If you’ve never taken part in UEFA Nations League betting before, you may well be missing out. UEFA’s relatively new competition boasts a fascinating format, all of Europe’s top stars and high-quality matches, making it perfect for betting on.
UEFA Nations League Format: How Does It Work?
The UEFA Nations League 2026-27 is being contested by 54 national teams, so that’s every eligible European international team.
Those 54 teams start by being divided into four groups.
Group A is the top group, and that’s the one where you’ll find all of Europe’s strongest sides, the ones who are always the favourites for the Euros and among the shortest-priced teams to win the World Cup, such as Spain, France, England, Portugal and Germany.
At the other end of the scale, Group D is the weakest, with the so-called minnows including Malta, Gibraltar and Liechtenstein.
Groups A, B and C each have 16 teams, divided into four sub-groups of four, while Group D operates slightly differently, with just six teams split into two groups of three. League phase matches are played between September 24 and November 17 2026.
The winners and runners-up of each sub-group in Group A advance to the quarter-finals, where the group-winning teams are seeded ahead of the draw; the group winners also play the second of the two legs at home, which is seen as an advantage.
Quarter-final matches will be staged between March 25 and 30.
Final Four
The winners of those four quarter-finals then progress to the Nations League Finals, also known as the Final Four, played at a 'neutral' venue, though of course, if one of the four teams in the Final Four happens to also be the host, then it won’t be a neutral venue for them!
The two semi-finals are on June 9 and 10, with the third-place playoff featuring the two beaten semi-finalists and the final contested between the two winners of those semis, both played on June 13.
Promotion, Relegation and a Back Door to the Euros
There’s also a promotion and relegation system in place. The worst-ranked team from each of the sub-groups in A, B and C are automatically relegated, while the winners of the sub-groups in Groups B, C and D automatically go up a division.
In the other groups, the third-placed team plays the runner-up from the group below it in a two-legged playoff.
Playoff winners remain in their group if they were in the higher group or are promoted if they were in the lower group. If a team was in the higher group and lost the playoff, they’re relegated to the lower group.
But there’s something else at stake beyond the Nations League itself: it provides a second chance to qualify for the upcoming Euros.
The group winners from Leagues A, B and C can earn a place in the Euro 2028 play-offs if they haven't already qualified through the traditional qualifying competition.
The allocation works as follows:
- League A group winners: Eligible for play-offs
- League B group winners: Eligible for play-offs
- League C group winners: Eligible for play-offs
- League D group winner: Potential reserve option
The highest-ranked available group winners receive priority. If there aren't enough eligible group winners, places go to the next-highest-ranked teams in the overall Nations League standings.
UEFA Nations League 2026-2027 Groups
This is how the 54 teams lined up for the UEFA Nations League 2025-2026 edition Group Stages, which are now over.
League A
- Group A1: France, Italy, Belgium, Türkiye
- Group A2: Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, Greece
- Group A3: Spain, Croatia, England, Czechia
- Group A4: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Wales
League B
- Group B1: Scotland, Switzerland, Slovenia, North Macedonia
- Group B2:Hungary, Ukraine, Georgia, Northern Ireland
- Group B3: Israel, Austria, Republic of Ireland, Kosovo
- Group B4: Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Sweden
League C
- Group C1: Albania, Finland, Belarus, San Marino
- Group C2: Montenegro, Armenia, Cyprus, Latvia
- Group C3: Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Faroe Islands, Moldova
- Group C4: Iceland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Luxembourg
League D
- Group D1: Gibraltar, Malta, Andorra
- Group D2: Lithuania, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein
Why Bet on the UEFA Nations League?
Interest in UEFA Nations League betting has seriously increased over the past few years, and has quickly become one of the most popular sports competitions to bet on. Here are some reasons why betting on it is a good idea.
- As a big event, the matches are broadcast on plenty of TV channels and streaming sites, so you can follow the action closely.
- As is the case with the most high-profile football matches, all UEFA Nations League betting sites will offer hundreds of different markets for the games, so you’ll have plenty of choice.
- In a bid to attract more business, UEFA Nations League bookmakers often give away free bets, boost odds and run other UEFA Nations League betting offers around the matches, giving you greater value for your money.
- Unlike the meaningless international friendless that it was designed to replace, Nations League matches carry prize money, trophies, UEFA ranking points, and even the chance to qualify for the Euros via them. In other words, the matches actually mean something. So, the quality of the players in action and the football itself is of a high standard, ensuring a good experience both as a viewer and as a gambler.
How We Review UEFA Nations League Betting Sites
There’s plenty of Nations league betting on offer out there but just placing bets on it at any old Sportsbook and doing so at the best betting sites for it are two very different things. When deciding on which are the best UEFA Nations league betting sites, here’s what we here at Ask Gamblers look out for.
- Welcome Offer and other promos: Any UEFA Nations League betting site worth its salt will give you a sign-up offer such as a free bet or a deposit bonus. The more generous and uncomplicated the offer, the better. We also want to see further frequent and good-value offers down the line, such as free bets, Odds Boosts, acca insurance and money-back offers.
- Generous odds: This is the most important factor of all for some bettors. Higher odds than at other sites means bigger payouts and a better chance of being in profit in the long run. If you need help figuring out your potential wins with the odds on offer, you can use our betting odds calculator.
- Strong payment options: Variety is important, so a good mix of debit cards, e-wallets and other payment methods, such as bank transfers should be available to cover different customers’ different needs. The quicker that deposits and withdrawals are processed, the better, and hopefully without any fees.
- Useful extra features: Cash Out, Bet Builders, in-market stats, UEFA Nations League betting previews and live streaming are all examples of useful features that can aid you with your UEFA Nations League betting and just give you a better all-round experience.
- Licence, safety and security: All betting sites listed on this page hold a UKGC, MGA or another iGaming licence as proof that they provide a certain level of safety and security when it comes to protecting your money and data, paying out on winning bets and processing withdrawals when requested.
How to Bet on UEFA Nations League
That’s how we rate the betting sites to help you decide where to do your UEFA Nations League betting, but now let’s look at how to do it. Follow these steps to get going.
- Open an account and make a deposit: Choose two or three from our list of recommended UEFA Nations League bookmakers, open an account with them and make a deposit. Remember to use any welcome offer free bets before they expire.
- Navigate to Nations League Betting markets: Go to football/competitions/Nations League Betting.
- If you wish to bet on a long-term market, like the Overall Winner or who will be the Top Goalscorer, go to Outrights.
- If you want to wager on an individual match, click on the match and then go to the specific market you want to bet on.
- Remember to check if there are any Odds Boosts you can take advantage of or free bets you can use. You may have to check a box in order to use your free bet.
- If one isn’t available, choose your stake and process the bet.
Popular Nations League Betting Markets
Here are some of the more popular Nations League betting markets to consider playing.
UEFA Nations League Winner
Remember that only teams who started in Group A can win the Nations League outright. This market will be open before the tournament starts and during it, all the way to the final whistle in the final. So far, Portugal, Italy and Spain have won the Nations League.
Half-Time/Full-Time
This is a particularly good market to play if you think a hot favourite can be leading at half-time before also going on to win at full-time, as the odds of that will be much bigger than the straight win.
But other options, like a team winning at half-time and the match ending in a draw, are available in this market at big odds, too.
Top Goalscorer
The top goalscorer market applies to the player scoring the most goals across the campaign but only for a particular Group. For example, in the 2024-25 edition, Cristiano Ronaldo was the top goalscorer in Group A with five goals, before the quarter-finals.
Over/Under Goals
The reason so many punters love this market lies in its simplicity. With the average football match having very close to 2.5 goals in it, you’re almost always getting close to even money, whether you’re going over or under 2.5 goals. Then, it’s just a case of sitting back to see if those goals come in or not.
Tips for Betting on UEFA Nations League 2024-2025 - Dos and Don’ts
By now you should know pretty much everything you need to know before taking part in UEFA Nations League betting. But before you do, here’s some last-minute advice.
Do’s:
- Research: Conduct as much research as possible by looking at stats, reading betting previews, considering team news and watching highlights of past matches before narrowing down your bets to two or three for any given match.
- Value: Look at those bets you’ve pencilled in. Ask yourself if you’re thinking of backing it just because you fancy it or if it offers real value at the odds. If it’s the latter, back it.
- Bonuses: Why risk your own money when you can use free bets or other offers instead? Always check the Bonuses part of your account to see if there are any UEFA Nations League Betting offers you can use to place bets.
- Find your niche: It pays to mostly just stick to betting on matches involving two or three teams you know very well or markets you have a good track record in. Don’t try to be an expert on everything.
Don’ts
- Don’t be too aggressive: Set yourself a betting budget for the month and manage it carefully. If you want it to last, don’t be too aggressive by risking too much in one day or on one match.
- Don’t chase losses: This applies to all betting, not just Nations League betting. If you’ve had a bad day with losses, take a break for the day and come back the next day rather than chasing losses.
- Don’t forget to get the best price: If you have two or three betting accounts and decide to place a certain Nations League bet, check which of the three is offering the highest odds on it. Make sure you back it with that betting site, as this will make a big difference in the long run.
