Malta to face Luxembourg in Nations League play-offs

Malta will have to overcome Luxembourg in a two-legged play-off to win League C promotion in the UEFA Nations League.

The Maltese side discovered its opponents in Friday’s draw with the play-offs pencilled for March 2026.

The first leg will be hosted by Malta on March 26, 2026 while Luxembourg will welcome the Maltese selection a week later, on March 31.

Malta failed to earn an automatic promotion to Europe’s third-tier after placing second in its League D group, with seven points.

On the other hand, Luxembourg finished bottom of their League C group and are in the play-offs having place as the second-best fourth-placed side.

Luxembourg, ranked 89th in the world, recorded three points in a group which included Northern Ireland, Bulgaria and Belarus.

Malta are currently ranked 169th.

The two teams faced each other on seven occasions with their latest encounter being last year, when Malta – then coached by Davide Marcolini – had defeated Luxembourg 1-0 away from home with Kyrian Nwoko scoring the all-important winner.

The other Maltese victory was in a 2012 friendly (2-0) while Luxembourg won on three occasions including in a 2018 tie when Malta was guided by Tom Saintfiet.

In the other two matches, a 1-1 stalemate prevailed including in their first ever meeting back in 1970.

In the other League C/League D promotion/relegation play-off, Gibraltar will face Latvia.

Holders Spain to face Netherlands

European champions Spain will play the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the Nations League, while Friday’s draw pitted Germany against Italy in another last-eight clash.

Spain won the last edition of the Nations League after beating Croatia on penalties in the final. They also finished runners-up in the 2020-21 tournament.

In the other quarter-finals, France take on Croatia in a repeat of the 2018 World Cup final and Portugal go up against Denmark.

The winners of the Spain-Netherlands tie will advance to a semi-final against either France or Croatia. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal could await Germany or Italy in the other last-four encounter. 

Portugal won the inaugural edition in 2019 before France won the title two years later.

The quarter-final ties will be played over two legs from March 20-23 next year. The semi-finals are scheduled for June 4-5 with the final set for June 8 at a venue yet to be decided.

Belgium must beat Ukraine in their play-off to stay in League A, while Scotland take on Euro 2004 champions Greece. The other League A/B play-offs are Turkey against Hungary, and Austria facing Serbia.

The Republic of Ireland will play Bulgaria in their attempt to remain in League B.