European football governing body unveils new dual-stage format for 2030 World Cup qualification

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UEFA on Wednesday said it would create a two-tier qualifying system for the 2030 World Cup that will be similar to the format used in the Champions League.

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The top league will comprise 36 countries – determined by the restructured 2028/29 UEFA Nations League – and be divided into three groups of 12 teams.

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Every team will play six home-or-away matches against six different opponents – two from each pot, mirroring the current format used in UEFA club competitions.

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The best-ranked nations from the three League 1 groups will qualify for the World Cup, with the remaining places decided via play-offs.

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The other 18, lower-ranked countries will compete in League 2 and would also have a chance to qualify.

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“The new formats will improve competitive balance, reduce the number of dead matches, offer a more appealing and dynamic competition to fans, while ensuring a fair qualification chance for all teams and without adding any additional dates in the international calendar,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.

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“The changes will grow the value of UEFA men’s national team football.”

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UEFA also announced the Nations League would shift from four leagues to three divisions of 18 teams. Each league will be composed of three groups of six teams.

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They will play six matches against five different opponents – home or away against teams from different pots, with home-and-away fixtures against the opponent of their same pot.

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The latter stages will remain the same with quarter-finals and the Final Four, as well as promotion/relegation play-offs.

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