MultiChoice has announced that it has acquired rights to the brand-new UEFA Nations League and a host of international friendlies.
DStv customers will be treated to a festival of European national team football on SuperSport, played during the FIFA break starting this week.
Viewers will be able to watch over 25 matches in the next 6 days every single night from Wednesday 5 September to Tuesday 11 September, featuring European nations which fared so well in the recent FIFA World Cup.
The tournament will be broadcast live on SuperSport’s multiple platforms which include TV, online via the DStv Now App and digital.
Thursday’s opening fixtures feature two block-buster matchups; World champions France against a German side eager to make amends for their World Cup disappointment and World cup runners-up Croatia, led by the recently crowned UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, Luka Modric, facing off against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
Other crackers on matchday one of the Nations Cup include England against Spain on Saturday and Portugal against Italy on Tuesday.
Broadcast details
| Thursday 6 September | Kick-off (CAT) | DStv | ||
| UEFA Nations League | Kazakhstan vs Georgia | 16:00 | SS3A/ SS3N | |
| UEFA Nations League | Armenia vs Liechtenstein | 18:00 | SS3A/ SS3N | |
| UEFA Nations League | Wales vs Rep. Ireland | 20:45 | SS6A | |
| UEFA Nations League | Germany vs France | 20:45 | SS3A / SS3N/Max 2 | |
| UEFA Nations League | Slovenia vs Bulgaria | 20:45 | SS11 | |
| UEFA Nations League | Czech Republic vs Ukraine | 20:45 | SS7A / SS7N | |
| International Friendly | Austria vs Sweden | 20:45 | SS10A | |
| International Friendly | Netherlands vs Peru | 20:45 | SS8A / Max 360 | |
| International Friendly | Portugal vs Croatia | 20:45 | SS5A / SS5N / Max 1 | |
| Friday 7 September | Kick-off (CAT) | DStv | ||
| UEFA Nations League | Azerbaijan vs Kosovo | 18:00 | SS3A / SS3N | |
| UEFA Nations League | Albania vs Israel | 20:45 | SS10A | |
| UEFA Nations League | Turkey vs Russia | 20:45 | SS8A / Max 360 | |
| UEFA Nations League | Italy vs Poland | 20:45 | SS3A / SS3N / Max 1 | |
| International Friendly | Scotland vs Belgium | 20:45 | SS7A / SS7N / Max 2 | |
| Saturday 8 September | Kick-off (CAT) | DStv | ||
| UEFA Nations League | Northern Ireland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina | 15:00 | SS3A / SS3N | |
| UEFA Nations League | Switzerland vs Iceland | 18:00 | SS3A / SS3N / Max 2 | |
| UEFA Nations League | Finland vs Hungary | 18:00 | SS7A / SS7N / SS10A | |
| UEFA Nations League | Estonia vs Greece | 20:45 | SS7A / SS7N /SS10A / Max 360 | |
| UEFA Nations League | England vs Spain | 20:45 | SS3A/ SS3N / Max 1 | |
| Sunday 9 September | Kick-off (CAT) | DStv | ||
| UEFA Nations League | Ukraine vs Slovakia | 15:00 | SS3A / SS3N | |
| UEFA Nations League | Bulgaria vs Norway | 18:00 | SS4A | |
| UEFA Nations League | Denmark vs Wales | 18:00 | SS3A / SS3N / Max 2 | |
| UEFA Nations League | France v Netherlands | 20:45 | SS3A / SS3N / Max 1 | |
| International Friendly | Germany vs Peru | 20:45 | SS7A / SS7N / SS10A | |
| Monday 10 September | Kick-off (CAT) | DStv | ||
| UEFA Nations League | Scotland vs Albania | 20:45 | SS7A / SS7N/ SS10A | |
| UEFA Nations League | Serbia vs Romania | 20:45 | SS9A / Max 2 | |
| UEFA Nations League | Sweden vs Turkey | 20:45 | SS5A / SS5N / SS10A | |
| UEFA Nations League | Portugal vs Italy | 20:45 | SS3A / SS3N / Max 1 | |
| International Friendly | Russia vs Czech Republic | 18:00 | SS3A / SS3N / Max 1 | |
| Tuesday 11 September | Kick-off (CAT) | DStv | ||
| UEFA Nations League | Hungary vs Greece | 20:45 | SS10A / SS11 | |
| UEFA Nations League | Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Austria | 20:45 | SS4A | |
| UEFA Nations League | Spain vs Croatia | 20:45 | SS3A / SS3N / Max 1 | |
| UEFA Nations League | Iceland vs Belgium | 20:45 | SS6A / Max 360 | |
| International Friendly | Poland vs Republic of Ireland | 20:45 | SS7A / SS7N | |
| International Friendly | Northern Ireland vs Israel | 20:45 | SS8A | |
| International Friendly | England vs Switzerland | 21:00 | SS5A / SS5N / Max 2 | |
How the UEFA Nations League works
To be played biannually, the tournament features all 55 UEFA member associations divided into four leagues; League A, B, C and D. Grouping of the teams into leagues is according to their rank in the UEFA rankings to ensure that they are evenly matched.
League A is made up of the top 12 ranked nations. The 12 are subdivided into four groups of three.
League B is made up of nations ranked from number 13 to 24 and they are also subdivided into four groups of three.
League C consists of the nations ranked from number 25 to 39. This league is also divided into four groups.
However, three of the groups have four teams each whilst the fourth group has three teams.
League D is made up of the 16 teams ranked from number 40 to 55. This league is subdivided into four groups of four.
The tournament’s champions will emerge from League A. The four group winners will from this league will contest the semi-finals, third-place playoff and the final, all to be played in June next year.
Nations finishing at the bottom of their groups in this league are relegated to League B.
League B group winners gain promotion to League A whilst the four nations finishing at the bottom of their groups are relegated to League C.
The same scenario applies to League C with group winners gaining promotion to League B and the last place finishers getting relegated to League D.
No team gets relegated in League D but group winners do gain promotion to League C.
A second chance to qualify for Euro 2020 is another element that will ensure that the tournament is competitive.
Should the 16 Nations League group winners or the next best placed teams fail to qualify for Euro 2020 during the qualification campaign scheduled to start in March next year, progress to a playoff to compete for the final four Euro 2020 spots.
Nations League group matches will be played on a home and away basis in the months of September, October and November 2018.
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