The league phase of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League will conclude in November 2026.

The League A quarter-finals, and League A/B and B/C playoffs will then take place in March 2027, ahead of the Finals in June 2027, and it is set to be a fascinating conclusion to the tournament.

However, players run the risk of suspensions for key matches.

Here, Sports Mole explains how 2026-27 Nations League suspensions work, including the rules surrounding yellow and red cards in the tournament.

How do Nations League yellow cards work?

In the 2026-27 Nations League, a player is automatically suspended for one match after receiving two yellow cards in separate matches during the league phase.

A second yellow in a separate match therefore equals a one-game ban, while a fourth yellow and a sixth yellow would carry further one-match suspensions.

How do Nations League red cards work?

A straight red card or two yellow cards in the same match means that the player would be automatically suspended for their next match in the tournament.

However, a straight red card can potentially result in a longer ban, depending on the seriousness of the offence, which would be looked at by UEFA.

"As a rule, a player or team official sent off by the referee is automatically suspended for the next match in the competition. In the event of a serious offence, the UEFA disciplinary bodies are entitled to augment this punishment, including by extending it to other competitions," says Article 60 of the Regulations of the UEFA Nations League.

When are Nations League yellows reset?

Under the 2026-27 rules, the accumulation of yellow cards will continue from the league stage into the quarter-finals, but after the quarter-finals, the remaining yellow cards are wiped.

As a result, heading into the semi-finals and final, there will be no accumulation of previous yellow cards, so at this stage, only a red card would lead to a suspension.