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Jonathan Gorrie

Nations League draw LIVE! Scotland and Republic of Ireland learn play-off fate as quarter-final ties confirmed

Nations League draw - LIVE!

The draws for both the Nations League play-offs and quarter-finals take place this morning, as the battle for promotion and relegation enters the home straight. The league phase of the competition has come to an end, and the two-legged play-off ties will take place in March to decide who moves up and down the leagues.

Scotland are among the four nations to have finished third in League A, and will be attempting to keep their place at Europe’s top table by facing a side that finished second in League B. Ukraine, Greece, Austria and Turkey are the four possible opponents for Steve Clarke’s side. The Republic of Ireland are also involved in this draw, having finished third in Group B2 behind England and Greece. They must overcome one of Slovakia, Kosovo, Bulgaria and Armenia to avoid relegation.

The draw for the knockout stage will also be held this morning, with eight teams having qualified from League A. Portugal, France, Germany and Spain were the four group winners, and will be draw against runners-up Croatia, Italy, Netherlands and Denmark. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s LIVE draw blog below!

Nations League draw latest news

  • Start time: 11am GMT | Nyon
  • How to watch: UEFA website
  • How does play-off draw work?
  • Who is in quarter-final draw?
  • When will ties be played?

Nations League draw: Scotland and Republic of Ireland games revealed

11:28 , Jonathan Gorrie

Scotland have been drawn against Greece in the Nations League play-offs, while the Republic of Ireland will play Bulgaria.

All ties are two-legged and are provisionally set to take place in League A/B and League B/C on March 20 and March 23, 2025.

The League C/D play-offs are scheduled for later on, March 26 and March 31.

Read the full story here!

Nations League draw

11:26 , Jonathan Gorrie

League A/B play-offs

Turkey vs Hungary

Ukraine vs Belgium

Austria vs Serbia

Scotland vs Greece

Nations League draw

11:22 , Jonathan Gorrie

League B/C play-offs

Kosovo vs Iceland

Bulgaria vs Republic of Ireland

Armenia vs Georgia

Slovakia vs Slovenia

Nations League draw

11:17 , Jonathan Gorrie

League C/D play-off:

Gibraltar vs Latvia

Malta vs Luxembourg

Nations League draw

11:16 , Jonathan Gorrie

Malta vs Luxembourg

Nations League draw

11:16 , Jonathan Gorrie

Gibraltar vs Latvia

Nations League draw

11:14 , Jonathan Gorrie

We’re starting with the play-offs!

Nations League draw

11:13 , Jonathan Gorrie

Well, almost underway.

A lot of delay here - UEFA really do like to drag these things out!

Nations League draw

11:06 , Jonathan Gorrie

We are underway!

Nations League draw

10:55 , Jonathan Gorrie

Closing in on the draw now!

Nations League draw

10:50 , Jonathan Gorrie

Ten minutes to go!

Nations League draw

10:14 , Jonathan Gorrie

The Tartan Army’s hopes of retaining their status in League A had appeared in a serious jeopardy after a difficult debut campaign at the competition’s top level, only for a battling goalless draw against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal last month to be followed by a valuable victory over 10-man Croatia that ended a dismal run of 10 successive matches without a competitive win that included an insipid group stage exit from Euro 2024.

John McGinn’s late winner sent Scotland heading to Warsaw on Monday night knowing that they had to beat Poland to avoid confirmed relegation, with McGinn netting again early before Andy Robertson popped up with a dramatic stoppage-time effort to pip their opponents to third spot in Group A1, condemn them to League B and secure a berth in the relegation play-offs for themselves.

Nations League draw

09:49 , Jonathan Gorrie

How Scotland booked their spot...

Who got promoted and relegated in the Nations League?

09:21 , Jonathan Gorrie

Here’s all you need to know

Who can Republic of Ireland face in the Nations League play-offs?

09:05 , Jonathan Gorrie

The Republic of Ireland are joined in the play-offs by Slovenia, Georgia and Iceland from League B.

They could end up meeting Slovakia, who pushed Sweden for automatic promotion from Group C1 but crucially lost 2-1 in Solna last month to end up finishing as runners-up.

Another potential opponent is Kosovo, whose place as runners-up in Group C2 has now been confirmed after their abandoned match against Romania in Bucharest last week was subsequently awarded as a 3-0 win for the latter.

Ireland could also face Bulgaria, who finished second behind Northern Ireland in Group C3 despite Michael O’Neill’s side throwing away a two-goal lead in Luxembourg in their final game.

Lastly it could be Armenia, who finished a distant second to dominant North Macedonia in Group C4 with only two wins to their name from six matches but crucially ahead of both the Faroe Islands and Latvia.

Who can Scotland face in the Nations League play-offs?

08:42 , Jonathan Gorrie

Scotland could meet Greece, who famously beat England at Wembley last month but lost 3-0 to the Three Lions in Athens last week to end up finishing second in Group B2 on goal difference only.

Austria are another potentially dangerous opponent, with Ralf Rangnick’s team having ended up as runners-up to promoted Norway in Group B3 after a costly 1-1 draw with Slovenia in their final game.

Turkey also surprisingly lurk in the draw having suffered a shock 3-1 loss to previously winless Montenegro in their last outing in Group B4, allowing Wales to leapfrog them and in the process snatch automatic promotion to League A after their thumping victory over Iceland.

Scotland could also come up against Ukraine, for whom back-to-back draws against Czechia and Georgia proved vital as they came second in Group B1 despite a final win in Albania.

(AFP via Getty Images)

When will ties be played?

08:39 , Jonathan Gorrie

All ties are two-legged and are provisionally set to take place in League A/B and League B/C on March 20 and March 23, 2025.

The League C/D play-offs are scheduled for later on, March 26 and March 31.

Who is in the Nations League quarter-final draw?

08:39 , Jonathan Gorrie

Seeded teams

Spain

Germany

Portugal

France

Unseeded teams

Italy

Netherlands

Denmark

Croatia

How does the Nations League play-off draw work?

08:37 , Jonathan Gorrie

There are three separate draws for the Nations League play-offs, beginning with League C/D. The two best-ranked fourth-placed teams from League C have a chance to avoid the drop and enter into ties against the two runners-up from League D, the bottom tier of the Nations League.

For the League B/C play-offs, the four third-placed teams from League B are drawn against the four runners-up from League C.

It is the same format for the League A/B play-offs, where the four third-place group finishers from League A - which includes Scotland - are drawn against the four runners-up from League B.

Throughout all the play-off draws, the teams at risk of relegation are seeded and the nations looking for promotion are unseeded. The seeded teams will all be at home for the second legs.

Nations League draw: TV channel and live stream

08:36 , Jonathan Gorrie

The draws will be shown live on Friday online via a stream available on the official Uefa website.

Welcome

08:36 , Jonathan Gorrie

Good morning and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of the draw for the Nations League play-offs.

Scotland and Republic of Ireland are among the teams who will learn their opponents when the draw begins at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland at 11am GMT.

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