 2
Team Coeff Rank
 Sweden 28,487 17
 Ukraine 28,286 18
 Republic of Ireland 28,249 19
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 28,200 20
Pot 3
Team Coeff Rank
 Northern Ireland 27,127 21
 Denmark 27,052 22
 Czech Republic 27,028 23
 Turkey 26,538 24

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] For political reasons, Russia and Ukraine could not be drawn into the same group (due to the Russian military intervention in Ukraine).[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 Ukraine Czech Republic Slovakia
1  Ukraine 2 2 0 0 3 1 +2 6 Promotion to League A — 16 Oct 1–0
2  Czech Republic 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3 1–2 — 19 Nov
3  Slovakia 2 0 0 2 1 3 −2 0 Relegation to League C 16 Nov 1–2 —
Updated to match(es) played on 13 October 2018. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Czech Republic  1–2  Ukraine
 Report
Attendance: 7,974[16]
Ukraine  1–0  Slovakia
 Report
Attendance: 0[note 3]
Slovakia  1–2  Czech Republic
 Report
Ukraine  v  Czech Republic
Report
Slovakia  v  Ukraine
Report
Czech Republic  v  Slovakia
Report

Group 2

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation Russia Turkey Sweden
1  Russia 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 7 Promotion to League A — 2–0 0–0
2  Turkey 3 1 0 2 4 6 −2 3 1–2 — 17 Nov
3  Sweden 2 0 1 1 2 3 −1 1 Relegation to League C 20 Nov 2–3 —
Updated to match(es) played on 14 October 2018. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Turkey  1–2  Russia
 Report
Attendance: 29,702[18]
Sweden  2–3  Turkey
 Report
Attendance: 21,832[19]
Russia  0–0  Sweden
Report
Attendance: 31,698[20]
Referee: Luca Banti (Italy)
Russia  v  Turkey
Report
Referee: Paweł Raczkowski (Poland)
Turkey  v  Sweden
Report
Sweden  v  Russia
Report

Group 3

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation Bosnia and Herzegovina Austria Northern Ireland
1  Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 3 0 0 5 1 +4 9 Promotion to League A — 1–0 2–0
2  Austria 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 3 15 Nov — 1–0
3  Northern Ireland 3 0 0 3 1 5 −4 0 Relegation to League C 1–2 18 Nov —
Updated to match(es) played on 15 October 2018. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Northern Ireland  1–2  Bosnia and Herzegovina
 Report
Attendance: 16,942[21]
Bosnia and Herzegovina  1–0  Austria
 Report
Attendance: 9,100[22]
Referee: Ruddy Buquet (France)
Austria  1–0  Northern Ireland
 Report
Bosnia and Herzegovina  v  Northern Ireland
Report
Austria  v  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Report
Northern Ireland  v  Austria
Report

Group 4

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation Denmark Wales Republic of Ireland
1  Denmark 2 1 1 0 2 0 +2 4 Promotion to League A — 2–0 19 Nov
2  Wales 2 1 0 1 4 3 +1 3 16 Nov — 4–1
3  Republic of Ireland 2 0 1 1 1 4 −3 1 Relegation to League C 0–0 16 Oct —
Updated to match(es) played on 13 October 2018. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Wales  4–1  Republic of Ireland
 Report
Attendance: 25,657[23]
Denmark  2–0  Wales
 Report
Attendance: 17,506[24]
Republic of Ireland  0–0  Denmark
Report
Attendance: 41,220 [25]
Republic of Ireland  v  Wales
Report
Wales  v  Denmark
Report
Denmark  v  Republic of Ireland
Report

Goalscorers

There have been 27 goals scored in 12 matches, for an average of 2.25 goals per match.

2 goals

1 goal

Overall ranking

The 12 League B teams will be ranked 13th to 24th overall in the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League according to the following rules:[2]

  • The teams finishing first in the groups will be ranked 13th to 16th according to the results of the league phase.
  • The teams finishing second in the groups will be ranked 17th to 20th according to the results of the league phase.
  • The teams finishing third in the groups will be ranked 21st to 24th according to the results of the league phase.
Rnk Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
13 B3  Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 3 0 0 5 1 +4 9
14 B2  Russia 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 7
15 B1  Ukraine 2 2 0 0 3 1 +2 6
16 B4  Denmark 2 1 1 0 2 0 +2 4
17 B4  Wales 2 1 0 1 4 3 +1 3
18 B1  Czech Republic 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3
19 B3  Austria 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 3
20 B2  Turkey 3 1 0 2 4 6 −2 3
21 B2  Sweden 2 0 1 1 2 3 −1 1
22 B4  Republic of Ireland 2 0 1 1 1 4 −3 1
23 B1  Slovakia 2 0 0 2 1 3 −2 0
24 B3  Northern Ireland 3 0 0 3 1 5 −4 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.[26] Each team in League B will receive a solidarity fee of €1 million. In addition, the four group winners will receive double this amount with a €1M bonus fee. This means that the maximum amount of solidarity and bonus fees for a team from League B is €2M.

Qualifying play-offs

The four best teams in League B 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 B 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 Czech Republic v Ukraine match, originally scheduled for 20:45 CEST, was delayed to 21:00 CEST due to floodlight failure.
  3. ↑ The Ukraine v Slovakia match was played behind closed doors due to a UEFA punishment against Ukraine for the display of a banner with racist symbols in their UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying home match against Spain.[17]

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. ↑ "Czech Republic 1–2 Ukraine". livescore.net. LiveScore. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  17. ↑ "Slováci budú hrať v Lige národov na Ukrajine bez divákov, pre trest z roku 2015" [Slovaks will play in Nations League in Ukraine without spectators due to 2015 punishment]. SME (in Slovak). Petit Press. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  18. ↑ "Turkey 1–2 Russia". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  19. ↑ "Sweden 2–3 Turkey". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  20. ↑ "Russia 0–0 Sweden". livescore.net. LiveScore. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  21. ↑ "N.Ireland 1–2 Bosnia and Herzegovina". livescore.net. LiveScore. 8 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  22. ↑ "Bosnia and Herzegovina 1–0 Austria". livescore.net. LiveScore. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  23. ↑ "Wales 4–1 Ireland". livescore.net. LiveScore. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  24. ↑ "Denmark 2–0 Wales". livescore.net. LiveScore. 9 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  25. ↑ https://www.the42.ie/ireland-v-denmark-match-report-4285230-Oct2018/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  26. ↑ "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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