Marko Kanerva allowed himself a smile as Finland drew a group with England in the UEFA Nations League. Finnish football fans can look forward to a big match in Helsinki this fall.
A new version of the Nations League will be held this fall. This will be the fourth in a row and Finland plays in the second league. Today the draw was held and now the national team knows which countries are waiting for it.
Union captain Marko Kanerva and Norwegian Football Association president Ari Lahti could not help but smile regarding the draw in Paris.
Finland has been placed in Group B2, and England has been there before. This means there will be a big game at the Olympic Stadium this autumn with players like Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
– We haven't faced England for a long time. “I'm really looking forward to the matches,” Kanerva says in a press release.
“Interesting group”
England had a poor performance in the Nations League last time out. The team dropped from the Australian League when it did not win any matches.
The other two teams in the group are also familiar in Finland. The team faces Ireland and Greece.
Finland has previously played in the Nations League against both Ireland and Greece. In the European Championship qualifiers, they also faced Greece.
– The group is interesting and I think there will be a good atmosphere in every match, says Kanerva.
Six games this fall
The group is not easy for Finland. England ranks third in the world according to the FIFA classification, Greece is ranked 47th and Ireland is ranked 60th. In the last list, Finland is ranked 59th.
– We knew that there were difficult teams in the second league. Overall, the draw was fine, says Kanerva.
The Nations League begins this fall. Between September and November, six rounds are played.
In the spring of 2025, the three groups will play in the A-League, runners-up and third in League B and runners-up in League C for promotion and relegation.
The best teams in the A-League play in the quarter-finals in March and the final tournament in June.
Nations League 2024–25 match days:
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