Why Scotland need second place Nations League finish as Euro 2028 seeding and play-offs explained
Sébastien Pocognoli’s side face Slovenia at Hampden Park on Tuesday in a match that could directly impact their seeding for Euro 2028 qualifying
Scotland’s final fixture of the current international break could prove to have important ramifications for Sébastien Pocognoli’s side as they welcome Slovenia to Hampden Park.
The Belgian got his first win as national team boss on Saturday when they picked up a 2-0 victory away to North Macedonia and will now look to secure a maiden victory in front of home fans on Tuesday. If they do pick up the three points then the Scots will overtake the Slovenians in the UEFA Nations League Group B1 table.
Doing so, and then holding on to that place, will be important as it not only secures them a play-off to reach League A next time around but also directly determines their seeding for the upcoming Euro 2028 qualifying campaign. Here is how it works:
What do Scotland get for finishing second in their Nations League group?
The first thing Scotland will earn for a second place finish in their Nations League group will be a two legged play-off match for a spot in League A which takes place in March next year. Under former boss Steve Clarke the national team reached this level in 2024 where they rubbed shoulders with Portugal, Croatia and Poland.
Finishing third in that group saw them face Greece, who came second in their League B group, and losing that tie saw them drop back to the competition’s second tier. If they come second this time around they face one of the best ranked fourth place teams or worst ranked third place teams from League A.
Of course, they would gain automatic promotion to League A if they win their group but that is now unlikely with Switzerland having won all three of their opening fixtures including at Hampden last week. The Swiss currently sit top on nine points with Slovenia and Scotland both on four and North Macedonia on zero ahead of Tuesday’s matches.
How does the UEFA Nations League impact Euro 2028 qualifying and what second place League B finish guarantees
Where teams finish in their UEFA Nations League groups directly decides their seeding for Euro 2028 qualifying. Teams are seeded based on their final position in their Nations League groups.
Finishing second, or first, in their group guarantees Scotland’s place as a pot two nation when the qualifying groups are drawn. If they finish third or lower then Sébastien Pocognoli’s side would drop into pot three for the draw.
The Euro 2028 qualifying draw sees teams separated into 12 groups of either four or five countries. The teams who win their respective groups qualify automatically for the finals along with the eight highest ranked second place finishers while the four lowest ranked second place finishers enter the play-offs and every team who finishes third or lower fails to qualify.
There is an important amendment to the process for the host nations (England, Wales, Scotland and Republic of Ireland) though. Two spots in the finals have been reserved for the host nations if they fail to qualify.
If more than two host teams do not qualify directly, the two spots will be allocated to the hosts placed highest in the European Qualifiers overall rankings. If only one or neither of the spots be used, the remaining places will be reallocated via the play-offs.
That gives Scotland an extra route to the finals. However they need to give themselves the best chance of achieving any of the above routes by securing pot two status for the qualification draw.
When is the Euro 2028 qualifying draw?
The draw for the Euro 2028 qualifiers takes place in Belfast on Sunday, December 6.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.