LAUSANNE: UEFA on Wednesday said it would create a two-tier qualifying system for the 2030 World Cup that will be similar to the format used in the Champions League.

The top league will comprise 36 countries - determined by the restructured 2028/29 UEFA Nations League — and be divided into three groups of 12 teams.

Every team will play six home-or-away matches against six different opponents — two from each pot, mirroring the current format used in UEFA club competitions.

The best-ranked nations from the three League 1 groups will qualify for the World Cup, with the remaining places decided via play-offs.

The other 18, lower-ranked countries will compete in League 2 and would also have a chance to qualify.

“The new formats will improve competitive balance, reduce the number of dead matches, offer a more appealing and dynamic competition to fans, while ensuring a fair qualification chance for all teams and without adding any additional dates in the international calendar,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. “The changes will grow the value of UEFA men’s national team football.”

UEFA also announced the Nations League would shift from four leagues to three divisions of 18 teams. Each league will be composed of three groups of six teams.

They will play six matches against five different opponents — home or away against teams from different pots, with home-and-away fixtures against the opponent of their same pot. The latter stages will remain the same with quarter-finals and the Final Four, as well as promotion/relegation play-offs.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2026