UEFA Nations League Preview: Complete Matchday Guide
The UEFA Nations League returns for its 2026/27 edition, bringing together Europe’s leading international sides for another campaign of competitive fixtures, promotion and relegation battles and the chance to reach the finals in June 2027.
The league phase begins on 24 September, with League A providing several high-profile fixtures straight away. England face Spain in a repeat of the UEFA EURO 2024 final, while Germany travel to the Netherlands, Italy meet Belgium and Portugal begin their title defence against Wales.
The league phase runs from September to November, with League A, B and C teams playing six fixtures each and League D teams playing four. The results will determine who progresses towards the 2027 finals, who earns promotion and which nations face relegation or promotion/relegation play-offs.
Read on for the fixtures, the pick of the opening matchdays and what to expect as the new Nations League campaign gets under way.
What Are The UEFA Nations League Matchday 1 Fixtures?
Matchday 1 takes place from 24 to 26 September 2026 and opens the league phase with fixtures across all four leagues.
All times below are in BST. The latest Nations League fixtures are:
Thursday, 24 September
Andorra v Malta – 5pm
Netherlands v Germany – 7:45pm
Serbia v Greece – 7:45pm
Norway v Denmark – 7:45pm
Portugal v Wales – 7:45pm
Austria v Israel – 7:45pm
Kosovo v Republic of Ireland – 7:45pm
Liechtenstein v Lithuania – 7:45pm
Friday, 25 September
Georgia v Northern Ireland – 5pm
Armenia v Latvia – 5pm
Italy v Belgium – 7:45pm
Türkiye v France – 7:45pm
Hungary v Ukraine – 7:45pm
Poland v Bosnia and Herzegovina – 7:45pm
Sweden v Romania – 7:45pm
Montenegro v Cyprus – 7:45pm
Saturday, 26 September
Slovenia v Scotland – 2pm
San Marino v Finland – 5pm
Faroe Islands v Kazakhstan – 5pm
Bulgaria v Luxembourg – 5pm
Iceland v Estonia – 5pm
Czechia v Croatia – 7:45pm
England v Spain – 7:45pm
North Macedonia v Switzerland – 7:45pm
Albania v Belarus – 7:45pm
Slovakia v Moldova – 7:45pm
The opening round immediately provides several fixtures between highly ranked nations, while the British and Irish sides face a mixture of familiar and less familiar opponents. UEFA lists England v Spain, Netherlands v Germany and Italy v Belgium among the standout Matchday 1 fixtures.
UEFA Nations League Matchday 1: Game of the Week Preview
England v Spain is one of the headline fixtures of Matchday 1. The meeting at Wembley on 26 September brings together two of Europe’s leading international sides and renews the rivalry from the UEFA EURO 2024 final.
England are drawn in League A Group A3 alongside Spain, Croatia and Czechia, meaning every match in the group carries significance from the opening round.
The fixture also provides an early test of how both teams approach the new Nations League campaign. England will have home advantage, while Spain arrive as the reigning European and World champions from UEFA EURO 2024 and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
What Are The UEFA Nations League Matchday 1 Results?
Matchday 1 has not yet been played, so there are no final results to report. The opening fixtures take place between 24 and 26 September 2026.
The latest Nations League results are:
England’s Group A3 campaign begins with Spain at Wembley before an away trip to Czechia on 29 September. Croatia then host England on 3 October, meaning the first three fixtures provide a demanding start to the group phase.
The September schedule therefore gives supporters six days of Nations League football across the first two matchdays. With teams beginning to establish themselves in their respective groups, the early results will provide the first indications of how the league phase could develop.
Bet on the UEFA Nations League at Bet442
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