UEFA Nations League 2026/2027: Fixtures, Groups and the Biggest Matches to Watch

International football returns with the UEFA Nations League 2026/2027, bringing Europe’s strongest national teams together for another edition packed with major clashes from the opening round.

The UEFA Nations League 2026/2027 begins on 24 September 2026, with the league phase continuing until 17 November 2026, before the competition moves into the knockout stages in 2027.

This edition features several highly anticipated fixtures, including England vs Spain, Netherlands vs Germany, France vs Italy, Croatia vs England, Portugal vs Norway, Germany vs Netherlands and Spain vs Croatia.

In this KORARAB guide, we take a closer look at the UEFA Nations League 2026/2027 groups, fixtures, competition format, biggest matches and national teams to watch.

When Does the UEFA Nations League 2026/2027 Start?

The opening round of the UEFA Nations League 2026/2027 will take place between 24 and 26 September 2026.

The start of this edition features a packed schedule, with the first four matchdays taking place between 24 September and 6 October, before the national teams return for Matchdays 5 and 6 in November.

UEFA Nations League 2026/2027 matchdays:

• Matchday 1: 24–26 September 2026
• Matchday 2: 27–29 September 2026
• Matchday 3: 30 September–3 October 2026
• Matchday 4: 4–6 October 2026
• Matchday 5: 12–14 November 2026
• Matchday 6: 15–17 November 2026

The UEFA Nations League quarter-finals and promotion/relegation play-offs are scheduled to take place in March 2027.

The final stage of the competition will be played between 9 and 13 June 2027.

UEFA Nations League 2026/2027 Groups

The draw has produced several exciting groups, particularly in League A, where some of Europe’s biggest national teams will face each other in matches more commonly associated with the latter stages of the European Championship or World Cup.

League A

Group A1:
France – Italy – Belgium – Türkiye

Group A2:
Germany – Netherlands – Serbia – Greece

Group A3:
Spain – Croatia – England – Czechia

Group A4:
Portugal – Denmark – Norway – Wales

This is where the real excitement begins.

Group A3, featuring Spain, England, Croatia and Czechia, promises to be one of the most exciting groups of the tournament, while Group A1 offers major clashes between France, Italy, Belgium and Türkiye.

Group A2 gives football fans another classic European rivalry between Germany and the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, Group A4 will feature an intriguing battle involving Portugal, Denmark, Norway and Wales.

League B Groups

League B should also provide plenty of competitive football, particularly with several national teams aiming to earn promotion to the top tier.

Group B1:
Scotland – Switzerland – Slovenia – North Macedonia

Group B2:
Hungary – Ukraine – Georgia – Northern Ireland

Group B3:
Israel – Austria – Republic of Ireland – Kosovo

Group B4:
Poland – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Romania – Sweden

For the teams competing in League B, the objective is not only to win matches but also to fight for promotion to League A.

League C Groups

Group C1:
Albania – Finland – Belarus – San Marino

Group C2:
Montenegro – Armenia – Cyprus – Latvia

Group C3:
Kazakhstan – Slovakia – Faroe Islands – Moldova

Group C4:
Iceland – Bulgaria – Estonia – Luxembourg

League D Groups

Group D1:
Gibraltar – Malta – Andorra

Group D2:
Lithuania – Azerbaijan – Liechtenstein

England vs Spain: One of the Biggest Matches of the Opening Round

If there is one fixture that deserves to be near the top of the list of the biggest UEFA Nations League 2026/2027 matches, it is certainly England vs Spain.

The match will take place on 26 September in Group A3, bringing back memories of the UEFA Euro 2024 final between the two national teams.

Spain and England possess tremendous attacking quality, making this one of the most anticipated fixtures of the opening round.

The same group also includes Croatia and Czechia, meaning every dropped point could have a major impact on the race for qualification.

Netherlands vs Germany: A European Classic Returns

The opening day of the competition immediately gives football fans one of European football’s classic international rivalries:

Netherlands vs Germany – 24 September 2026.

Matches between these two nations always carry special significance, but this encounter becomes even more important due to the strength of a group that also includes Serbia and Greece.

With only six league-phase matches for each national team, a strong start could prove extremely important in the final group standings.

France vs Italy: A European Heavyweight Clash

Group A1 provides another huge European fixture as France face Italy.

Belgium and Türkiye complete the group, making the battle for the leading positions particularly interesting.

With four strong national teams competing in the same group, there are numerous possible scenarios and very few matches that can be considered easy.

That is exactly what makes the UEFA Nations League so attractive: national teams regularly play competitive fixtures against opponents of a similar level.

Portugal Enter the Competition with Big Ambitions

Portugal will once again be one of the national teams attracting significant attention in the UEFA Nations League 2026/2027, competing in Group A4 alongside Denmark, Norway and Wales.

One of the biggest names to watch in this group will also be Norwegian star Erling Haaland, whose goalscoring ability gives Norway a major attacking threat.

As a result, Portugal vs Norway will be much more than another group-stage fixture and could become one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament.

Spain, England and Croatia: A Group Packed With Major Matches

In terms of big names, it is difficult to look beyond Group A3.

Having Spain, England and Croatia in the same group, alongside Czechia, means every point could be extremely valuable.

The schedule will also provide several direct clashes between the three biggest teams in the group.

England vs Spain, Croatia vs England, Croatia vs Spain and Spain vs England are all expected to be among the most closely followed matches of the UEFA Nations League 2026/2027.

Group A3 could therefore become one of the most watched groups throughout the entire league phase.

How Does the UEFA Nations League 2026/2027 Format Work?

In Leagues A, B and C, each group consists of four national teams.

Every team plays the other three opponents twice — once at home and once away — giving each national team a total of six matches during the league phase.

In League A, the teams finishing first and second in each group advance to the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals.

The quarter-finals will be played over two legs in March 2027, with the winners advancing to the final stage in June.

The standings also determine promotion and relegation between the different Nations League divisions, giving additional competitive importance even to matches that are not directly connected to the title race.

Why Could the 2026/2027 Nations League Also Matter Ahead of Euro 2028?

There is another reason why the UEFA Nations League 2026/2027 will attract significant attention.

Results in the competition could have additional importance on the road towards UEFA Euro 2028 qualification, meaning national teams will have plenty at stake throughout the tournament.

Every point could matter, whether in the battle to reach the knockout rounds or in determining each country’s position within the Nations League structure.

Biggest UEFA Nations League 2026/2027 Matches to Watch

The league phase contains dozens of fixtures, but several matches already stand out as particularly attractive.

Netherlands vs Germany, England vs Spain, France vs Italy, Croatia vs England, Portugal vs Norway, Spain vs Croatia, Germany vs Netherlands and Spain vs England are expected to be among the highlights of the competition.

Of course, surprise teams could also emerge and completely change the picture of their respective groups after the opening rounds, as often happens in international football.

UEFA Nations League 2026/2027 Promises an Exciting International Season

With national teams such as Spain, France, Germany, England, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Croatia competing in League A, football fans will have plenty of high-profile matches to follow over a relatively short period.

And the action will begin quickly.

During the opening weeks of the competition, the group standings could change dramatically as the leading contenders begin their battle for places in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals.

Every matchday will become increasingly important as the end of the league phase approaches, particularly in groups containing several major European nations.

KORARAB will continue covering the UEFA Nations League 2026/2027, today’s football fixtures, match results, European national team news, match analysis and UEFA Nations League predictions throughout the tournament.