UEFA Bans Two Countries From Facing Each Other in Nations League Draw

UEFA have banned two nations from facing each other in the 2026/27 Nations League.

54 European nations, who are all UEFA members, are placed into the draw, which is divided into four leagues.

A total of 16 teams are placed into Leagues A, B and C, split into four groups, while the League D draw consists of six teams being placed into two groups.

England are back in League A for the 2026/27 Nations League, having earned promotion from League B at the first attempt under Lee Carsley in 2024.

They are in Pot 3 for the League A draw, with Portugal, Spain, France and Germany all in Pot 1.

Italy, Netherlands, Denmark and Croatia are in Pot 2, while Wales, Czechia, Greece and Turkiye are all in Pot 4.

Juan Mata was the special guest during the 2024/25 Nations League draw (Image: Getty)

There are no forbidden fixtures in League A based on geographical or political reasons, but that is not the case in League B.

Two teams - Bosnia and Herzegovina (Pot 2) and Kosovo (Pot 4) - both cannot be drawn into the same group.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, though the Bosnian government does not recognise it as a sovereign state.

Since Kosovo was admitted as a full member of UEFA in 2016, European football's governing body has banned them from taking on Bosnia and Herzegovina for security reasons.

The ban relates to the Kosovo War, which was fought between the Kosovo Liberation Army (later supported by NATO) and various Yugoslav forces between 1998 and 1999.

Serbia, who also do not recognise Kosovo as a sovereign state, are also banned from facing them in international matches, though they have been drawn in League A for the 2026/27 Nations League.

Russia are the third team that cannot face Kosovo, but are currently suspended by both UEFA and FIFA following their illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

UEFA were forced to split Bosnia and Kosovo in the World Cup play-off draw back in November.

While both nations were unseeded, they could have theoretically both progressed to the final of their particular path and faced other.

Bosnia were instead drawn as part of Path B, while Kosovo were in Path C.