UEFA Nations League 2026/27 Matchday 3: Denmark vs Portugal, France vs Italy and Croatia vs England

The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League continues with a major Matchday 3 programme in early October, featuring three high-profile League A encounters: Denmark vs Portugal, France vs Italy, and Croatia vs England. UEFA confirms that Matchday 3 runs from 30 September to 3 October 2026, with these three fixtures scheduled across 1–3 October. UEFA.com

For supporters following Europe's leading national teams, these matches arrive during an unusually concentrated international window. The league phase began on 24 September and continues through 17 November, while the first four matchdays are being played between 24 September and 6 October. UEFA.com

Denmark vs Portugal – Thursday, 1 October 2026

Denmark vs Portugal is one of the headline fixtures on Thursday, 1 October. The two countries compete in League A Group 4, alongside Norway and Wales. UEFA lists Denmark as the home team for this Matchday 3 encounter. UEFA.com

Portugal began their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Wales, while Denmark opened with a 3-2 defeat away to Norway. Denmark responded on Matchday 2 by defeating Wales 2-0, giving this meeting added importance in the developing Group A4 standings. UEFA.com

Portugal enter the 2026/27 edition as the reigning Nations League champions after defeating Spain on penalties in the 2025 final. UEFA.com

With both sides navigating a demanding run of fixtures, Denmark vs Portugal offers an important opportunity to collect points before the return matches later in the league phase.

Fixture: Denmark vs Portugal
Competition: UEFA Nations League 2026/27 – League A, Group A4
Date: Thursday, 1 October 2026
Kick-off: 20:45 CET according to UEFA's official fixture list. UEFA.com

France vs Italy – Friday, 2 October 2026

Another major European fixture follows on Friday as France host Italy in League A Group 1.

The group also contains Belgium and Türkiye. France started the competition by winning 1-0 away against Türkiye, while Italy suffered a 2-0 home defeat against Belgium on Matchday 1. UEFA.com

UEFA's official Matchday 3 schedule lists France vs Italy for Friday, 2 October, making it one of the standout matches of the evening. UEFA.com

Both nations have significant Nations League history. France won the competition in 2021, while Italy's challenge this season forms part of a highly competitive Group A1 campaign. UEFA.com

Fixture: France vs Italy
Competition: UEFA Nations League 2026/27 – League A, Group A1
Date: Friday, 2 October 2026
Kick-off: 20:45 CET according to UEFA's official schedule. UEFA.com

Croatia vs England – Saturday, 3 October 2026

Matchday 3 then brings Croatia vs England on Saturday, 3 October.

The teams are competing in League A Group 3, which also features Spain and Czechia. Croatia began their campaign with a 2-1 away victory over Czechia, while England lost 3-2 at home to Spain in their opening Nations League fixture. UEFA.com

UEFA lists Croatia vs England for 18:00 CET on 3 October. UEFA.com

With Spain and Czechia meeting on the same matchday, the results could help shape the early picture in Group A3 before the competition quickly moves into Matchday 4.

Fixture: Croatia vs England
Competition: UEFA Nations League 2026/27 – League A, Group A3
Date: Saturday, 3 October 2026
Kick-off: 18:00 CET. UEFA.com

Why Matchday 3 Matters

The League A format makes every group match significant. The four League A group winners and four runners-up qualify for the quarter-finals, which will be played as home-and-away knockout ties in March 2027. The four quarter-final winners progress to the Nations League finals. UEFA Documents

That means Denmark, Portugal, France, Italy, Croatia and England are not simply competing for individual match victories. Points collected during this stage contribute directly to their final group positions and their chances of reaching the knockout phase.

The 2026/27 league phase concludes in November, with the quarter-finals scheduled for March 2027 and the final tournament set for 9–13 June 2027. UEFA.com

UEFA Nations League Matchday 3: Three Games to Watch

From Denmark vs Portugal on Thursday to France vs Italy on Friday and Croatia vs England on Saturday, Matchday 3 offers three consecutive days of major League A football.

Portugal will continue their title defence, France and Italy meet in a heavyweight Group A1 contest, and Croatia and England face another important test in Group A3.

For the latest confirmed kick-off information, results and fixture changes, supporters should check the official UEFA Nations League fixture list, particularly because schedules and broadcast arrangements can vary by country.