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This fixture matters more for the table than for the team sheet, because a win lifts England to nine points and keeps Spain within reach. Only the top two in Group A3 reach the quarter-finals, and Spain visit Croatia the same night. England host Czechia at Wembley on Tuesday, 6 October, with kick-off at 19:45 BST. Spain lead on perfect points, but England hold the best goal difference after two straight wins. A fourth straight defeat would leave Czechia without a single point in the group.
The table below shows the standings before Tuesday’s games, with Spain perfect on nine points from three wins. Spain have beaten England, Croatia and Czechia, while England’s only defeat came against Spain at Wembley.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal Difference | Points |
| Spain | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +6 | 9 |
| England | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +8 | 6 |
| Croatia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -9 | 3 |
| Czechia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -5 | 0 |
That leaves Croatia on three points and Czechia pointless after three defeats. Both are already chasing the two qualifying places from a long way back, and Croatia’s minus nine goal difference is the worst of the four.
Spain’s three-point lead rests on a 3-2 win at Wembley on 26 September, then 4-1 against Croatia and 3-1 against Czechia. England have scored 11 and conceded three, so their +8 beats Spain’s +6 even though they trail by three points. Spain have won every game, so England cannot afford another slip.
Goal difference only matters, though, after head-to-head results, so England’s superior tally is a tiebreaker of last resort rather than a lead. England’s 7-0 win in Rijeka supplied most of that gap, while Croatia’s -9 is the group’s worst.
UEFA’s 2026/27 rules separate teams level on points by head-to-head points first, then head-to-head goal difference and goals scored, before overall goal difference. Spain beat England 3-2, so England must answer in Spain on 15 November. That makes the Wembley defeat the single most expensive result of England’s campaign so far.
In a two-way tie, a win by two goals or more would put England ahead on that mini-table, while a one-goal win would send the tie to overall goal difference. England beat Czechia 2-0 in Prague on 29 September, then thrashed Croatia 7-0 on 3 October. Finishing in the top two means a two-leg quarter-final in March 2027.
Czechia have lost all three games, scoring two and conceding seven, a goal difference of -5. Captain Ladislav Krejci is suspended after his red card in the 3-1 defeat in Spain.
Pavel Sulc, sent off in Prague, is available again, but forwards Lukas Provod and Tomas Chory are reported injured. That thins an attack that has managed only two goals all campaign. Even with Sulc back, Czechia arrive at Wembley with their captain absent and two forwards doubtful.
England control only part of this. Win their three remaining games, and they finish on 15, but Spain’s result in Croatia, and the return in Spain, shape who finishes first, so the table below maps what each result is worth.
| Remaining fixture | Date | Teams | Likely points swing for England |
| Matchday 4 | 6 Oct | England vs Czechia | Up to 3; a win lifts England to nine |
| Matchday 4 | 6 Oct | Croatia vs Spain | Indirect; a Spain win takes them to 12 |
| Matchday 5 | 12 Nov | England vs Croatia | Up to 3; England won 7-0 on 3 October |
| Matchday 5 | 12 Nov | Czechia vs Spain | Indirect; Spain won 3-1 on 3 October |
| Matchday 6 | 15 Nov | Spain vs England | Up to 3; decides head-to-head after the 3-2 loss |
| Matchday 6 | 15 Nov | Croatia vs Czechia | Indirect; affects third and fourth only |
England’s own job on Tuesday is simple: beat Czechia, who have yet to take a point. A Croatia upset of Spain would trim the leaders’ margin, though England must still deliver in their own games. Anyone tracking the England vs Czechia UEFA Nations League group standings should watch 15 November, because that single fixture settles the tiebreak after the 3-2 loss.
Can England overturn Spain on head-to-head and finish top of the group? Tell us your prediction in the comments below.
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What is the UEFA Nations League 2026-27 group table for England?
England sit second in Group A3 on six points with a +8 goal difference. Spain lead on nine points, ahead of Croatia on three and Czechia on none.
How many points do England need to qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals?
There is no fixed points total. The top two in each League A group advance, with ties split by head-to-head results before overall goal difference.
When is England vs Czechia in the UEFA Nations League?
England host Czechia on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, at Wembley. Kick-off is at 19:45 BST, on the same night Spain visit Croatia in the other Group A3 game.
What was the score when Czechia played England in Prague earlier this campaign?
England won 2-0 in Prague on 29 September. Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane scored after Pavel Sulc was sent off for Czechia in the first half.
Who is leading England’s Nations League group?
Spain lead Group A3 on nine points from three wins. They beat England 3-2, Croatia 4-1 and Czechia 3-1 to stay perfect, and they now visit Croatia on Tuesday night.
