Ukraine are the top seeds in Ireland’s group.
The Republic of Ireland have discovered their opponents for the 2022-23 edition of the Uefa Nations League. The draw, which took place on Thursday evening, has pitted Stephen Kenny’s side against Ukraine, Scotland and Armenia.
Ireland’s Nations League campaign gets under in June and ends in September. The Boys in Green will play six games in total across the group.
The winners of Group B1 will earn promotion to League A for the next edition of the Nations League. The team that finishes bottom will go into a relegation playoff. There may also be a playoff place for Euro 2024 on offer, with the format to be decided in June.
Ireland’s Nations League group.
Ireland will face Ukraine, who are currently ranked 24th in the world and reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2020.
Scotland are also in Ireland’s group. Steve Clarke’s side are ranked 38th in the world, they qualified for Euro 2020 and secured a playoff place for the 2022 World Cup.
Armenia are the lowest-ranked team in the group and are currently ranked 92nd in the world.
It is not an easy draw for Kenny’s team. Ireland would have been hoping to draw Iceland from Pot 1, and possibly Finland from Pot 2, but they also could have received a more difficult draw.
Ireland in the Nations League.
Ireland’s record in the Nations League is awful. In 10 games, across two campaigns, the team have failed to win a single match, have lost five games and have only scored twice. However, the national team appear to have turned a corner in recent months.
Ireland failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but ended the campaign on a positive note. Kenny’s team finished third in the group, behind Serbia, who topped the table, and Portugal, who finished second and go into a playoff for a place at the tournament.
The Boys in Green have only lost one of their last 10 matches – away to Portugal in September thanks to two late Cristiano Ronaldo goals – and they appear to be on an upward trajectory after a difficult first year in the job for Kenny.
Uefa Nations League: Full draw.
League A.
Group A1: France, Denmark, Croatia, Austria.
Group A2: Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Czech Republic.
Group A3: Italy, Germany, England, Hungary.
Group A4: Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Wales.
League B.
Group B1: Armenia, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Ukraine.
Group B2: Albania, Israel, Russia, Iceland.
Group B3: Montenegro, Romania, Finland, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Group B4: Slovenia, Serbia, Norway, Sweden.
League C.
Group C1: Faroe Islands, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Turkey.
Group C2: Cyprus/Estonia, Kosovo, Greece, Northern Ireland.
Group C3: Kazakhstan/Moldova, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Slovakia
Group C4: Gibraltar, Georgia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria.
League D.
Group D1: Latvia, Andorra, Kazakhstan/Moldova, Liechtenstein.
Group D2: San Marino, Cyprus/Estonia, Malta.
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