Full Breakdown
England vs Spain – UEFA Nations League Opener at Wembley
By Drooid · · How we work
Match Overview
England host reigning world champions Spain at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 26 September 2026 (18:45 GMT). The fixture opens Group A3 of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League, with Croatia and Czechia also in the group. It will be broadcast live on ITV1 in the United Kingdom and streamed via ITVX; in the United States it will be on FOX Sports, FuboTV and ViX, while beIN Sports carries it in the Middle East and North Africa and in Australia.
Context and Stakes
Spain enter as 2026 World Cup winners and 2024 European champions. England’s best historic result in the tournament is a third-place finish in 2019; they returned to League A after winning Group B2 in the previous cycle. The group winner and runner-up will advance to the quarter-finals in March 2027.
Team News and Injuries
England – Coach Thomas Tuchel must cope with several absences. Winger Marcus Rashford is sidelined with a knock and attacking midfielder Cole Palmer is out with a muscle injury. Midfield options are further limited by the withdrawals of Declan Rice and Kobbie Mainoo. Trent Alexander-Arnold has been recalled and may start at right-back; other defensive selections include Jordan Pickford, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi and Nico O’Reilly.
Spain – Centre-back Marc Pubill is unavailable due to physical discomfort, and goalkeeper Joan García is out with a knee injury. Pedro Porro suffered a hamstring injury on 19 September 2022 and is ruled out of all four Nations League games. Eric Garcia, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella are expected to form the back line, with Unai Simon in goal.
Coaches’ Perspectives
*No quotations provided.*
Statistical Outlook
- Opta’s model assigns Spain a 40.2 % probability of victory, England 33.6 %, and a draw 26.2 %.
- Spain have not lost a regulation-time match in 38 fixtures since a 1–0 friendly defeat to Colombia in March 2024.
- In head-to-head meetings, Spain have won six of the last nine games against England, including the Euro 2024 final (2–1). England have won two of the previous 13 encounters with reigning world champions.
- England entered the Nations League after a 6–4 World Cup third-place win over France and have won four of their last five matches. Spain entered on a five-match winning run, scoring seven goals and conceding two.
Player Highlights
England rely on striker Harry Kane, the Bayern Munich forward who recently became the fastest player to reach 100 Bundesliga goals, and midfield dynamo Jude Bellingham, who has contributed three goals and three assists in his first seven La Liga appearances for Real Madrid. Spain’s attacking threat centers on Ferran Torres, who scored a Champions League hat-trick for Paris Saint-Germain, and Lamine Yamal, whose seven La Liga goals rank joint-second in the league.
Broadcast Options
- United Kingdom: ITV1 (television) and ITVX (online).
- United States: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX.
- Middle East & North Africa: beIN Sports.
- India: Sony Sports Network.
- South Africa: DStv.
- Australia: beIN Sports (AU$15 per month) or as a Prime Video add-on.
What’s Next
Following the Wembley clash, England travel to Czechia on 29 September 2026, while Spain host Croatia on the same day, each seeking a quarter-final berth. The league phase continues through November, with the top two teams from each Group A advancing to the March 2027 knockout stage.
