They are only good for those preparing the Olympics, only for three teams basically. I think the shift in timing is actually due to the late finish of the world cup in Australia.
2024 from january to july will be totally CRAZY for international players and more for those who also play the WCL and the OG : Example of France 's schedule, and it could be worse for Spain who plays 8 matches more in the Liga, England, despite no OG, who plays 2 more cups etc.... Jan 10 : day 12 french league Jan 14 : R16 French Cup Jan 20 : day 13 french league Jan 24/25 : day 5 WCL Jan 28 : R8 French Cup Jan 30/21 : day 6 WCL Feb 3 : day 14 french league Feb 10 : day 15 french league Feb 14 : quarter final French Cup Feb 23 : semi final qualif OG (FR/ NL / GER / SPAIN) Feb 28 : final and 3rd place for qualif OG Mar 2 : day 16 french league Mar 10 : semi final French Cup Mar 16 : day 17 french league Mar 19/20 : quarter final WCL Mar 23 day : 18 french league Mar 27/28 : quarter final WCL Mar 30 : day 19 french league Apr 3/6 : day 1 Nations League Apr 6/9 : day 2 Nations League Apr 13 : day 20 french league Apr 21/22 : semi final WCL Apr 24 : day 21 french league Apr 27/28 : semi final WCL May 4 : final French Cup May 8 : day 22 french league May 12 : F*cking playoffs semi final French League May 17 : F*cking playoffs final and 3rd place French League May 25 : final WCL May 29/31 : day 3 Nations League Jun 1/4 : day 4 Nations League ------------------!!! HOLIDAYS !!! 3 WEEKS \o/ \o/ ------------------- July 10/13 : day 5 Nations League July 13/16 : day 6 Nations League July 25 : first matches OG Aug 10 : final OG --> no time to prepare first match of nations league --> no time to prepare third matcf of nations league for those who will play the WCL final --> No rest before june 4 !! --> how many new injuries ?????????
I though the group stage of Nations League/Qualification was supposed to be played in autumn... Probably, they moved it forward, so all participants of Euro are known for at least a half of year, not just for a month or two. Time to prepare for teams and organisers. On the other hand - no official matches on nations level for a half of year before the Euro. Friendlies again? I wonder, what UEFA is going to do with the schedule for the next NL/qualification seasons? Again autumn/sping for NL and spring/autumn for qualification to the World Cup? As for me, it would be better to just always use spring/autumn calendar then.
I do expect friendlies for the whole Jan to Summer 2025 period before the Euros. Then we are all waiting on FIFA to produce the calendar for the next four years cycle. At some points they will include the FIFA Women Club World Cup into it so it will add even more congestion to the extremely busy calendar in Europe.
The draw date has been revealed by the FAI as 5th of March 24 and FIFA confirmed the Euro finals as UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 (2-27 July 2025) and the provisional schedule as this Women's EURO 2025 in Switzerland: Venues St. Jakob-Park, Basel Stadion Wankdorf, Bern Stade de Genève, Geneva Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich Stadion St. Gallen, St. Gallen Allmend Stadion Luzern, Lucerne Arena Thun, Thun Stade de Tourbillon, Sion
Unless there is a change of surface, we have at least two stadiums with artificial turf in the next Euros then. I know Wankdorf is and also Arena Thun.
Yep, I remember speaking about it when Paris FC played in Linkopings earlier this season. Thiney and Soubeyrand said we recognise the ground but the pitch was grass at the time.
You can put down temporary grass over artificial turf. They did this for the 1994 World Cup here in the US. It has also been done for pre-season friendlies in stadiums where the teams refuse to play on an artificial surface (Man United vs Real Madrid at the Michigan football stadium).
Hope UEFA look at this. Bids are judged on specific criterias, and now goalposts have been moved after being awarded the tournament. https://t.co/DsC2C81D7h— Rich Laverty (@RichJLaverty) February 11, 2024
They just did this for the San Francisco 49ers practice field prior to today's Super Bowl--laid grass over a turf field--and the team complained about it; said the field was too soft and not very good. That said, that is probably what they'd do for the Euros rather than pull up the turf field. Doesn't seem ideal....
https://www.rts.ch/info/suisse/2024...-a-l-euro-feminin-2025-critique-28401385.html Switzerland's state media (RTS) criticizing the decision as well, for those of you who understand French. The Swiss Federal Council (Conseil Fédéral) are now claiming that they don't have money for the Women's Euros and will not finance the 4 million Swiss francs (CHF) for the tournament. Money will have to be found through savings from within the Federal Office of Sport.
League A teams for the Euro qualifiers. Netherlands, England, France, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Belgium, Ireland, Finland, Poland, Czechia. Eight of those teams will qualify directly for the Euros.
League B Relegated from League A (fourth place): Portugal, Scotland, Switzerland, Wales League B runners-up (lost play-off): Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatia, Hungary, Serbia League B third place (won play-off): Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Ukraine Promoted from League C (group winners): Azerbaijan, Israel, Kosovo, Malta, Türkiye League C Relegated from League B (fourth place and fourth-best third-placed): Albania, Belarus, Greece, Romania, Slovenia* *Fourth-best third-placed team League C runners-up: Bulgaria**, Estonia, Latvia**, Lithuania, Montenegro** **Lost play-off League C third and fourth place: Andorra, Armenia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Moldova, North Macedonia
How qualifying works League phase In qualifying, as per the league stage of the Nations League, teams compete in groups of four or three teams (League C) and over six matchdays between April and July, with each team playing one home match and one away match against all the other teams in their group. For qualifying itself, the top two teams in each League A group will gain places in the July 2025 finals alongside hosts Switzerland (who will compete in League B although their automatic qualification is assured). The remaining seven spots will be decided by two rounds of play-offs in October and November/December. Play-offs The first round of the play-offs is split into two paths. In one path, the teams finishing third and fourth in League A will play the five group winners and three best-ranked runners-up in League C. The eight winners progress to the second round. In the other first round path, the four group winners and two best-ranked runners-up in League B will be drawn into six ties against the remaining two runners-up and four third-placed teams in League B. The six winners progress to the second round. In the second round, the teams from both paths come together and will be drawn into seven ties, with seeding for the seven highest-ranked teams based on the European Qualifiers overall league rankings. The seven winners progress to the final tournament. The play-off paths will be adjusted as necessary to take into account the performance of Women's EURO hosts Switzerland, who will compete in League B but are guaranteed a slot in the final tournament.
Play-off path adjustment for Switzerland, who cannot qualify directly as they are in League B: If Switzerland finishes as a League B winner runner-up or in third place, the best-ranked fourth-placed team of League B will complete the round 1 path 2 play-off line-up and the draw seeding for the six ties will be adjusted accordingly.
With a lot of players out of season, there might be some surprises due to fitness level being low. And injury risks too.
My wish for today's draw: 1.No England 2.No Sweden Question about the Play-offs: Have I understood it correctly that the last placed teams of League A are ranked higher than the first placed teams of League B and only the worst team of League A could be unseeded in the second round of play-offs?