I wrote this yesterday trying to explain the competition and it's rewards.

Nations league is an international league competition with promotion and relegation. Between four levels

Wales are in League B (level 2) - which contains 16 teams split into four groups. if we were to win our group we, along with the other three group winners, would be promoted to League A. Bottom placed teams in each League are relegated.

There are four Leagues. A, B & C contain 16 teams. League D the 7 remaining UEFA nations.

Promotion and relegation happens at all levels except teams that finish bottom of League D who just finish last in Europe. They can’t be relegated but can win promotion. It means Andorra for example over a few tournaments could be promoted to the top League. Likewise England could be relegated to League D

The 4 group winners in League A contest the Nations League finals to win the overall competition. Their reward is a trophy.

There will also be normal World Cup qualifying. That starts in March.

10 groups. The 10 group winners all qualify for Qatar. The ten runners up all go into the play offs.

Only three play off winners can go to Qatar. So the ten group runners up will be joined by two sides from the Nations League who have not already qualified for Qatar or already gained a play off place.

That means six games producing six winners who then play three finals to produce the three play off winners.

Giving us the 13 European teams at the World Cup in 2022

So if Wales finish outside the top two of their World Cup qualifying group they might have a chance of a play off place if they did well in the Nations League. The two sides chosen will be the two highest ranked Nations League performances who have not already qualified directly for the WC or comes runners up in their WC qualifying group.

Nations League has basically replaced friendlies (there will still be some friendlies) making international games competitive and with a chance of a reward of promotion, relegation or maybe a play off place for qualifying for a tournament.

Covid, a re-arranged Euro’s and a WC in winter 22 means the usual international routine is a bit disrupted but we will have competitive international football this September, October, November in the Nations League.

Next March, September, October and November in WC qualifying - with three qualifying games in a week to fit the matches in that would usually have been played in June but can’t because we have the Euros.

Then the 2022 Nations league will be played in June and September ahead of the November Word Cup.

As well as all the league and qualifying games the nations league final, nations league relegation play offs and World Cup play offs have to take place as well.

Add in the 20/21 domestic season, the 21/22 domestic season and part of the 22/23 season to be played before the WC in 26 months time it can be fair to say there is going to be almost wall to wall football for the next couple of years.