Nations League draw live – Scotland to learn playoff fate plus quarter-final ties featuring Spain and France

Like a John McGinn rocket, we’re speeding straight towards the A/B playoffs. Same format, so the B promotion contenders drawn out first, then the A survivalists.

Here we go then, with the B teams who will all be drawn second so they are at home in the second leg, and firstly the C teams.

Bulgaria v Republic of Ireland

Quick as that we’re done and dusted with those at the bottom rung of Uefa’s ladder. Wasn’t that quick really, was it?

Anyway we’re on to the B/C playoffs which includes Republic of Ireland.

A Caoimhin Kelleher-inspired win ensured they’d finish third, but they were heavily beaten by England last time after a red card out so still improvements to come.

Playoffs first and it’s C/D groups up – these won’t be played until 2026, if at all, remember.

A startlingly bold call from Johan picks out Euro 2024 winners Spain as ones to watch, with Lamine Yamal in particular a player he enjoys.

Roberto Martinez, Didier Deschamps, Ronald Koeman and more look on in rapt wonder.

Here comes the video explanation of everything we’ve just told you below, so the draw itself should be along shortly.

We’re welcoming on stage special guest Johan Djourou, apparently, to do the draw. The Swiss defender formerly played for Arsenal of course, as well as Birmingham, Hamburg and plenty of others.

He “really love[s] the format because it gives all the teams the chance to compete”.

OK we’re underway, of sorts. Giorgio Marchetti, the man who loves a draw perhaps more than anybody else on planet Earth, is on the stage. For the uninitiated, he’s the deputy general secretary of Uefa.

He assures us we’re close to starting the draw, but starts with the usual compliments, explanations and general speaking.

A “special recognition” for San Marino, who sealed a first-ever Uefa competition win and promotion from League D.

One of the keen onlookers to the draw will of course be Steve Clarke – his Scotland side secured third place with a fantastic late winner by Andy Robertson against Poland this week. If they come through the playoffs victorious too, it means League A next time around will contain each of the Scots, England and Wales – the latter two topping their respective League B groups this time to go straight up.

Republic of Ireland’s wins over Finland mean they are hoping to stay in League B by way of the playoffs too, while Northern Ireland won C3 to earn promotion to that tier too. Positives all around, or potential ones.

Top scorers from the Nations League this time:

• Gyokeres (Sweden) 9
• Haaland (Norway) 7
• Marin (Romania) 6
• Ronaldo (Portugal) 5
• Sesko (Slovenia) 5

A couple there still involved in the games to come, though Sweden – who were in League C this time around – earned comfortable promotion. Gyokeres helping himself to a bagful against Slovakia, Estonia and Azerbaijan.

So here are all the teams involved in the upcoming playoff draw, with naturally a third place playing a runner-up in each case.

A/B: Scotland, Belgium, Hungary, Serbia; Ukraine, Greece, Austria, Turkey

B/C: Georgia, Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland; Slovakia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Armenia

C/D: Luxembourg, Latvia; Gibraltar, Malta