The Nations League will return for a third time in 2022 when champions France begin the defence of their title.

Didier Deschamps' side beat Spain in the final to lift the trophy in October, with Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe on target for Les Bleus.

We bring you all the details ahead of the next edition, which kicks off in June.

When is the draw?

After the success of the first two Nations League tournaments, the draw for the third edition will take place on December 16 in Montreux, Switzerland.

The fixture list will be confirmed the following day with the first round of matches taking place from June 2.

How does the tournament work?

There will be three leagues of 16 teams and one league of seven teams, as there was in 2020-21.

In Leagues A, B and C the 16 teams will be drawn into four groups of four teams. League D will have one group of four teams and one of three.

Each team will play the other three sides in their group home and away across matchdays in June and September.

The four group winners in League A qualify for the semi-finals, which will be played in June 2023 at a venue yet to be decided. 

In the other leagues, group winners earn promotion for the next edition scheduled to be held in 2024-25.

The bottom teams in the groups from the top two tiers will all be relegated.

There are only two relegation spots from Group C, meaning the bottom teams from each group will play another of the fourth-placed sides to try to avoid the drop to League D.

These matches will take place in March 2024.

When are the matches being played?

Four of the six group games will be played in an extended two-week international break in June 2022.

The final two games will take place in a late September international break with the finals due to take place in June 2023.

This is due to the World Cup being held in Qatar in November and December 2022.

Matchday 1: June 2-4, 2022

Matchday 2: June 5-8, 2022

Matchday 3: June 8–11, 2022

Matchday 4: June 12-14, 2022

Matchday 5: September 22-24, 2022

Matchday 6: September 25-27, 2022

Semi-finals: June 14-15, 2023

Final and third place play-off: June 18, 2023

Relegation play-outs: March 21–23 and 24–26, 2024

What league is each team in?

League A: France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, England, Poland, Switzerland, Croatia, Wales, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary

League B: Ukraine, Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Scotland, Russia, Israel, Romania, Serbia, Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Montenegro, Albania, Armenia

League C: Turkey, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Northern Ireland, Greece, Belarus, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Lithuania, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kosovo, Gibraltar, Faroe Islands, two League C relegation play-out winners (League C relegation play-outs will take place in March 2022)

League D: Liechtenstein, Malta, Latvia, San Marino, Andorra, two League C relegation play-out losers

Who could England play?

The seeding process in each league is calculated on performance in the previous edition, meaning England are in Pot 3 in League A.

There are four pots in each league and each group is made up of one team from each of those.

The Three Lions are alongside Poland, Switzerland and Croatia in Pot 3 so they will not be facing them.

They will play one of France, Spain, Italy or Belgium from Pot 1 with Portugal, Netherlands, Denmark and Germany in Pot 2.

The final side in their group will be one of Wales, Austria, Czech Republic and Hungary.