The world’s best teams fight it out in the first ever UEFA Nations League - it is live and only on Optus Sport

The best nations in football are set to return to the field this week, when the UEFA Nations League kicks off exclusively live on Optus Sport this Friday morning (AEST).

As part of the first group matches, some classic match-ups are scheduled, including Germany, the 2014 FIFA World Cup champions, playing France, the recently-crowned 2018 champions.

The weekend matches also include Italy, returning to the international arena to play Poland, and England, taking on Spain from Wembley.

Optus Sport will provide unprecedented detailed analysis and reactions as part of its live-hosting of key matches.

Host Richard Bayliss will be joined by a variety of on-air talent, including regular Optus Sport contributors Mark Schwarzer and Michael Bridges.

Joining the studio coverage will be former Premier League goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, who earned over 100 caps for Denmark across an illustrious career.

Ned Zelic will also add insight from pitchside alongside Schwarzer, allowing Optus to call upon not only two of Australia’s greatest ever footballing talents, but analysts who have an imposing amount of European football experience. 

“We strongly believe this will be a tournament our customers are going to embrace and what a better way to start than with France taking on Germany and England playing Spain,” Optus TV Head of Content, Corin Dimopoulos said.

“It is all about national pride, with the likes of Italy, returning to the world stage; Germany, hoping to redeem after the disappointment of the World Cup; and England’s young squad, aiming to continue their World Cup form.

“This tournament will quickly become an icon on the international stage with all matches counting towards qualification for the UEFA Nations Finals or UEFA Nations League promotion or relegation.  The great thing about it is that every match matters.”

To watch an introduction to the UEFA Nations League video, CLICK HERE.

UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE OVERVIEW

The UEFA Nations League has 55 UEFA National Associations competing in the newly-formed tournament across four, evenly-ranked leagues.

The UEFA Nations League will be played every two years over three consecutive months for each edition.

For the first edition the UEFA, National Associations have been allocated to their respective leagues according to their UEFA national team coefficient ranking, following completion of the European Qualifiers to the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The results of the first edition of the UEFA Nations League will establish a new ‘UEFA National Team Ranking’, which will determine the seeding of the teams for the draw for the European Qualifiers to UEFA EURO 2020.

The UEFA Nations League group games are being held over six matchdays, during the 'double-headers' in September, October and November 2018.

The UEFA Nations League Finals competition for the teams that win the four groups within the top division is scheduled for June 2019, with the draw to be held in December 2018.

For the UEFA Nations League Finals, the group winners of UEFA Nations League A will play in a knockout format in June 2019 to become the UEFA Nations League winners.

To access all of Optus Sport content, which also includes the 2018/19 Premier League, UEFA Euro 2020, UEFA Champions League, and UEFA Europa Cup, customers can subscribe to Optus Sport for $14.99 per month or take up an eligible Optus plan where it can be added as an optional extra for no cost.

Pools for the UEFA Nations League:

Pool A - Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Iceland, Portugal, Italy, Poland, England, Spain, Croatia.

Pool B - Slovakia, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Wales, Republic of Ireland, Denmark.

Pool C - Scotland, Albania, Israel, Hungary, Greece, Finland, Estonia, Slovenia, Norway, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Lithuania.

Pool D -  Georgia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Andorra, Belarus, Luxembourg, Moldova, San Marino, Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands, Malta, Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, Armenia, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar.

UEFA Nations League key matches, with exclusive coverage of live matches on Optus Sport (AEST):

Friday 07/09

12am – Kazakhstan v Georgia
4.15am – Germany v France
4.35am – Czech Republic v Ukraine
4.35am – Wales v Republic of Ireland

Saturday 08/09

4.15am – Italy v Poland
4.35am – Russia v Turkey
10.50pm – Northern Ireland v Bosnia Herzegovina

Sunday 09/09

1.50am – Switzerland v Iceland
1.50am – Finland v Hungary
4.15am – England v Spain
4.15am – Estonia v Greece
 

Media contact
Tara White
Optus Corporate Affairs
Ph: (02) 8082 7850
E: media@optus.com.au