The highly anticipated <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/nations-league/">UEFA Nations League</a> quarter-finals draw has revealed a thrilling lineup of matchups, featuring soccer heavyweights such as&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/cristiano-ronaldo/">Cristiano Ronaldo</a>’s Portugal&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/kylian-mbappe/">Kylian Mbappe</a>’s France. The draw, which took place on Friday, sets the stage for a competition filled with intense rivalries, historic rematches, and high-stakes encounters as teams vie for the coveted title.



The draw produced four electrifying clashes for the quarter-finals, scheduled to be played over two legs from&nbsp;March 20 to 23, 2025:



<ul><li>Spain vs. Netherlands: A blockbuster match-up between the reigning European champions and the Netherlands. Spain, who won the last edition of the Nations League by defeating Croatia on penalties, will aim to defend their title against a resurgent Dutch side.</li><li>France vs. Croatia: In a thrilling repeat of the&nbsp;2018 World Cup final, France will face Croatia. Les Bleus, led by Mbappe, look to reclaim the Nations League title they last won in 2021, while Croatia will aim to avenge their World Cup defeat.</li><li>Denmark vs. Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, winners of the inaugural Nations League in 2019, will take on Denmark. The Danish team, known for their disciplined play, will look to upset the Portuguese powerhouse.</li><li>Italy vs. Germany: Two European giants collide as Italy faces Germany. Italy, who finished second behind France in their League A group, will try to outmaneuver a formidable German side in this classic rivalry.</li></ul>



<h2>Semi-Final Bracket</h2>



The quarter-finals will determine the paths to the&nbsp;semi-finals, scheduled for June 4-5, 2025:



<ul><li>Spain/Netherlands vs. France/Croatia</li><li>Italy/Germany vs. Denmark/Portugal</li></ul>



The winners will progress to the&nbsp;final on June 8, 2025, with the host nation for the mini-tournament yet to be decided.



<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The path to Nations League glory in 2025 🏆<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationsLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NationsLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/6hU4MaNt6g">pic.twitter.com/6hU4MaNt6g</a>— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) <a href="https://twitter.com/EURO2024/status/1859925651752620345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2024</a></blockquote></div> 



<h4>Tournament of champions</h4>



The Nations League has become a platform for Europe’s best to showcase their talent. Spain, having won the&nbsp;2022-23 edition, are poised to continue their dominance, while Portugal and France aim to reclaim their past glories.



Portugal’s clash with Denmark is particularly intriguing, as Ronaldo, nearing the twilight of his illustrious career, seeks to add another international title to his legacy. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe’s France remains a force to be reckoned with, blending youth and experience to formidable effect.



Germany and Italy, two nations steeped in soccer history, will reignite their rivalry in a bid to advance. Italy’s inclusion as an unseeded team has set up a challenging path for the Azzurri, but they are no strangers to overcoming the odds.



<h2>What’s at stake?</h2>



The UEFA Nations League offers more than just silverware; it provides opportunities for teams to test themselves against elite competition, secure bragging rights, and, for many, redeem themselves after underwhelming campaigns in other tournaments.



Fans can look forward to March 2025, when Europe’s finest footballing nations will battle it out in a series of high-stakes clashes. The stage is set for a memorable tournament, with both CR7 and Real Madrid’s French star among those likely to steal the spotlight.

Nations League quarter-finals draw: Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, Kylian Mbappe's France learn paths

Nations League quarter-finals draw: Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, Kylian Mbappe's France learn paths - World Soccer Talk

destacadas

Since its launch in 2018, the UEFA Nations League has gained widespread approval as a successful event. The event has steadily grown in popularity over the last six years, despite early skepticism.



This is mostly because countries that have a hard time making it to the two main international championships tend to choose the play-off route. To round up the roster for this summer’s <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/uefa-european-championship-tv-schedule/">Euro 2024</a> in Germany, 12 countries will face off next month.



The <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/uefa-nations-league-tv-schedule-and-links/">Nations League</a> is going above and above in its mission to spice up the international schedule. When there aren’t any World Cups or European Championships, there aren’t as many pointless friendlies to fill the void.



<h2>Which teams will UK countries face?</h2>



Paris played host to Thursday’s UEFA Nations League draw, which determined the league stage of the competition’s fourth iteration in 2024-25. One of the main favorites, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/england-national-team-tv-schedule/">England</a> will play the Republic of Ireland as a result of the draw.



The Three Lions are now in League B after their demotion from the Nations League’s top flight. They have a winless 2022 campaign to blame for that in which they finished last in their group, behind only Italy, Hungary, and Germany.



Greece, Ireland, and Finland make up Group B2, where Gareth Southgate’s squad will compete. The three international breaks later this year—in September, October, and November—will allow for the six matches to take place.



At first, the draw included Kazakhstan in the group, but they were later taken out because of travel restrictions. Greece was then added to complete the four.



England will earn promotion if they finish first in their group; if they finish second, they will have to play off against one of the teams that finished third in League A. If they finish third in Group B2, they will play in a relegation play-off. However, if they end up last, they will go down straight to League C.



Scotland will play in League A. After escaping teams like France, Italy, and Spain, they will face Poland, Croatia, and Portugal. League B matches for Wales include Montenegro, Iceland, and Turkey. If Northern Ireland wants to move up from League C, they have to beat Bulgaria, Belarus, and Luxembourg.



<h2>Who will France, Spain, and Italy play against?</h2>



Group A4 consists of Serbia, Denmark, and the Nations League champions <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/spain-national-team-tv-schedule/">Spain</a>, who <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/spain-beat-croatia-in-penalties-to-win-nations-league-20230618-WST-438420.html">last won the competition in 2023</a>. Meanwhile, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/italy-national-team-tv-schedule/">Italy</a>, who are now champions of the European Championship, are in a huge “group of death.”



In the Nations League, which begins on September 5 and ends on November 19, they will compete against <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/france-national-team-tv-schedule/">France</a>, Belgium, and Israel. The tournament’s victors will advance to the quarterfinals in March 2025.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240211_WST_488794_England-Nations-League-draw-1200x670_9db40acb.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-488852" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/England-Nations-League-draw-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/England-Nations-League-draw-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/England-Nations-League-draw-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/England-Nations-League-draw.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



On both home and away fields, the Azzurri will face Israel, Belgium, and the 2021 tournament champions, France.



The group stage will end in the middle of November, with the first round of matches taking place from September 5-7. The Nations League is introducing a new knockout round this year, with the top two teams from each League A group advancing to a two-legged quarterfinal. The four ties will determine who goes to the finals.



As before, the worst teams in Leagues A and B will be demoted, while the top teams in Leagues B, C, and D will automatically be promoted. Also, Division D will become the home to League C’s two lowest-ranked clubs.



<h2>2024-25 Nations League draw</h2>



<h4>League A</h4>



Group A1: Croatia, Portugal, Poland, Scotland Group A2: Italy, Belgium, France, Israel Group A3: Netherlands, Hungary, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina Group A4: Spain, Denmark, Switzerland, Serbia



<h4>League B</h4>



Group B1: Czechia, Ukraine, Albania, Georgia Group B2: England, Finland, Republic of Ireland, Greece Group B3: Austria, Norway, Slovenia, Kazakhstan Group B4: Wales, Iceland, Montenegro, Türkiye



<h4>League C</h4>



Group C1: Sweden, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Estonia Group C2: Romania, Kosovo, Cyprus, Lithuania/Gibraltar* Group C3: Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Northern Ireland, Belarus Group C4: Armenia, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia, Latvia



<h4>League D</h4>



Group D1: Lithuania/Gibraltar*, San Marino, Liechtenstein Group D2: Moldova, Malta, Andorra



*To be determined following the 2022/23 play-outs in March 2024



PHOTOS: IMAGO.

2024-25 UEFA Nations League draw: Who faces who?

Paris played host to Thursday's UEFA Nations League draw, which determined the league stage of the competition's fourth iteration in 2024-25.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "2024-25 Nations League"

News

Nations League quarter-finals draw: Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, Kylian Mbappe's France learn paths

UEFA Nations League

2024-25 UEFA Nations League draw: Who faces who?