The first international break of the 2024/25 season is here with football fans around the world keenly waiting for some big games in the latest iteration of the UEFA Nations League.
For England, things will be more than a little different compared to the last time they featured in the competition in 2022/23. For one, Gareth Southgate is no longer in the manager’s hot-seat, with Lee Carsley taking interim charge before the FA decide on a permanent successor to their equally loved and despised waistcoat connoisseur.
While the Three Lions managed to squeeze their way to the Euro 2024 final in their last international outings, they were poor in the preceding Nations League and will play in League B during 2024/25.
Why are England in League B in the Nations League?
Simply put, England were rubbish during the 2022/23 Nations League. Southgate’s side could only manage three draws and losses apiece in Group A3 against Italy, Hungary and Germany.
After opening with a defeat in Hungary, Harry Kane‘s penalty at least salvaged a point in their next away match against Germany. However, another insipid performance followed in a goalless draw with Italy at Molineux before England were torn apart by Hungary.
Roland Sallai had opened the scoring in the 16th minute before the visitors struck another three times in the second half. Sallai grabbed another before Zsolt Nagy added the third, with John Stones soon sent off for two bookable offences. Daniel Gazdag then made it 4-0, handing Southgate the heaviest defeat of his reign.
England realistically needed two wins from their final games against Italy and Germany to avoid relegation from League A, but they suffered defeat to the Azzurri thanks to Giacomo Raspodori’s winner and could only draw 3-3 with DFB-Team, confirming their place at the bottom of the group.
Having hoped to reach the finals in the Netherlands, the Three Lions instead dropped into League B.
2022/23 Group A3
England’s 2024/25 Nations League fixtures
As a result of their relegation, England will face a different set of opponents in the 2024/25 Nations League. The draw took place in February and saw them paired with the Republic of Ireland, Finland and Greece with matches starting in the September international break.
While England are fourth in FIFA’s worldwide rankings, Finland are 63rd, Ireland are 58th and Greece are 54th. As such, Carsley’s side are expected to dominate in Group B2 as they target automatic promotion back into League A.
They face Ireland and Finland in their first two games before hosting Greece and travelling to the Nordic country to take on Teemu Pukki and co for a second time.
A trip to Greece will come during the November international break before their League B campaign concludes at Wembley Stadium against Ireland. If they finish top of their group, England will be promoted to League A for 2026/27. Second and third rankings would see the two-time European Championship finalists advance to the promotion/relegation play-offs, while coming last would result in dropping down to League C, where the likes of Sweden, Romania and Northern Ireland currently reside alongside other minnows like Azerbaijan, Estonia, Lithuania and Cyprus.
