Portugal did it again. Honestly, if you blinked during the early summer of 2025, you might have missed one of the most chaotic finishes in modern European football. We saw Cristiano Ronaldo lifting yet another trophy at the Allianz Arena in Munich, while powerhouses like England and Germany were left scratching their heads. But the UEFA Nations League standings tell a much deeper story than just who won the final.
It's a messy, tiered system that basically dictates which path your favorite team takes toward the next World Cup.
The 2024-25 season felt different. It was the first time we truly saw the impact of the new quarter-final stage. Before, you just won your group and went to the finals. Now? You have to survive a two-legged knockout round just to see the bright lights of the final four. Spain, the defending champs, looked untouchable until that rainy night in June. They fell to Portugal in a penalty shootout that felt more like a game of nerves than a football match.
The Power Shift in League A
Let's talk about the heavy hitters. In Group A1, Portugal dominated. They didn't lose a single game in the league phase, racking up 14 points. Croatia trailed behind them, looking a bit aged but still functional enough to grab that second quarter-final spot. Meanwhile, Poland and Scotland struggled. Scotland’s relegation was a tough pill for the Tartan Army, especially after they showed flashes of brilliance against the bigger sides.
France and Italy made Group A2 a total toss-up. Both ended with 13 points, but France took the top spot thanks to a slightly better goal difference. It's wild to think that Belgium, a team that spent years at the top of the FIFA rankings, finished third and had to fight for their life in a relegation play-off against Ukraine. They survived, but the "Golden Generation" labels are officially dead and buried.
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Germany finally looked like Germany again in Group A3. They tore through Bosnia and Hungary, scoring 18 goals in just six games. Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala are basically a cheat code at this point. They finished top with 14 points, while the Netherlands scraped into the second spot.
Spain topped Group A4 with 16 points, the highest of any team in the top tier. They made it look easy, but as we know, the knockout rounds are a different beast.
The Chaos of Promotion and Relegation
The real drama usually happens in the middle of the UEFA Nations League standings, where teams are desperately trying to avoid a slide into obscurity.
England spent the season in League B, which felt... wrong? Seeing the Three Lions playing against Finland and Greece was a bit surreal. But Lee Carsley (and eventually Thomas Tuchel) got the job done. They finished top of Group B2 with 15 points, despite a shock loss to Greece earlier in the campaign. Greece actually matched them on points but lost out on the head-to-head.
Norway provided the highlight reel of the year. Erling Haaland is a freak of nature. He ended the tournament as the top scorer with 19 goals across three editions, helping Norway secure promotion to League A. They dominated Group B3, leaving Austria and Slovenia in the dust.
Wales also made a massive statement. Under Craig Bellamy, they went undefeated in Group B4, topping Türkiye to earn their spot back with the big boys.
How the Standings Actually Finished
If you're looking for the final "pecking order" after the June 2025 finals, here is how the top of the mountain looks:
- Portugal (Champions)
- Spain (Runners-up)
- France (Third Place)
- Germany (Fourth Place)
Below the finalists, the movement was frantic. Teams like Switzerland, Poland, and Israel were relegated to League B. On the flip side, England, Norway, Czechia, and Wales are moving up to League A for the 2026-27 edition.
League C saw Sweden and Romania absolutely crush their competition. Sweden, led by Viktor Gyökeres—who is scoring for fun lately—finished with 16 points. Romania was even better, going a perfect 6-for-6 in their group. Both are headed to League B.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Rankings
There’s this common misconception that the Nations League is just a glorified friendly tournament. It isn't. Not anymore. These standings directly impact World Cup qualifying seeding.
If you're at the top of the UEFA Nations League standings, you've basically bought yourself an insurance policy. If a team like Italy or Portugal messes up their traditional qualifying group, their performance here gives them a second chance via the play-offs. It's why you saw teams like Belgium fighting so hard in March 2025 just to stay in League A.
Also, the "FIFA Ranking" isn't the same as the "Nations League Ranking." UEFA uses its own internal coefficient based on these specific results to decide who gets placed in which pot for the Euro 2028 draw.
The Underdogs Who Stole the Show
We have to mention San Marino. For the first time ever, they actually won a competitive game and earned promotion to League C. It’s the kind of story that makes this tournament worth watching. While the media focuses on Mbappé or Ronaldo, the standings in League D mean the world to the smaller nations. San Marino topping their group over Liechtenstein is arguably the biggest upset in the history of the competition.
Actionable Insights for the 2026-27 Cycle
If you’re trying to keep track of where your team stands for the next round of international football, keep these points in mind.
First, check the League A/B play-off results. Teams like Türkiye and Greece have moved up, meaning League A is going to be significantly more "hostile" for the traditional giants next time around.
Second, watch the yellow card counts. UEFA has become much stricter with disciplinary points, and in the event of a tie in the standings, "Fair Play" points are often the final tiebreaker before a random draw.
Finally, keep an eye on the League C/D play-offs scheduled for March 2026. This will determine the final map of European football before the next edition kicks off. The Nations League has successfully killed off the boring friendly match, replacing it with a complicated, high-stakes ladder that never really stops moving.