Who can England face in Nations League quarter-final? Next opponents confirmed ahead of Spain showdown

Detailed summary

Quarter-final spot secured, but who lies in wait in March?

England are on course to record their best ever performance in the Nations League, having beaten the Czech Republic twice and Croatia during the autumn international break.

Including its inaugural season in 2018/19, the Three Lions have competed in every single Nations League campaign, experiencing some highs and the lowest of lows.

From topping their group and qualifying for the Nations League finals and finishing third to suffering a shock relegation in 2022/23 and then immediate promotion, England have done almost everything except win the competition.

Having started the 2026/27 campaign with a loss to Spain, despite leading 2-1 at one stage, England bounced back in style by beating the Czechs twice and then thumping Croatia 7-0 in a remarkable, record-breaking rout. Another win over Croatia followed at Wembley on Thursday night to confirm a top-two finish in the group and qualify for the Nations League knockout stage.

England now face a one-game shootout with Spain to decide who will win the group, and an easier quarter-final tie next March.

The four group winners will face the four runners-up in a two-legged Nations League quarter-final.

The group winners will all be seeded and will have home advantage in their respective second leg ties. Teams from the same group cannot be paired together in the knockout stage, therefore England and Spain - for example - would be kept apart.

As things stand, if England finish second in Group 3, their potential Nations League quarter-final opponents would be Italy, Netherlands or Portugal.

Topping the group would set up a possible quarter-final showdown with France, Greece or Denmark.

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