The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League officially gets underway on Thursday, September 24, with Europe’s top national teams beginning their campaigns in the latest edition of the competition.
The league phase will run from September 24 to November 17, 2026, with teams competing across Leagues A, B, C and D. UEFA says the competition was created to provide more competitive international fixtures and reduce the number of less meaningful friendly matches.
Big Matches on the Opening Day
The opening round features several high-profile encounters, including Netherlands vs Germany, Serbia vs Greece, Norway vs Denmark and Portugal vs Wales.
The Netherlands-Germany clash is among the most anticipated fixtures of Matchday 1, with both sides beginning their Nations League campaigns against strong opposition.
Portugal will also begin the competition against Wales as they start their title defence. Meanwhile, Norway face Denmark in another intriguing League A meeting.
England and Spain Set for Major Clash
One of the biggest matches of the opening round will be England vs Spain, scheduled for September 26.
The fixture will renew one of Europe’s major international rivalries and is particularly notable because Spain and England met in the UEFA Euro 2024 final.
Other major League A fixtures include Italy vs Belgium and Türkiye vs France, adding further excitement to the opening matchdays.
Nations League Format
The 2026/27 competition features four leagues. League A contains Europe’s leading national teams, while Leagues B, C and D provide opportunities for teams to compete against nations in similar competitive groups.
League A consists of four groups, with France, Italy, Belgium and Türkiye in Group A1; Germany, Netherlands, Serbia and Greece in Group A2; Spain, Croatia, England and Czechia in Group A3; and Portugal, Denmark, Norway and Wales in Group A4.
The league phase concludes on November 17, followed by the knockout stages in 2027. The Nations League finals are scheduled for June 9–13, 2027.
Road to the Nations League Finals
The opening phase will provide teams with six matches in Leagues A, B and C, while League D teams will play four matches. The results will determine which nations advance, face promotion or relegation play-offs, or compete in the League A knockout stage.
With several heavyweight teams meeting early in the competition, the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League promises an action-packed international football schedule from the very first matchday.
