Concacaf and UEFA Explore Merging Nations League Into Joint Competition Starting in 2028

Picture a Nations League group with Spain, the United States, Mexico and Portugal all in the same table. It sounds like something out of a video game, but it's exactly what Concacaf and UEFA are exploring right now: merging their Nations League tournaments into a single joint competition that could kick off in the fall of 2028.

The news was first reported by The Guardian and later confirmed to ESPN by sources close to the discussions. It's still very much a work in progress, with nothing finalized, but the mere fact that the two confederations are sitting at the same table already says a lot about where international soccer could be headed in the coming years.

Why now? The timing isn't a coincidence. FIFA had been trying to sell 20% of World Cup rights to outside investors, a plan that was ultimately scrapped after the backlash it caused, including efforts to push Gianni Infantino out of the organization's presidency. Both UEFA and Concacaf have been critical of that handling of affairs, which has left them, in a way, more aligned than usual. Still, a source with direct knowledge of the talks was clear on one point.

The Nations League negotiations are not a direct consequence of the crisis FIFA is going through.Source familiar with the discussions

What is a concrete precedent is the memorandum of understanding the two confederations signed in April, aimed at strengthening ties in player development, coaching, refereeing and administration. The idea of a joint Nations League looks like the logical next step from that partnership.

A Format Still Being Worked Out

As for what this competition would actually look like, sources are cautious: nothing has been decided. There has been talk of keeping the tiered league structure that already exists in both Europe and Concacaf, but the finer details, how many divisions, how many teams, how the crossovers would work, are all still on the table. What is clear is the timeline: since the 2027 Concacaf Nations League begins next month, there was no room to reconfigure anything before that edition. That's why the target was set for 2028.

When asked for comment, both Concacaf and UEFA declined to speak publicly on the matter.

Why It Makes Sense for Both Sides

Concacaf has a particular stake in this project. Since both confederations launched their own Nations League competitions in 2018, the Concacaf version has been especially beneficial for the region's smaller national teams, who now play competitive matches on a regular basis. The issue lies elsewhere: powerhouses like Mexico and the United States are exempt from the earlier rounds until the quarterfinals, which leaves them with open dates during FIFA windows that they used to fill by facing European teams. Those windows have all but disappeared because UEFA now also has its own Nations League commitments during those same dates. As an example, the United States has four matches scheduled for the September and October window: two against Peru and Chile, and two more against Mexico and Canada. None of them European. A joint Nations League would solve exactly that, raising the level of opponents available.

On the European side, the appeal is different: direct access to the North American sports market, one of the most coveted in the soccer world right now.

One thorny issue remains: promotion and relegation between divisions could naturally end up favoring European teams in the top tiers, given the overall level of play. One source acknowledged that debate will be settled "further down the road," once the base format is defined. For now, the stated goal is to find a formula that spreads the benefits across both sides of the Atlantic.