England face Spain in UEFA Nations League rematch at Wembley

England begin their 2026-27 UEFA Nations League campaign with a significant home test against Spain on Saturday, September 26, at Wembley Stadium. The kickoff is scheduled for 7:45pm local time (18:45 GMT), with Al Jazeera Sport providing live coverage and build-up starting from 15:45 GMT.

The match serves as a rematch of the UEFA Euro 2024 final, where Spain defeated England 2-1 in Berlin to claim their fourth continental title. That victory was secured through goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal. Spain enter the fixture as the reigning world champions and previous Nations League winners from 2023, having also finished as runners-up in the 2025 edition.

England aim to regain top-form standing after winning Group B2 in their last appearance to secure promotion back to League A. They join Spain, Croatia, and Czechia in Group A3. The competition, founded in 2018, was designed to replace inconsequential friendlies with structured, competitive matches featuring promotion and relegation.

Statistical models favor the visitors slightly; Opta’s supercomputer assigns Spain a 40.2 percent chance of victory, compared to 33.6 percent for England, with a 26.2 percent probability of a draw. Historically, the two nations have met 28 times, with England winning 13, Spain 11, and four draws. In their last nine encounters, Spain have won six.

Both sides arrive in excellent form, having won their last five matches. Key players to watch include England captain Harry Kane, who recently became the fastest player to reach 100 Bundesliga goals while playing for Bayern Munich, and Jude Bellingham, who has contributed three goals and three assists in seven La Liga games for Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho.

For Spain, Ferran Torres is expected to be a threat after scoring a hat-trick on his Champions League debut for Paris Saint-Germain. His former Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal continues his strong domestic form, registering seven goals and four assists in seven La Liga appearances this season.

England manager Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the difficulty of facing Spain, noting their improved defensive structure. “It’s difficult for every single team in the world to create chances against Spain,” Tuchel said. “But we have a plan, we have ambition, and we want to be the exception to the rule.”

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente expressed confidence in his squad’s drive. “We are not satisfied with what we have done so far, I guarantee it,” he stated. “Another story is over; now another begins. Another one in which we are very excited. We want to continue doing important things.”

Team news reveals injuries for both sides. England will miss winger Marcus Rashford due to a knock and attacking midfielder Cole Palmer, who is sidelined with a muscle injury. Spain will be without centre-back Marc Pubill because of physical discomfort and goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who is out with a knee injury.

The probable England lineup features Jordan Pickford in goal, with a back line including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, and Nico O’Reilly. The midfield sees Elliot Anderson and Miles Lewis-Skelly, supporting Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, and Anthony Gordon, with Harry Kane leading the attack.

Spain are expected to field Unai Simon between the posts, defended by Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Dean Huijsen, and Marc Cucurella. The midfield will be anchored by Fermin Lopez, Rodri, and Fabian Ruiz, while the attack features Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Nico Williams.

The match can be watched on ITV1 in the United Kingdom, RTVE PLAY in Spain, beIN SPORTS in the Middle East and North Africa, Sony Sports Network in India, DStv Stream in South Africa, and FOX Sports, FuboTV, or ViX in the United States.