England are on the brink of qualification for the 2026-27 Nations League quarter-finals after beating the Czech Republic 3-0 at Wembley on Tuesday night. The victory leaves them second in Group A3, three points behind leaders Spain but with a commanding six-point cushion over Croatia.
A point from either of their final two matches in November will be enough to book a place in the last eight, which are scheduled for March 2027. Manager Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the position his side have put themselves in. He said his team was "on the brink of qualification" after the win.
Nations League qualification stakes
Spain are the only other team in the group with a perfect record from four games. England's superior head-to-head record over Croatia means they would need to suffer a heavy defeat next month to miss out. Unless they lose by a very large margin to Croatia, their place in the knockout stage is virtually assured.
The final two rounds of group matches will be played in the November international break. Wins in both would give England a strong chance of winning the group, depending on goal difference and Spain's result against Austria.
Home nations' mixed fortunes
Wales kept their slim hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Norway in Cardiff, but they have only three points from four games. They will need close to maximum points from their final matches against Norway and Portugal to have any realistic chance of reaching the quarter-finals.
Scotland's path is even narrower. They can only finish second in Group B2 and reach the promotion/relegation play-offs by winning both of their final games and hoping Slovenia pick up no more than a point from theirs. Northern Ireland lead that group by a point after an impressive break with two wins and two draws without conceding a goal.
Euro 2028 qualification pathway
The Nations League also offers a secondary route to qualification for Euro 2028, which will be hosted jointly by the United Kingdom and Ireland. UEFA has confirmed that up to two places will be allocated to the best-ranked co-hosts that fail to qualify through the primary route. A UEFA statement said up to two spots "will be given to the best-ranked co-hosts that fail to qualify for the tournament via its primary qualification route."
This adds an extra layer of significance to the final standings for the home nations involved in the hosting partnership. The international picture continues to develop as domestic football resumes. Ross County return to League One action with an away fixture against Montrose on Saturday, 10 October.
