All the teams are split up into 4 pots.
Each pot has 4 groups containing 3 or 4 teams.
The group winners in A play each other to determine the overall winner.
The winners of the groups in B, C and D do the same but for promotion into the Pot above.
The winners of each pot also qualify for the Euros.
Due to results elsewhere Lithuania managed to get into pot C in the end. Probably a good thing for Wales that they're in the group below. Means they've got a better chance of qualifying through it as without it they've got no chance of doing so through this.
It's got it's good and bad points.
Pros
Different teams to play and places to go.
Better standard of opposition.
No more friendlies or at worst, keeping them down to a minimum.
Cons
Makes it even less likely that one of the bigger nations will fail to qualify.
A team of San Marino or Gibraltar's level will qualify for the Euros from Pot D so the quality of the tournament will be reduced.
The NL finals will not take place until March 2020 meaning no one will know who the 4 Euros spots will go to until a few weeks before the tournament starts.
Yeah, I think it is a bit daft ensuring the likes of Liechtenstein or San Marino get to the finals, while the likes of France, or the Dutch, the Belgians or us could miss out.
ah okay, it was just some comments above made it look like this is an additional element. I like the idea of playing more competitive football and less friendlies but it again thins down the quality of top nations playing in the major tournaments which is the issue. The last euros (obviously extended) had a lot of lower teams who just parked the bus against the bigger teams plus the group sizes were daft but it made for a poor tournament in my view. Just see this as another step of trying to make things equal but reducing the competitive nature of the euros.
Its a bit like F1, one team keeps winning so we will keep changing the rules to even the field!
No it's not. Only 4 teams qualify through this league. Qualifying is separate.
Confusing I know. Can you expect anything less from the clowns running football?
No it's not. Only 4 teams qualify through this league. Qualifying is separate.
Confusing I know. Can you expect anything less from the clowns running football?
Yeah I think they are taking the places of friendlies. UEFA did it because they knew that Euro qualifying is going to be tediously boring now that basically everyone gets in.
Could very easily have the farce that is the "final" of this tourny meaning nothng to both teams in it as they both have already qualified, but you have 2 teams at home, with everything to gain, cheering one of the finalists as they were runner up in their group
Imagine how annoyed you would be if the team you came 2nd to, was in the final, but played squad players !