Nations League Matchday 1: every fixture, kick-off times and what to watch
Eight League A matches across three days — 24 to 26 September 2026 — opening the fifth edition of the Nations League with a format nobody has seen before: four matchdays inside one international window.
Quick answers
- Matchday 1 of the 2026/27 Nations League is played on 24, 25 and 26 September 2026.
- Eight League A matches, all kicking off at 20:45 CET except England vs Spain at 19:45 UK.
- The headline fixture is England vs Spain at Wembley on Saturday 26 September — a rematch of the EURO 2024 final.
- It is the fifth edition of the Nations League, and the first to put four matchdays inside one international window (24 September – 6 October 2026).
- Portugal are the defending champions; Spain arrive as world champions.
- Türkiye are in League A for the first time in their history.
- The final is 9–13 June 2027, and the league phase feeds EURO 2028 qualifying.
The short answer. Matchday 1 runs across 24–26 September 2026 with eight League A matches. The one that matters most is England vs Spain at Wembley on 26 September — world champions against the side they beat in the EURO 2024 final, and the first meeting between them since. Every other League A match kicks off at 20:45 CET. The unusual part of this edition is the calendar: all four September–October matchdays sit inside a single window, so the group tables will be half-built by early October.
All eight League A fixtures, with kick-off times
| Kick-off (CET) | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Thursday 24 September | |
| 20:45 | Netherlands vs Germany |
| 20:45 | Serbia vs Greece |
| 20:45 | Norway vs Denmark |
| 20:45 | Portugal vs Wales |
| Friday 25 September | |
| 20:45 | Italy vs Belgium |
| 20:45 | Türkiye vs France |
| Saturday 26 September | |
| 20:45 | Czechia vs Croatia |
| 19:45 UK | England vs Spain |
Swipe the table sideways →
League A, group by group
| Group | Teams | The storyline |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | France, Italy, Belgium, Türkiye | Türkiye’s first League A campaign — against three former finalists |
| A2 | Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, Greece | New coaches at Germany and the Netherlands; Greece’s first League A season |
| A3 | Spain, Croatia, England, Czechia | World champions against the side they beat in the EURO 2024 final |
| A4 | Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Wales | The holders open their defence; Norway arrive off a World Cup quarter-final |
Swipe the table sideways →
The five fixtures to watch
England vs Spain
Saturday 26 September · Wembley
World champions against the team they beat in the EURO 2024 final. Spain have won their last five matches, scoring nine and conceding one; England won four of five at the same tournament and conceded in every game. It is their first meeting since Berlin.
Netherlands vs Germany
Thursday 24 September
Both countries arrive with new head coaches and both left the World Cup at the round of 32. It is the opening night’s biggest fixture and the first competitive test of two rebuilds.
Türkiye vs France
Friday 25 September
Türkiye are in League A for the first time in their history. Their reward is France, Italy and Belgium in the same group — starting at home against the French.
Portugal vs Wales
Thursday 24 September
The holders open their defence in Lisbon. Portugal won the 2025 finals and have not lost a Nations League match at home in the current format.
Norway vs Denmark
Thursday 24 September
A Scandinavian derby, and the first competitive meeting between the two in fifteen years. Norway arrive off a World Cup quarter-final; Denmark made the last eight in the last edition.
England vs Spain: the numbers behind the headline fixture
Both teams played their last five matches at the 2026 World Cup. The contrast is the story of the opening round.
| England | Spain | |
|---|---|---|
| Last five results | 4 wins, 1 defeat | 5 wins |
| Goals scored | 14 | 9 |
| Goals conceded | 10 | 1 |
| Clean sheets | 0 | 4 |
The last three meetings
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 15 July 2024 | EURO 2024 final, Berlin | Spain 2–1 England |
| 15 October 2018 | Nations League, Seville | England 3–2 Spain |
| 8 September 2018 | Nations League, Wembley | Spain 2–1 England |
Both squads were named on 18 September: England 27 players, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer recalled and Rio Ngumoha included; Spain 26, without the retired Marcos Llorente and the injured Joan García. Kick-off at Wembley is 19:45 UK time — the only League A match in the round not starting at 20:45 CET.
Why this window is different
In every previous edition, a September international window carried two Nations League matches. This one carries four: matchday 1 on 24–26 September, matchday 2 on 27–29 September, matchday 3 on 30 September–3 October and matchday 4 on 4–6 October.
The consequence is that a group can look settled by early October rather than mid-November — and that squads, not starting elevens, decide who leads. It also means the four fixtures in this window are consecutive, with no return leg in between, so a heavy defeat follows a team into the next matchday.
The shirts for the window
Six of the countries in League A, with current home shirts in stock. Printed names and numbers are made to order, so order before the matchday you want one for.
Spain 2026 Home Winners Shirt
2026-2027 England Home Shirt (Watkins 19)
2026-2027 Germany Home Shirt (Kimmich 6)
2026-2027 France Home Shirt (Upamecano 4)
2026-2027 Portugal Home Shirt (G.Ramos 9)
2026-2027 Italy Home Shirt (Dimarco 3)
Related reading
When is Nations League Matchday 1?
When is England vs Spain?
How many matches are in this window?
Who are the defending champions?
Which teams are in League A?
What happens at the end of the league phase?
Is Türkiye in League A for the first time?
When are the later matchdays?
Shop League A shirts
Current home shirts from Spain, England, Germany, France, Portugal and Italy — printed names and numbers made to order.
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