UEFA Nations League Preview: Matches on 12 November 2026
Matchday 5 of the UEFA Nations League brings several groups into the decisive stage. France need only avoid defeat against Italy to guarantee a place in the quarter-finals, while the hosts must both maintain their advantage over Belgium and remain in contention for first place.
England can also settle their qualification question against Croatia, while the "Checkered Ones" have a point to prove at Wembley after their 7-0 home defeat. The tension is just as high in the lower leagues, where a single victory can bring promotion closer while pushing opponents to the brink of elimination.
League A
Turkey vs Belgium
Turkey's objectives have already changed. After four defeats, they have no chance of reaching the quarter-finals and must now fight to retain their place in League A. They will do so under a new coach, Sergen Yalçın. Turkey need not only their first points but also evidence that the managerial change can transform a side that has conceded 11 goals in four games.
Belgium are in a very different position. Their six points leave them just one behind second-placed Italy, whom they will face on Matchday 6. A win in Istanbul could therefore turn the final round into a direct showdown for a quarter-final place.
Another concern for the hosts is the return of Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian scored twice in the teams' October meeting, helping Belgium beat Turkey 3-0. Having served a suspension against France, the captain is once again available to Mark van Bommel.
Match link:
Italy vs France
The headline clash in Group A1 and potentially one of the biggest fixtures of Matchday 5. France have ten points and need only avoid defeat against Italy to secure their quarter-final place. Even if they lose, their fate will remain in their own hands. Defeat would be especially dangerous for Italy, however, because their final match is away to Belgium.
The first meeting in Saint-Denis ended 1-1. It remains the only game France have failed to win since Zinedine Zidane took charge. The French attack is finding its rhythm: in the previous round, France trailed Belgium until the 76th minute but went on to win 4-1. Michael Olise, with four goals, is among the competition's three leading scorers.
Italy have a rising young star of their own. Since making his senior international debut, Pio Esposito has averaged a goal every other match. The intrigue therefore goes beyond the standings: both nations are entering the decisive stage with a generation of players taking on steadily greater responsibility.
Match link:
Czechia vs Spain
Spain have won all four of their Group A3 matches and have already secured a quarter-final place. Czechia, meanwhile, are the only team in the group still without a point. Their objectives are therefore almost opposite: Spain are competing for first place and a more favourable position in the playoff draw, while the hosts must stop their slide and keep alive their hopes of avoiding last place.
Czechia already made the favourites work hard in October. After Spain's 3-1 victory, Luis de la Fuente acknowledged that his side had faced unusually strong resistance.
An additional question is whether Spain can extend their impressive run without Lamine Yamal, who UEFA says will miss the match through injury. Before this fixture, Spain had gone 43 consecutive competitive matches unbeaten when penalty shootouts are excluded, while Yamal has scored four goals in the current Nations League campaign. His absence, combined with home advantage, gives Czechia a better chance of a positive result.
Match link:
England vs Croatia
England need only avoid defeat against Croatia to seal their quarter-final place with a game to spare. Since opening with a 3-2 loss to Spain, they have won three straight matches by a combined score of 12-0.
For Croatia, this is effectively their last chance to keep the battle for second place alive. In reality, however, the suspense is largely mathematical: Croatia need to beat England by at least seven goals to retain a chance of finishing second. That is the consequence of their 7-0 defeat in the previous meeting.
As a result, attention may shift from the table to Harry Kane. If the captain takes the field, he will make his 126th appearance for England and surpass Peter Shilton's record outright.
Match link:
League C
Armenia vs Cyprus
For Armenia, defeat would end their hopes of promotion to League B. Victory, on the other hand, would draw them level on points with Cyprus ahead of the final round and preserve their chance of finishing at least second, which would give them a shot at promotion through the playoffs.
There is also a score to settle. Cyprus won the first meeting 2-0 in October and hold a clear historical head-to-head advantage, with five victories to Armenia's one. The hosts now need not merely revenge but a result that keeps them firmly in the race against their rivals.
Match link:
Montenegro vs Latvia
Montenegro enter the penultimate round at the top of Group C2, with ten points and no defeats. Beating Latvia would guarantee at least second place and the opportunity to fight for promotion. If Cyprus also drop points against Armenia in the other game, Montenegro would secure first place early and earn direct promotion to League B.
Montenegro won the first encounter in Riga 2-1, but the pressure has increased. After winning their opening three games, they dropped points for the first time in a 0-0 draw with Armenia. Latvia can no longer challenge for promotion.
Match link:
San Marino vs Belarus
Belarus have turned a poor start into a genuine promotion challenge. After losing 2-0 to Albania, they took seven points from the next available nine and kept clean sheets in all three games. Victory over San Marino would be particularly valuable ahead of their final head-to-head meeting with Albania.
Belarus won the first meeting 4-0. San Marino have yet to earn a point and have conceded 16 goals, but they finally found the net in the previous round, away to Albania. The hosts will now try to take the next step and get something from a match for the first time in this campaign.
Match link:
Albania vs Finland
Arguably the most important match in Group C1. Albania lead with nine points, while Finland and Belarus have seven apiece. A win would guarantee Albania a top-two finish ahead of their decisive trip to Belarus, but the Finns have already shown they can disrupt their plans.
Finland's playing style is far from what one might expect of a typical League C side. After four matches, they have averaged 63.3% possession, the highest figure in the entire competition, while Leo Walta, with four goals, is League C's top scorer. Albania must simultaneously seek revenge and defend first place against a team that prefers to control matches itself.
Match link:
Conclusion
After Matchday 5, there will be almost no room left to recover from mistakes: only one game will remain. Italy, Belgium, Croatia and several League C sides can no longer rely on having plenty of time to turn things around. Every dropped point now carries a maximum cost. The decisive battles should be especially revealing in groups where the contenders for first place are separated by only one or two points. Even the favourites must think not just about winning but about how strong a position they can take into the final round.
