England enter the fifth UEFA Nations League in League A, Group A3, drawn with Spain, Croatia and Czechia. Six league-phase fixtures decide it, played between Sat 26 Sep 2026 and Sun 15 Nov 2026: a Euro 2024 final renewal with Spain bookending the group, a sanctioned behind-closed-doors night in Croatia, and two meetings with Czechia inside the September and October windows. Every date and kick-off time below is from UEFA’s published fixture list, in Central European time.
England’s six fixtures at a glance
5 of the 6 fixtures kick off at 20:45 Central European time. The exception is the trip to Croatia on 3 October, listed at 18:00. Rows in red are England’s home dates.
| # | MD | Date | Fixture | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MD1 | Sat 26 Sep | England v Spain | 20:45 CEST |
| 2 | MD2 | Tue 29 Sep | Czechia v England | 20:45 CEST |
| 3 | MD3 | Sat 3 Oct | Croatia v England | 18:00 CEST |
| 4 | MD4 | Tue 6 Oct | England v Czechia | 20:45 CEST |
| 5 | MD5 | Thu 12 Nov | England v Croatia | 20:45 CET |
| 6 | MD6 | Sun 15 Nov | Spain v England | 20:45 CET |
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The England shirt for this campaign
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England’s results only tell half the story — the other half is what Spain, Croatia and Czechia take off each other. The complete group schedule is below; England’s rows are marked in red. The top two reach the March quarter-finals, third goes to a relegation play-off, and fourth drops to League B.
| Date | Fixture | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|
| Matchday 1 | ||
| Sat 26 Sep | Czechia v Croatia | 20:45 CEST |
| Sat 26 Sep | England v Spain | 20:45 CEST |
| Matchday 2 | ||
| Tue 29 Sep | Czechia v England | 20:45 CEST |
| Tue 29 Sep | Spain v Croatia | 20:45 CEST |
| Matchday 3 | ||
| Sat 3 Oct | Croatia v England | 18:00 CEST |
| Sat 3 Oct | Spain v Czechia | 20:45 CEST |
| Matchday 4 | ||
| Tue 6 Oct | Croatia v Spain | 20:45 CEST |
| Tue 6 Oct | England v Czechia | 20:45 CEST |
| Matchday 5 | ||
| Thu 12 Nov | Czechia v Spain | 20:45 CET |
| Thu 12 Nov | England v Croatia | 20:45 CET |
| Matchday 6 | ||
| Sun 15 Nov | Croatia v Czechia | 20:45 CET |
| Sun 15 Nov | Spain v England | 20:45 CET |
Kick-off times around the world
UEFA lists kick-offs in Central European time. England play in 3 distinct slots this league phase, and each converts as follows. Note that the US clocks change on 1 November, a week after Europe’s, which is why the November rows move by an hour in every column except Beijing.
| Listed (CE) | UTC | UK | US Eastern | Beijing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18:00 CEST | 16:00 | 17:00 BST | 12:00 EDT | 00:00 (+1d) |
| 20:45 CEST | 18:45 | 19:45 BST | 14:45 EDT | 02:45 (+1d) |
| 20:45 CET | 19:45 | 19:45 GMT | 14:45 EST | 03:45 (+1d) |
England v Spain: the Euro 2024 final, renewed twice
The tie that anchors Group A3. These two met in the EURO 2024 final in Berlin on 14 July 2024, when Spain won 2–1, and the league phase hands them a home-and-away renewal: England host on the opening matchday, and the return in Spain closes the entire group stage on 15 November. If the group is still live on the final night, it ends with this match.
- First leg — Sat 26 Sep 2026, 20:45 CEST · England at home
- Return leg — Sun 15 Nov 2026, 20:45 CET · Spain at home
Croatia v England: a familiar pairing, one game behind closed doors
Croatia and England have been drawn together repeatedly in recent years: Croatia won the 2018 World Cup semi-final 2–1 after extra time, England won 1–0 when they met in the EURO 2020 group stage at Wembley, and the two are also in the same group at the 2026 World Cup. October’s meeting in Croatia carries a condition worth knowing before making travel plans.
- First leg — Sat 3 Oct 2026, 18:00 CEST · Croatia at home
- Return leg — Thu 12 Nov 2026, 20:45 CET · England at home
England v Czechia: the quietest tie of the three
The least storied of England’s three pairings. Their most recent tournament meeting came at EURO 2020, when England won the group-stage match at Wembley 1–0. The two meetings here are neatly separated by the calendar: Czechia host in the September window, and England host the return at the start of the October window, three days after playing in Croatia.
- First leg — Tue 29 Sep 2026, 20:45 CEST · Czechia at home
- Return leg — Tue 6 Oct 2026, 20:45 CEST · England at home
What comes after the league phase
Group A3 settles on the night of 15 November, when England close the group in Spain. From there the route is fixed: the top two play home-and-away quarter-finals in March, and the four winners meet at the finals in June 2027.
| Stage | Dates | What it means for England |
|---|---|---|
| League A quarter-finals | 25–30 March 2027 | Top two in Group A3 qualify, played home and away |
| Promotion / relegation play-offs | 25–30 March 2027 | Third place goes into a two-legged play-off against a League B runner-up |
| Finals | 9–13 June 2027 | Four teams; host to be confirmed |
| Relegation | 17 November 2026 | Fourth place goes straight down to League B |
FAQ
When does England play Spain in the 2026/27 Nations League?
Twice: England host Spain on Saturday 26 September 2026 at 20:45 CEST (19:45 in the UK), and the return in Spain is on Sunday 15 November 2026 at 20:45 CET (19:45 GMT), the final matchday of the league phase.
Which group is England in for the 2026/27 Nations League?
England are in League A, Group A3, alongside Spain, Croatia and Czechia. Each team plays the other three home and away between 26 September and 15 November 2026.
What time do England's Nations League fixtures kick off in the UK?
Five of England's six fixtures are listed at 20:45 Central European time, which is 19:45 in the UK. The exception is Croatia v England on 3 October, listed at 18:00 CEST, which is 17:00 BST. The wall-clock times stay the same all season; only the European UTC offset changes on 25 October.
Are England's fixtures in CEST or CET?
Both. The four fixtures in September and October are in CEST (UTC+2). European clocks go back on Sunday 25 October 2026, so the two November fixtures are in CET (UTC+1). A 20:45 kick-off is 18:45 UTC before the change and 19:45 UTC after it.
Is Croatia v England being played behind closed doors?
Yes. The 3 October 2026 fixture in Croatia will be played without spectators, following a UEFA sanction after crowd behaviour at Croatia's March 2025 match against France.
What do England need to reach the 2027 Nations League finals?
Finish in the top two of Group A3 to reach the two-legged quarter-finals on 25–30 March 2027, then win that tie. The four quarter-final winners contest the finals on 9–13 June 2027. Third place faces a relegation play-off; fourth is relegated to League B.
Where will England's fixtures be played?
UEFA's published fixture list does not name venues. Stadiums are confirmed by the home association closer to each matchday, so check the FA's announcements for England's three home dates.
Related reading
- 2026/27 UEFA Nations League: Complete Fixture Guide, Dates & European Kick-Off Times — all 156 fixtures, every league
- 10 Must-Watch Matches in the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League
- Germany vs Netherlands: The History of a 116-Year Football Rivalry
- Messi’s Last Tango: The Gold No. 10 and Argentina’s Farewell Shirt