European Football - 'League of Nations' set to replace friendly matches

UEFA is close to agreeing a new international 'League of Nations' that would essentially replace international friendlies.

The idea was first floated at executive meeting last October but is now moving closer to ratification with all 54 UEFA member nations said to be favour of the idea.

The new competition would see all 54 European teams placed in divisions with teams getting promoted and relegated after each round of matches.

UEFA would use dates usually reserved for friendly matches to play the games and the new event is expected to begin after the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The top division could contain 12 countries and may be split into groups of three to provide group winners that could then play in a semi-final and final in years when there is no World Cup or European Championship.

According to the Daily Mail, the proposal which will be further developed at UEFA's annual conference which takes place in Kazakhstan next month.

England's massive TV market and reasonably high world ranking would mean they would almost certainly begin life in the top division.

The idea is seen as a way to make friendlies more competitive and also to help fill stadiums by pitting the continent's top nations against each other on a more regular basis.

UEFA's decision to expand the European Championship to 24 teams means that qualification to that tournament should be a mere procession for the top countries, and UEFA hopes the new competition would soften the loss of competitiveness in that area.

One or two friendlies a year are likely to be kept on the calendar so that countries can play money-spinning matches against big South American nations like Brazil and Argentina or more locally appealing rivals such as Ireland and Scotland in England's case.