European and Concacaf nations could meet in proposed cross-continental league

UEFA and Concacaf are exploring the creation of a joint Nations League involving as many as 96 national teams, with the competition potentially beginning in 2028 after the next European Championship, according to The Guardian.

The proposal remains at an early stage and no final decision has been made on whether the tournament will go ahead or what format it would use.

It is being discussed amid increasingly strained relations between several continental football confederations and FIFA, which is led by president Gianni Infantino.

The suggested competition would be based on the existing Nations League model. National teams would be placed into different divisions, with a league phase followed by knockout rounds to determine the champions.

A joint tournament could create regular competitive fixtures between leading European sides such as Spain, France, England and Germany, and prominent Concacaf teams including the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The plan is not necessarily intended to increase the number of matches in the international calendar. Instead, organisers are examining whether the existing international windows in September, October and November could be used for the league phase.

The knockout stages could then be held in March, with the final taking place in June.

However, the fact that UEFA and Concacaf are considering a shared Nations League does not mean the event has been approved. According to Argentina-based newspaper Ole, several important issues remain unresolved.

Those include the number of teams that would compete in each division, as well as the precise structure of the tournament and the way qualification for its later stages would work.

One of the main aims would be to provide regular, meaningful fixtures between national teams from Europe and the Concacaf region. The event could also generate an additional source of income, with revenue potentially distributed among the participating associations.

That financial element could be particularly significant for smaller football federations, which may benefit from playing higher-profile opponents in a structured competition rather than relying solely on friendly matches.

UEFA and Concacaf are also considering whether fixtures could be arranged in geographical blocks. Such a system would be designed to reduce the amount of long-distance travel required during the competition and ease the logistical burden on the participating teams.

The proposal would represent a major expansion of the Nations League concept beyond its existing continental format. UEFA’s competition currently brings together European national teams, while Concacaf operates its own regional tournament.

For now, though, the project is only the subject of preliminary discussions. The participating organisations have yet to agree on its principle, scale, timetable or competition format.