The new-look three-week international break is upon us, and as Premier League fans count down the days until club football returns, there is plenty to keep an eye on across Europe.
The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League kicks off this week, with some huge matches taking place in League One. There are also plenty of interesting storylines, from new managers taking over to some heavyweight nations coming together early in the competition.
Here, 101 Great Goals are five matches that should be firmly on your radar.
Netherlands vs. Germany – September 24
The UEFA Nations League gets off to a great start with one of the biggest rivalries in European football, as the Netherlands welcome Germany to Amsterdam.
It will also be the first competitive match for both coaches, with Jurgen Klopp starting in charge of Germany and Xavi Hernandez taking over as coach of the Netherlands.
That alone makes this impossible to ignore, especially when you take into account that neither nation has thrived on the pitch in recent years, so there is a lot of pressure on both leaders to claim an early victory.
Germany reached the semi-finals of the previous Nations League, while the Netherlands reached the quarter-finals, and both will be looking to get off to a fast start this time around.
Portugal vs Wales – September 24
Portugal begins its title defense against Wales in Lisbon, and Jorge Jesus’ first task since becoming Seleção coach will be to defend the UEFA Nations League title.
Cristiano Ronaldo remains the obvious headline, but Portugal have an abundance of attacking talent around him and he will be expected to dominate proceedings at the Estadio José Alvalade.
Meanwhile, Wales will be hoping to spoil the party and make a statement against the reigning Nations League champions, with Craig Bellamy hoping to eventually take Wales back to a major tournament again.
It’s a tough opening task, but these are exactly the kind of games that could provide the team with a huge boost if they can get a result.
Italy vs. Belgium – September 25
A day later, Italy faces Belgium in another impressive League One clash.
Italy missed the 2026 World Cup, so there is a lot of attention on returning coach Roberto Mancini as he begins his second spell as coach of the Azzurri.
Meanwhile, Belgium are coming off the back of a World Cup quarter-final and will look to carry that momentum into the Nations League.
With both sides looking to establish themselves in a new tournament, this looks like an important early test rather than just another group stage match.
England vs Spain – September 26
England begin their UEFA Nations League campaign with arguably their biggest match ever, as Spain visit Wembley.
The match will bring together two of Europe’s heavyweights and will provide England with an immediate test against the current world champions.
It also gives Thomas Tuchel’s side the opportunity to start earning the trust of fans again, with many questions still hanging over the Three Lions’ semi-final loss to Argentina in the United States.
There will be no shortage of quality either, with the chance to see Real Madrid and Barcelona stars Jude Bellingham and Lamin Yamal go head to head, while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Morgan Gibbs-White and Rio Njomuha will hope to impress after being added to the squad since the World Cup.
Belgium vs. France – September 28
And just when the first batch of matches seem to be coming to an end, Belgium and France go head-to-head in Brussels.
France will begin a new era under Zinedine Zidane, who will take charge of his first competitive match against Türkiye earlier in the break, before facing Belgium three days later.
Meanwhile, Belgium would have already faced Italy by this point, meaning their opening schedule in the UEFA Nations League is anything but pleasant.
This could be an early indicator of where both teams stand in League A, with two heavyweights facing off against each other in what should be another tough contest.
