UEFA and CONCACAF have begun preliminary talks about creating a joint Nations League, which could theoretically feature all 96 national teams from the two football confederations, writes "Tribuna".
According to The Guardian, the tournament is planned to be held every two years, and its first edition could take place in 2028 – after the European Championship.
It is assumed that the format will be similar to the current Nations League: teams will be divided into several divisions, followed by playoffs and a final tournament involving four teams. The highest division could see leading European teams such as Spain, France, England, and Germany meet the strongest CONCACAF teams – Mexico, USA, and Canada.
The main matches are planned to be held within the existing international breaks in September, October, and November. The playoffs are proposed to be held in March, and the final stage in June. Thus, the new tournament will likely not require creating additional dates in the international calendar.
The talks are taking place amidst tensions in relations between UEFA, CONCACAF, and FIFA. Both confederations advocate for changes in the system of world football governance and support an alternative approach to organizing FIFA's activities.
According to the plan, the new Nations League should partially replace the current international friendly matches and at the same time bring additional revenue to participants. This could be especially beneficial for smaller football associations, which will have the opportunity to play more often against strong opponents and receive more financial resources.
In the future, the Asian Football Confederation could also join the project. However, for now, these are only preliminary talks, so the final format and composition of participants may still change.
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