Spain and England meet today at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid with first place in Group A3 of the Nations League 2026/27 on the line. Both sides are already through to the quarterfinals, but this final league match decides who finishes top.
Spain arrive with 15 points from five wins and a 2-0 victory in Praga, where Álex Baena and Marc Pubill scored and Unai Simón kept a clean sheet for the first time in this group stage. Their unbeaten run has now reached 43 matches, a record that gives this game extra weight even before the whistle blows.
England sit on 12 points after beating Croacia 2-1, a match in which Harry Kane became the player with the most appearances in his career. To finish above Spain, Thomas Tuchel’s team must win by two goals or more. That is the simple math of the night: one goal is not enough.
The meeting also carries the memory of the first one. Spain beat England 3-2 at Wembley in the opening game of the group, and that result still shapes the table heading into Madrid. For Luis de la Fuente, the task is to protect a lead built over five matches. For Tuchel, it is to turn a narrow chase into a decisive result.
Spain’s shape already looks settled in key areas. Pedro Porro returned to action against the Czech side and linked up with Yéremi Pino on the right, while Pau Cubarsí has become one of the fixed pieces in the back line and Dean Huijsen has earned his place with steady defending and clean distribution. Marc Cucurella was among Spain’s sharpest players in Praga on the left, and Fabián Ruiz is among the names being considered for the lineup.
The only real uncertainty now is how aggressively England will have to attack from the start, because the table leaves them no room for a cautious night. Spain can finish top by holding their advantage, while England need a two-goal margin to take the group. That is why this final matchday matters: it is not about qualifying anymore, but about who enters the quarterfinals with the better finish.
By the end of the night in Madrid, one of these teams will have the group and the other will have the path that comes second.
