UEFA revamps Nations League: Changes for Kazakhstan’s national team
Kazakhstan’s national team is guaranteed to remain in at least League C after the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League. UEFA has changed the promotion and relegation system because the tournament will be reduced from four leagues to three starting with the 2028-29 season.
For Kazakhstan, the key change is the abolition of League D. Under the transition system approved by UEFA, all teams finishing third or fourth in the four League C groups in the current edition will remain in the division for the 2028-29 season.
Previous regulations provided for a different system. The two lowest-ranked fourth-placed teams in League C were to be relegated directly to League D, while the two best-ranked fourth-placed teams were to play off against the two runners-up from League D. This mechanism has now been scrapped.
Ways for Kazakhstan to reach League B
Kazakhstan’s national team, led by John van ’t Schip, will play in Group 3 of League C alongside Slovakia, the Faroe Islands and Moldova. The group winner will be promoted directly to League B.
The runner-up will also have a chance of promotion. All four League C runners-up will face the four teams finishing last in League B in promotion/relegation play-offs. The winners will be promoted to League B, while the losers will remain in League C.
Therefore, Kazakhstan has three possible scenarios: finishing first would mean direct promotion to League B; second place would mean a promotion play-off; and third or fourth place would mean remaining in League C.
League D to be abolished
The changes are part of a major reform of UEFA’s national team competitions. Starting with the 2028-29 edition, the Nations League will consist of three leagues — A, B and C — with 18 teams in each. Due to the total number of participating teams, one League C group will have seven teams.
All six national teams playing in League D in the 2026-27 season will automatically move up to League C. As a result, League C in the 2028-29 season will consist of the four losers of the B/C play-offs, eight teams that finish third or fourth in the current League C, and the six teams from the abolished League D.
When Kazakhstan plays
A new Nations League edition will begin for Kazakhstan’s national team on Sept. 26 with an away match against the Faroe Islands. Three days later, the team will play Slovakia away. Kazakhstan will then host Moldova on Oct. 2 and the Faroe Islands on Oct. 6.
The final group-stage matches will take place in November: Kazakhstan will play Moldova away on Nov. 13 and host Slovakia on Nov. 16.
The final squad for the upcoming matches includes Bauyrzhan Islamkhan and Stas Pokatilov, who have returned to the national team. Meanwhile, Dastan Satpayev will miss the national team camp due to injury.
