Watch & Wear: Nations League 2026-27
Four matchdays down, two to go. Every marquee tie and result, the November fixtures still to come, verified title odds, and the nine national team shirts worth wearing.
The window is four matchdays old, and it has delivered. While the club season paused, the UEFA Nations League has crammed its opening four matchdays into nine days - and this edition arrived with more narrative than usual: two super-club managers making their national-team debuts, a Euro final replay that went the same way, and the all-time top scorer chasing another record. Here is your companion for the rest of it: what's done and what's next in November, who is favoured, and what to wear while you watch.
The Nations League gets a bad rap from people who only watch it for the standings. Those people are missing the point. Stripped of its gadgetry, this is a run of A-list international fixtures squeezed into the only fortnight clubs hand back to country - and in 2026-27 the fixture computer has been unusually kind. Three of the four League A groups could be decided by September's games alone, and the individual storylines read like a title sequence.
Matchdays 1-4 Results: Portugal Soar Clear, Klopp's Germany Click Into Gear
Both groups in this box — A2 and A4 — are three matchdays deep, 24 September – 1 October 2026. We refresh it after every matchday.
Still to come: Matchdays 5 and 6 (12-17 November). Every fixture, result and the live standings sit in our League A Standings & Results Tracker.
The Format: Four Leagues, One Window
The Nations League splits 54 nations into four leagues by ranking. The elite 16 sit in League A, drawn into four groups of four. Everyone plays everyone home and away across six matchdays. The top two in each group advance to a knockout phase - quarterfinals through to the June 2027 final; the bottom side of each group drops to League B for the next cycle.
This window covers Matchdays 1 to 4 - 24 September to 6 October 2026. Matchdays 5 and 6 land on 12-17 November. Times below are in CEST; the UK is one hour behind, the US East Coast six hours behind.
Why it actually matters: the Nations League is not a glorified friendly. It feeds UEFA's major-tournament qualifying. Sweden finished bottom of its 2026 World Cup qualifying group yet still reached the finals via the Nations League path - beating Ukraine and Poland in the playoffs. This window, the four best-ranked teams earn a route into the 2028 European Championship qualifying playoffs. Every point in September carries a hangover into next summer.
| Matchday | Dates (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MD1 | 24-26 Sep | Opening round - the headline ties |
| MD2 | 27-29 Sep | Zidane's France, Yamal's Spain return |
| MD3 | 1-3 Oct | Ronaldo vs Haaland, Croatia vs England |
| MD4 | 4-6 Oct | Reverse fixtures close the window |
| MD5-6 | 12-17 Nov | Final two rounds before the Finals |
League A: The Groups That Matter
Group A1
Italy, Belgium, Turkiye, France - Mancini's Italy return and Zidane's France in the same section. Spicy.
Group A2
Netherlands, Germany, Serbia, Greece - Klopp's Germany debut and Xavi's Netherlands debut on night one. Greece are in League A for the first time in their history.
Group A3
England, Spain, Czechia, Croatia - the Euro 2024 finalists met again at Wembley, plus Modric's Croatia in what is likely the golden generation's final tournament.
Group A4
Portugal, Norway, Denmark, Wales - Ronaldo's Portugal and Haaland's Norway meet twice in the window. Norway are also in League A for the first time ever.
We carry home shirts for nine of these sixteen nations - Spain, England, France, Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, Italy, Croatia and Belgium - so you can wear the fixture you are watching. The seven we don't (Serbia, Greece, Czechia, Turkiye, Norway, Denmark, Wales) are covered in our player hubs instead.
The Marquee Ties: Kickoff Times & Results
Four matchdays, dozens of games - but these are the ones to build an evening around. Every tie below shows its final score. All times CEST.
The Storylines Worth Your Evening
Two debuts, one rivalry (Netherlands 1-1 Germany, 24 Sep). Jurgen Klopp took charge of Germany for the first time, and Xavi Hernandez did the same with the Netherlands. Two of the sharpest football brains in the game, thrown into the oldest fixture in the book on night one - and it ended level, Gakpo rescuing the Dutch in the 90+2nd minute. Germany are unbeaten in the last four meetings; a new era for both, starting in Amsterdam.
The final, replayed (England 2-3 Spain, 26 Sep). Wembley, less than two years after Spain beat England 2-1 in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin - and Spain did it again. Yamal struck inside two minutes, Gordon and Kane replied for England, but Baena and Oyarzabal (74) settled a five-goal night for the visitors. England, under Thomas Tuchel, finally got the rematch they wanted. They lost that too.
Zidane is back (Belgium 0-1 France, 28 Sep). France's greatest midfielder returned to management for the first time since Real Madrid, against a Belgium side rebuilt under Mark van Bommel - and Olise's 88th-minute goal made it six straight wins over their neighbours. France top Group A1 with a perfect record and a clean sheet in both games.
The record chase (Norway 1-2 Portugal, 27 Sep; Portugal 2-1 Norway, 4 Oct). Erling Haaland is the Nations League's all-time top scorer with 19 goals, and he has already met Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal once - Haaland scored on 51 minutes in Oslo, but Félix (17) and Gonçalo Ramos (54) kept Portugal perfect. The return leg in Lisbon on 4 October delivered just that: Portugal won 2-1, Ramos’ 79th-minute winner sending them through to the quarter-finals. Ronaldo, at 41, is still Portugal's reference point, and Jorge Jesus - the 72-year-old who coached him at Al Nassr - has a 100% start.
The last dance, and the first dance. Croatia's group is likely the final tournament for Luka Modric and the country's golden generation - a farewell wrapped in a death-group with England and Spain. At the other end, Norway and Greece are in League A for the first time in their history, and neither is here to make up the numbers: Norway bring Haaland and Odegaard, Greece a young core that just earned its place.
Who Is Favoured: Title Odds
Opening title odds (bookmaker aggregate, 22 September 2026) frame the pecking order. They move as the window plays out - but they tell you who the bookmakers trust before a ball is kicked.
| Nation | Title odds | Read |
|---|---|---|
| France | 3.75 | Shortest - Zidane's first window, Mbappe captain |
| Spain | 4.00 | World Cup 2026 winner, de la Fuente to 2032 |
| Germany | 5.50 | Klopp era begins at home |
| England | 5.50 | Tuchel's first home window |
| Portugal | 9.00 | Holders, Ronaldo still central |
| Netherlands | 13.00 | Xavi's debut, home edge |
| Belgium | 17.00 | Van Bommel rebuild |
| Norway | 17.00 | First League A, Haaland factor |
| Italy | 34.00 | Mancini return, thin squad |
| Denmark | 34.00 | Steady, unspectacular |
| Croatia | 51.00 | Last dance generation |
Shop the Edit: Nine National Team Shirts
Every shirt below is a 2026-27 home edition in fan version, with name and number options. Wear the nation you are backing. Prices run from $29.90 (Netherlands, Croatia) to $37.90 (Spain).
423.jpg?w=600&h=600)
1888.jpg?w=600&h=600)
1754.jpg?w=650&h=650)
6792.jpg?w=650&h=650)
6324.jpg?w=650&h=650)
At a Glance: The Nine Shirts, by Price
| Shirt | Price | Fan edition |
|---|---|---|
| Spain Home | $37.90 | Name & number options |
| England Home | $35.90 | Name & number options |
| Portugal Home | $34.80 | Name & number options |
| Italy Home | $34.80 | Name & number options |
| France Home | $32.80 | Name & number options |
| Belgium Home | $31.80 | Name & number options |
| Germany Home | $31.80 | Name & number options |
| Netherlands Home | $29.90 | Name & number options |
| Croatia Home | $29.90 | Name & number options |
The Kit Desk's pick: three to wear this window
- Spain ($37.90) - the World Cup 2026 champion's new home, and the shirt Yamal wears. If one kit defines this window, it is this one.
- England ($35.90) - Tuchel's first home window, a Wembley date with Spain, and a design that sells itself. Back the Three Lions while the rebuild has edges.
- Netherlands ($29.90) - the cheapest shirt in the range, and the one with the most to prove: Xavi's debut, a first League A for Norway's rivals, and a price that makes wearing your colours painless.
Player Watch: The Names Behind the Ties
Every marquee fixture runs through a player we have covered in depth. Start with the hubs:
Frequently Asked Questions
Back your nation. Wear the window.
Nine home shirts, one international fortnight. Pick the side you are shouting for and wear it while the goals go in.
Shop National Team Shirts