UEFA to adopt a two‑tier qualification format for the 2030 World Cup.

On Wednesday, UEFA announced that it will implement a two‑tier qualifying system for the 2030 World Cup, mirroring the structure used in the Champions League.

The top tier will contain 36 national teams, as determined by the restructured 2028/29 UEFA Nations League. These teams will be split into three groups of 12.

Each team will play six home‑or‑away matches against six different opponents—two from each pot—following the current format of UEFA club competitions.

The highest‑ranked teams from the three League 1 groups will secure direct qualification to the World Cup, while the remaining spots will be decided through play‑offs.

The remaining 18 lower‑ranked nations will compete in League 2 and will also have a pathway to qualification.

“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 revealed that the Nations League will transition from four leagues to three divisions of 18 teams each. Each division will consist of three groups of six teams.

Teams will play six matches against five different opponents—home or away against teams from different pots, and home‑and‑away fixtures against the opponent from their own pot.

The final stages will remain unchanged, with quarter‑finals, a Final Four, and promotion/relegation play‑offs.

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