Match Officials UEFA Nations League 2026/2027 Group Stage Matchday 1
Games from 24 to 26 September 2026

UEFA Nations League Group A

Norway – Denmark
Referee: Tobias Stieler GER (photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Lasse Koslowski GER
Assistant Referee 2: Jonas Weickenmeier GER
Fourth Official: Matthias Jöllenbeck GER
VAR: Robert Schröder GER
AVAR: Patrick Hanslbauer GER
Referee Observer: Leslie Irvine NIR

Netherlands – Germany
Referee: Alejandro Hernández Hernández ESP
Assistant Referee 1: José Naranjo Pérez ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Diego Sánchez Rojo ESP
Fourth Official: Alejandro Quintero González ESP
VAR: Carlos Del Cerro Grande ESP
AVAR: Javier Iglesias Villanueva ESP
Referee Observer: Domenico Messina ITA

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Serbia – Greece
Referee: Glenn Nyberg SWE
Assistant Referee 1: Mahbod Beigi SWE
Assistant Referee 2: Andreas Söderkvist SWE
Fourth Official: Adam Ladebäck SWE
VAR: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández ESP
AVAR: César Soto Grado ESP
Referee Observer: Fredy Fautrel FRA

Portugal – Wales
Referee: Donatas Rumšas LTU
Assistant Referee 1: Aleksandr Radiuš LTU
Assistant Referee 2: Dovydas Sužiedėlis LTU
Fourth Official: Robertas Valikonis LTU
VAR: Sören Storks GER
AVAR: Donatas Šimėnas LTU
Referee Observer: Gianluca Rocchi ITA

Italy – Belgium
Referee: Daniel Siebert GER
Assistant Referee 1: Jan Seidel GER
Assistant Referee 2: Rafael Foltyn GER
Fourth Official: Sascha Stegemann GER
VAR: Bastian Dankert GER
AVAR: Pascal Müller GER
Referee Observer: Hugh Dallas SCO

Türkiye – France
Referee: Felix Zwayer GER
Assistant Referee 1: Robert Kempter GER
Assistant Referee 2: Nikolai Kimmeyer GER
Fourth Official: Florian Badstübner GER
VAR: Christian Dingert GER
AVAR: Johann Pfeifer GER
Referee Observer: René Temmink NED

England – Spain
Referee: Davide Massa ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Filippo Meli ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Alessio Berti ITA
Fourth Official: Matteo Marcenaro ITA
VAR: Marco Di Bello ITA
AVAR: Rosario Abisso ITA
Referee Observer: Lucílio Batista POR

Czechia – Croatia
Referee: Simone Sozza ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Daniele Bindoni ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Davide Imperiale ITA
Fourth Official: Giuseppe Collu ITA
VAR: Valerio Marini ITA
AVAR: Aleandro Di Paolo ITA
Referee Observer: Georgi Yordanov BUL

UEFA Nations League Group B

Austria – Israel
Referee: Georgi Kabakov BUL
Assistant Referee 1: Martin Margaritov BUL
Assistant Referee 2: Martin Venev BUL
Fourth Official: Radoslav Gidzhenov BUL
VAR: Tiago Martins POR
AVAR: Nikola Popov BUL
Referee Observer: Draženko Kovačić CRO

Kosovo – Ireland
Referee: Lawrence Visser BEL
Assistant Referee 1: Ruben Wyns BEL
Assistant Referee 2: Michele Seeldraeyers BEL
Fourth Official: Kevin Van Damme BEL
VAR: Jan Boterberg BEL
AVAR: Simon Bourdeaud’hui BEL
Referee Observer: William Young SCO

Georgia – Northern Ireland
Referee: Orel Grinfeeld ISR
Assistant Referee 1: Roy Hassan ISR
Assistant Referee 2: Idan Yarkoni ISR
Fourth Official: Snir Levy ISR
VAR: Eli Hacmon ISR
AVAR: Gal Leibovitz ISR
Referee Observer: Hannes Kaasik EST

Hungary – Ukraine
Referee: Jarred Gillett ENG
Assistant Referee 1: Neil Davies ENG
Assistant Referee 2: Nick Greenhalgh ENG
Fourth Official: Robert Jones ENG
VAR: Andrew Dallas SCO
AVAR: Peter Bankes ENG
Referee Observer: Carlos Velasco Carballo ESP

Poland – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Referee: Anastasios Papapetrou GRE
Assistant Referee 1: Tryfon Petropoulos GRE
Assistant Referee 2: Petros Patras GRE
Fourth Official: Fotios Polychronis GRE
VAR: Ioannis Papadopoulos GRE
AVAR: Spyridon Zampalas GRE
Referee Observer: Stefan Messner AUT

Sweden – Romania
Referee: Ondřej Berka CZE
Assistant Referee 1: Matěj Vlček CZE
Assistant Referee 2: Kamil Hajek CZE
Fourth Official: Ondrej Pechanec CZE
VAR: Michael Fabbri ITA
AVAR: Karel Rouček CZE
Referee Observer: Marco Fritz GER

Slovenia – Scotland
Referee: Horațiu Feșnic ROU
Assistant Referee 1: Valentin Avram ROU
Assistant Referee 2: Alexandru Cerei ROU
Fourth Official: Szabolcs Kovacs ROU
VAR: Cătălin Popa ROU
AVAR: Marcel Bîrsan ROU
Referee Observer: Kóstas Kapitanís CYP

North Macedonia – Switzerland
Referee: Daniel Schlager GER
Assistant Referee 1: Sven Waschitzki-Günther GER
Assistant Referee 2: Tobias Fritsch GER
Fourth Official: Robin Braun GER
VAR: Benjamin Brand GER
AVAR: Benjamin Cortus GER
Referee Observer: Yevhen Aranovskyy UKR

UEFA Nations League Group C

Armenia – Latvia
Referee: Martin Matoša SVN
Assistant Referee 1: Matej Žunič SVN
Assistant Referee 2: Aleksandar Kasapovič SVN
Fourth Official: Mihael Antič SVN
VAR: Alen Borošak SVN
AVAR: Aleksandar Matkovič SVN
Referee Observer: Martin Ingvarsson SWE

Montenegro – Cyprus
Referee: Daniele Chiffi ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Alberto Tegoni ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Giorgio Peretti ITA
Fourth Official: Giovanni Ayroldi ITA
VAR: Luca Pairetto ITA
AVAR: Federico La Penna ITA
Referee Observer: Georgi Vadachkoria GEO

San Marino – Finland
Referee: Nathan Verboomen BEL
Assistant Referee 1: Mathias Hillaert BEL
Assistant Referee 2: Maarten Toeback BEL
Fourth Official: Jasper Vergoote BEL
VAR: Bert Put BEL
AVAR: Wesli De Cremer BEL
Referee Observer: Paweł Gil POL

Faroe Islands – Kazakhstan
Referee: Ishmael Barbara MLT
Assistant Referee 1: Luke Portelli MLT
Assistant Referee 2: James Muscat MLT
Fourth Official: Slobodan Petrovic MLT
VAR: Paweł Malec POL
AVAR: Bartosz Frankowski POL
Referee Observer: Petteri Kari FIN

Iceland – Estonia
Referee: Miloš Milanović SRB
Assistant Referee 1: Milan Pašajlić SRB
Assistant Referee 2: Svetozar Živin SRB
Fourth Official: Milan Ilić SRB
VAR: Aleksandar Živković SRB
AVAR: Pavle Tomić SRB
Referee Observer: Alfredo Trentalange ITA

Bulgaria – Luxembourg
Referee: Sander van der Eijk NED
Assistant Referee 1: Rens Bluemink NED
Assistant Referee 2: Roy de Nas NED
Fourth Official: Alex Bos NED
VAR: Clay Ruperti NED
AVAR: Robin Hensgens NED
Referee Observer: William Collum SCO

Albania – Belarus
Referee: Samuel Barrott ENG
Assistant Referee 1: Adam Nunn ENG
Assistant Referee 2: Wade Smith ENG
Fourth Official: Farai Hallam ENG
VAR: Matthew Donohue ENG
AVAR: Paul Howard ENG
Referee Observer: Emil Božinovski MKD

Slovakia – Moldova
Referee: Juxhin Xhaja ALB
Assistant Referee 1: Arbër Zalla ALB
Assistant Referee 2: Mario Shazivari ALB
Fourth Official: Andi Koçi ALB
VAR: Kreshnik Bajramaj ALB
AVAR: Albert Doda ALB
Referee Observer: Bariş Şimşek TUR

UEFA Nations League Group D

Andorra – Malta
Referee: Joey Kooij NED
Assistant Referee 1: Dyon Fikkert NED
Assistant Referee 2: Murat Kücükerbir NED
Fourth Official: Jannick van der Laan NED
VAR: Richard Martens NED
AVAR: Robin Hensgens NED
Referee Observer: David Malcolm NIR

Liechtenstein – Lithuania
Referee: Ante Čulina CRO
Assistant Referee 1: Dario Kolarević CRO
Assistant Referee 2: Kristijan Novosel CRO
Fourth Official: Antonio Melnjak CRO
VAR: Tihomir Pejin CRO
AVAR: Fran Jović CRO
Referee Observer: Augustus Constantin ROU

Davide Frattesi ready for another fresh start with the Italian team

Frattesi ready for another fresh start: “I’m enjoying football like a kid again, and the new arrivals will give us a big hand”

The Italy midfielder, who celebrated his 27th birthday in camp yesterday, has made a flying start to the season with Lazio. After the disappointment of missing out on World Cup qualification, he is now looking to rediscover that same joy with the Azzurri.

September 23, 2026 • 05:53

Source: figc.it

Davide Frattesi needed to feel important again. This summer, he decided the time had come for a new challenge, one that would allow him to rediscover the central role he had gradually lost at Inter. With all roads leading to Rome, he returned to the city where he was born and raised as a footballer, choosing Lazio for the next chapter of his career. He could hardly have made a better start. Frattesi has scored three goals in his first three appearances, while Lazio sit top of the table after five matchdays alongside Roma and Inter, the club where he made his name and became one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe. “I experienced emotions during my three years at Inter that are impossible to replicate,” he said at a press conference. “The first year went smoothly, then there were two seasons of ups and downs, with some very low points and some incredible highs. The truth is, you can only really feel happy somewhere if you’re playing. “Now I’m really happy because I’m enjoying my football again, and that was something I had lost last season at Inter. You go through different spells, but I’m pleased to have rediscovered that feeling you have as a kid, when you simply love playing. When a club puts its faith in you, you hit the ground running. I’m delighted with the way I’ve started and very happy to be here.”

BIRTHDAY WISH. Frattesi celebrated his 27th birthday with his teammates and staff at Coverciano yesterday, and on Friday he will hope to make it a week to remember with a special night at the Olimpico, a stadium he knows well from his years there both as a supporter and a ball boy. “It’s always special to be back at the Olimpico and to play in front of family and friends. Belgium have changed coach, so we’re not quite sure what to expect, although we’ve watched some of Van Bommel’s games with Antwerp. It will be an open, difficult match, but we’re really looking forward to it.”

 

FROM MANCINI TO MANCINI. Roberto Mancini was the first Italy coach to call Frattesi up, bringing him into the squad in January 2022, whilst he was still at Sassuolo. Four years on, Davide is now sixth among the current group for appearances, with 34 caps, and fourth on the scoring chart with eight goals.

From promising youngster to a player, the next generation can look up to, the transition has been a natural one. “It’s a new group, with a lot of talented young players who I think can really help us. Mancini is just as we remembered him, and I’m pleased to have him back, just as I’m happy with the group as a whole.

“We can’t just think about next week. We have to look further ahead. We’ll make mistakes, but the important thing is to build an understanding together, because when the big games come, those mistakes will help us be ready.”

 

Among the younger players, Inacio has impressed him “he has quality and personality”, while Romano reminds him of Nemanja Matic. “I had a flashback yesterday because there’s something in the way he moves that just reminds me of him. He’s a good lad, very grounded.”

 

 

 

THE PAIN OF ZENICA. Frattesi came on in the closing stages of last March’s match against Bosnia, and five months on, the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup is still raw. At Lazio, he has been reunited with former Italy coach Gattuso, but the night in Zenica remains a subject neither of them is ready to revisit. “I didn’t watch a single game at the World Cup, not even the final. I could score 20 goals and the wound would still be there. It’s still painful and it will take time to heal. We never talk about it. We only talk about Lazio because it’s something that weighs heavily on both of us. I joined Lazio because I wanted to come back and because he was there. He played a huge part in my decision.”

A MATTER OF PACE. Italy still have ground to make up on the world’s leading national teams, and Frattesi believes the main difference is physical rather than technical or tactical. “On paper, there is a gap, especially in terms of intensity. Right now, the others are playing at a higher tempo than us. That’s the reality.” Frattesi himself, though, feels he is getting back to peak condition. “I’m starting to feel good over the full 90 minutes and I’m ready for these games. Now that I’m playing regularly again, I want to do everything at once, but that’s part of the process.”

MALAGÒ VISITS COVERCIANO. Giovanni Malagò arrived at Coverciano shortly before midday for his first visit to the Federal Technical Centre since being elected FIGC president. He was welcomed by Italy head of delegation Diana Bianchedi and Club Italia technical director and president Claudio Ranieri, before meeting head coach Roberto Mancini, his staff and the players to wish them well ahead of their opening UEFA Nations League group fixtures.

 

National team: Davide Frattesi press conference

National team: Davide Frattesi press conference

National team: Davide Frattesi press conference

National team: Davide Frattesi press conference

National team: Davide Frattesi press conference

National team: Davide Frattesi press conference

National team: Davide Frattesi press conference

National team: Davide Frattesi press conference

THE SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Massimo Pessina (Bologna), Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus);

Defenders: Honest Ahanor (Crystal Palace), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Diego Coppola (Paris FC), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Daniele Ghilardi (Roma), Michael Kayode (Brentford), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Matteo Ruggeri (Aston Villa), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta);

Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Issa Doumbia (Sporting CP), Nicolò Fagioli (Fiorentina), Davide Frattesi (Lazio), Rolando Mandragora (Torino), Samuele Ricci (Como), Alessandro Romano (Cagliari), Sandro Tonali (Tottenham);

Forwards: Nicolò Cambiaghi (Bologna), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Sebastiano Esposito (Sassuolo), Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund), Moise Kean (Como), Daniel Maldini (Cagliari), Giacomo Raspadori (Atalanta), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Antonio Vergara (Napoli), Nicolò Zaniolo (Udinese), Mohamed Alì Zoma (Norimberga).

Italy National Team media activities schedule – September-October 2026 training camp and matches

 Source: figc.it

The Italian national football team kicked off their training camp at Coverciano under head coach Roberto Mancini on Monday, 21 September 2026.    Mancini is optimistic about embarking on his second stint leading the Azzurri. The squad is gearing up for their upcoming UEFA Nations League matches, starting with Friday’s clash against Belgium on September 25 in Rome.

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Morning session

Roberto Mancini held his official press conference. Here are the key takeaways from the head coach:

Objectives: “I’m here to win, and we’ll achieve some wonderful results. We want to bring the national team back to where it belongs.” Young Players: He emphasized calling up many fresh faces and young talents to get to know them better and build a strong foundation for the future squad.

About the 4 UEFA Nations League games: “We have to try to win them, also to climb back up the rankings. We don’t know how much time we’ll need, but we have to be quick in assessing the players we have and understanding what they can give us in the future.  We’re open to any solution. We can play with two strikers, with a 4-3-3, but also in other ways.”

Regarding the FIGC/Malagò Situation: He reassured everyone that the team should focus solely on training hard and securing a win in the challenging match against Belgium.

Italy Head Coach Roberto Mancini’s Press Conference on Monday, 20 September 2026

Afternoon Session.

The first training session took place on the Coverciano pitch this afternoon. Early tactical insights showed: Base Formation: Mancini immediately set up a 4-3-3 system. He tested players in dual and triple roles.   Mancini experimented with various combinations and different setups (such as Riccardo Calafiori being tried as a fullback).

The squad dealt with some absences due to injuries from the recent league matches, forcing the head coach to adjust his roster. For instance, Inter defender Federico Dimarco had to leave the camp due to injury. In his place, Mancini called up Aston Villa defender Matteo Ruggeri. Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante also couldn’t answer Mancini’s call, so the coach brought in Como midfielder Samuele Ricci instead.

ITALY’S UPCOMING MATCHES UNDER MANCINI

September 25, 2026 – 8:45 PM: Italy vs. Belgium (Rome)
September 28, 2026 – 8:45 PM: Turkey vs. Italy (Bursa)
October 2, 2026 – 8:45 PM: France vs. Italy
October 5, 2026 – 20:45: Italy vs Turkey (Bologna)

Day 1 done 👊✅#Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/MY4fye3evw

— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri_En) September 21, 2026

Welcome, lads 🤝💙#Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/YiCl1loVow

— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri_En) September 21, 2026

Via x.com/Azzurri_En

Matteo Ruggeri replaced injured Federico Dimarco

Samuele Ricci replacing Bryan Cristante