Zero points at the halfway stage of the Nations League group stage. Suddenly, relegation to League B is very close for the Swiss national team. The most important questions and answers.
How does the Nations League work?
In League A, the top two teams in each group reach the quarter-finals and play for victory. The third-placed team plays a barrage against the second-placed team in League B. The last team in the group is relegated directly.
Has Switzerland ever been relegated before?
No, this would be Switzerland's first relegation in the fourth edition of the competition. Things were already looking bad in the last campaign after three defeats at the start. Back then, the national team managed to turn things around and celebrated three consecutive victories in the second half of the group stage.
Can Switzerland be relegated on Tuesday?
Yes, if it loses at home to Denmark and Serbia wins away against Spain, third place is no longer within Switzerland's reach.
What would be the consequences of relegation?
Switzerland would no longer be able to compete with the best teams in Europe in the 2026/27 Nations League. Instead of opponents such as Germany, Italy or Portugal, they would have to face teams such as Finland, Montenegro or Slovenia. It would be an injury to pride for the Swiss, who have reached the knockout phase at every European Championship and World Cup since 2014.
How is the Nations League linked to qualification for the 2026 World Cup?
On the one hand, the Nations League awards four starting places for the play-offs. Secondly, the eight teams that reach the quarter-finals in League A automatically receive a place in Pot 1 when the qualifying groups are drawn. This way, teams that are ranked further down in the world rankings can push themselves forward.
Why is this important?
Only the twelve group winners in Europe qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup in North America. For the remaining four places, 16 teams (the twelve runners-up plus the best four teams from the Nations League) will play in a play-off. A detour that must be avoided. A good prerequisite for World Cup qualification would therefore be to be drawn into Pot 1 and thus avoid the really big opponents.
What does this mean for Switzerland?
According to the world rankings, Switzerland are currently number 10 in Europe and would therefore be in Pot 1. However, if three teams ranked below them qualify for the quarter-finals of League A, Switzerland would fall back into Pot 2 in the draw for World Cup qualification. From a Swiss perspective, a maximum of two teams from Poland, Scotland, Israel, Hungary, Bosnia, Denmark and Serbia could qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals. Only Denmark currently has a quarter-final place. A lot would have to go wrong for Switzerland to be ousted from Pot 1.
What does coach Murat Yakin say?
Murat Yakin is initially evasive when asked whether the goals will be adjusted after the unsuccessful start to the Nations League. In the current situation, you have to look from game to game, says the national coach. Then he gets more specific: "The goal is still to stay in the A-League. The chance is still there."
What do the players say?
"After the three defeats, we are brutally challenged," says goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. The team wants to "show a different face" against Denmark on Tuesday. Now it's time to put the messed-up game against Serbia behind us, gather ourselves for the next game and pull together. Fabian Rieder also states: "The results so far definitely don't meet our expectations. But I'm sure that our team will get out of this phase. We'll give everything we've got on Tuesday to get the three points."
SDA
