There is a third competition for which Estonia is eligible; however, this one is different from the two previously mentioned. The competition in question is the UEFA Nations League, which, unlike the European Championship and World Cup, does not require qualification and is every two years instead of four. The UEFA Nations League is also a much newer competition, with the 2018-19 season being the first.
The UEFA Nations League, more commonly known as the Nations League, is a tiered competition that every single European country automatically qualifies for. The tiering is simple and has four levels: the best sixteen teams are in League A, the next best sixteen are in League B, then the next best sixteen are in League C, with the six worst teams in League D.
Estonia has been relatively unsuccessful and has found itself in League C for four out of five of the competition’s editions. With the exception of 2022-23, when they found themselves in League D.
In the four competitions prior to this season, Estonia’s best finish was third place in their group, which they achieved in 2024-25 and 2018-19. It’s safe to say that this time, Estonia was aiming for heights they had not yet achieved.
“You can look behind and worry about someone overtaking you, or you can look forward. One approach holds you back, while the other is positive.” Head Coach Jurgen Henn’s positive words came ahead of their first Nations League game of the 2026-27 season versus Iceland.
Going into the match against Iceland, Estonia had played Iceland seven times in their history and had only won once. Considering the Icelanders were ranked almost fifty positions above the Estonians, at 74th in the FIFA rankings versus Estonia’s 127th at the time, most thought Iceland would get the win.
However, a great Estonian performance would nullify the Icelanders. The game ended 1-1. This was a well-deserved point and the general consensus was that Estonia was unlucky to leave Reykjavik without a win.
“It wasn’t down to one thing that we did well. For two and a half years, we have been steering the whole process in this direction, finding the right personalities and the strengths of the team.”
(Jürgen Henn)
There was no time to dwell on this impressive performance, as Estonia was flying back to the mainland to play Bulgaria just three days later. This was another side ranked significantly above them, with the Bulgarians ranked at 85th in the FIFA rankings.
A second impressive Estonian performance would grab them another point after a 0-0 draw versus Bulgaria. This meant that through the first two matches Estionia grabbed two points versus supposedly stronger teams.
The third match would deliver the best performance yet. Estonia would host Luxembourg, another side ranked above them, but they had already proven they could go blow for blow with anyone. Five minutes into the match, Rasmus Peetson’s right-footed shot hit the back of the net. Following the goal, Estonia would keep the pressure on Luxembourg, and despite coming close, they would not be able to score another. Their strong defence would nullify the Luxembourgian attack, and the Estonians would get a 1-0 win.
After the game, Jürgen Henn emphasized how success is not built overnight but rather meticulously crafted over time. “It wasn’t down to one thing that we did well. For two and a half years, we have been steering the whole process in this direction, finding the right personalities and the strengths of the team,” said coach Henn. Estonia’s Nations League window would end with another draw against Iceland, but this time the game finished 0-0.
After four games, Estonia would rack up six points, a great tally considering they played against sides that ranked above them. They would also only concede one goal throughout their games, showing that Henn’s men are a solid defensive unit.
Strong performances have placed Estonia second in their group, and if they stay in the top two they can get promoted to League B, which would be a huge achievement for the Estonian soccer program.
They also moved up five places in the FIFA rankings, from 127th to 122nd. This may seem like a marginal improvement, but it shows that Estonia is moving in the right direction.
In the next international break, Estonia will play their last two games of the Nations League Group Stage. They face Luxembourg in Luxembourg City on November 13th and Bulgaria in Tallinn on November 16th.
There is no guarantee that Estonia will finish top two in their group, but Jürgen Henn’s team have positioned themselves perfectly for this season’s Nations League to be the country’s most successful to date.
This article was written by Marc-André Perron as part of the Local Journalism Initiative
