Who could Italy face in 2026-27 UEFA Nations League? – Football Italia

DORTMUND, GERMANY – MARCH 23: Players of Italy sing the national anthem prior to the UEFA Nations League Quarterfinal Leg Two match between Germany and Italy at Football Stadium Dortmund on March 23, 2025 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

The draw for the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League league phase will take place on Thursday evening. Here is a look at the 12 potential opponents that Italy could come up against this coming campaign. 

The Nations League draw is scheduled to get underway at 17.00 GMT (18.00 CET) in Brussels. Italy will be competing in Nations League A in 2026-27, the highest level of the competition. 

16 teams will compete in League A and they will be divided into four groups of four teams. Each team will play home and away against each of the other three nations in their group.

The teams that finish in the top two of these groups will progress to the Nations League quarter-finals, and the winners of those ties will progress to the final tournament next June (2027). 

The teams that finish bottom of their groups will be relegated to League B for the next Nations League campaign.

Who could Italy face in the Nations League league phase?

Italy are among the second seeds (Pot 2) in League A, along with the Netherlands, Denmark and Croatia. Gennaro Gattuso’s side will be drawn against one team each from Pot 1, Pot 3 and Pot 4. 

Portugal, Spain, France and Germany, the semi-finalists from the 2024-25 edition of the Nations League, are in Pot 1. 

England, Norway, Belgium and Serbia are the sides in Pot 3. 

Wales, Czechia, Greece and Türkiye are the sides in Pot 4. 

2026-27 Nations League draw: Pots in full 

League A 

Pot 1: Portugal, Spain, France, Germany

Pot 2: Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, Croatia

Pot 3: England, Norway, Serbia, Belgium

Pot 4: Wales, Czechia, Greece, Türkiye 

League B

Pot 1: Scotland, Hungary, Poland, Israel

Pot 2: Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Ukraine

Pot 3: Slovenia, Georgia, Republic of Ireland, Romania

Pot 4: Sweden, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Kosovo

League C 

Pot 1: Iceland, Albania, Montenegro, Kazakhstan

Pot 2: Finland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Armenia

Pot 3: Belarus, Faroe Islands, Cyprus, Estonia

Pot 4: Moldova, San Marino, Luxembourg or Malta, Latvia or Gibraltar

League D 

Pot 1: Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Luxembourg or Malta, Latvia or Gibraltar

Pot 2: Liechtenstein, Andorra