European Qualifiers for World Cup: What to look out for on Matchdays 5 and 6

UEFA Nations League winners Portugal kick off their European Qualifiers campaign on Matchday 5 alongside fellow finalists Spain, France and Germany, while Belgium, England and Italy will look to improve on some underwhelming performances in June.

UEFA.com picks out the key storylines and important subplots to look out for in the next set of fixtures.

All games 20:45 CET unless stated

Matchday 5 fixtures

Thursday 4 September 2025

J Kazakhstan vs Wales (16:00)
E Georgia vs Türkiye (18:00)
A Luxembourg vs Northern Ireland
A Slovakia vs Germany
E Bulgaria vs Spain
G Lithuania vs Malta (18:00)
G Netherlands vs Poland
J Liechtenstein vs Belgium

• Group A: Germany kick off their campaign in Slovakia, against a side they last faced in the group stage of EURO 2016, winning 3-0 in Lille. Two defeats on home soil at the Nations League finals rocked Germany's confidence, but defender Jonathan Tah is eager to turn a new page as he looks ahead to the World Cup, telling UEFA: "We keep growing in our process, and we will then be ready for the big tournament next year, and we can be successful there."
• Group E: European champions Spain start their Group E tilt in Bulgaria, with coach Luis de la Fuente undaunted following their Nations League final shoot-out loss to Portugal in June. "I’m sure we will go places in the future," he said. Meanwhile in Tbilisi, Georgia welcome Türkiye, the sides having met in their first game at EURO 2024.
• Group G: Netherlands and Poland last met in their EURO 2024 opener when a late Wout Weghorst finish earned three points for the Dutch.
• Group J: Kazakhstan will look to avenge a 3-1 loss in Wales in March, while Liechtenstein are taking on Belgium for the first time in their history. Craig Bellamy's nine-game unbeaten start as Wales coach ended with a 4-3 loss in Belgium last time out, but Red Devils defender Arthur Theate was not celebrating too much given that his side let a 3-0 lead slip in Brussels. "We have a talented group, so we just need to work hard and the results will get better," he said.

Friday 5 September 2025

B Slovenia vs Sweden
B Switzerland vs Kosovo
C Greece vs Belarus
C Denmark vs Scotland
D Iceland vs Azerbaijan
D Ukraine vs France
I Moldova vs Israel
I Italy vs Estonia
L Faroe Islands vs Croatia
L Montenegro vs Czechia

• Group B: In the first games in this section, Switzerland kick off against Kosovo, with all three of their meetings to date having ended in draws, while Sweden can extend their unbeaten record against Slovenia (W2 D2).
• Group C: Scotland have lost their last three games in Copenhagen without scoring since winning 1-0 in Denmark in 1975. Belarus won 1-0 in Piraeus in a 2016 friendly, their most recent encounter with Greece.
• Group D: France have lost only once in 12 meetings with Ukraine (W6 D5), but their two most recent encounters ended 1-1. Didier Deschamps' side did not make it to the Nations League final in June, but had the consolation of a 2-0 win against hosts Germany in the third-place play-off. "While we have shown enormous quality during this international window, the most impressive thing has been the squad's excellent mindset," said the France boss.
• Group I: Italy will look to make it eight wins from eight against Estonia when the sides meet in Tallinn in what is the Azzurri's first game since the departure of coach Luciano Spalletti. A 3-0 defeat in Norway in June was a shock to the system, and a 2-0 win against Moldova did not represent that spectacular a response. "At least we got the three points," midfielder Riccardo Orsolini told UEFA. In the other game in the section, Israel are unbeaten in eight meetings with Moldova (W5 D3).
• Group L: The Faroe Islands welcome Croatia for the first time in their history, and have a right to be nervous, given that their visitors beat section leaders Czechia 5-1 in their most recent game. Czechia will look to get back to winning ways as they visit Montenegro, who they beat 2-0 at home on Matchday 3.

Saturday 6 September 2025

K Latvia vs Serbia (15:00)
F Armenia vs Portugal (18:00)
K England vs Andorra (18:00)
F Republic of Ireland vs Hungary
H Austria vs Cyprus
H San Marino vs Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Group F: Nations League winners Portugal start their European Qualifiers title in Armenia, with coach Roberto Martínez excited about what his side have to offer. "We don't just have a team; we have 16 or 17 players on the same level, and, as a coach, I have many options and can change concepts," he said. "It's a different team to when I started; we have more character and confidence." Elsewhere in the section Hungary visit the Republic of Ireland having lost 2-1 in their most recent encounter, a 2024 friendly in Dublin.
• Group H: Austria have won all three of their home games against Cyprus, but their margin of victory has been reduced by two goals every time: it was 7-1 in 1968, 4-0 in 1985 and then 3-1 in the most recent encounter in 1999. A draw this time?
• Group K: Coach Thomas Tuchel was deeply unimpressed after his England side could only win 1-0 against Andorra on Matchday 3, saying the performance was "absolutely not OK because we lost focus and we lost the urgency that is needed". The Three Lions will look to prove that they have learned lessons as Andorra come to Wembley. Latvia, meanwhile, are meeting Serbia for the first time.

Matchday 6 fixtures

Sunday 7 September 2025

E Georgia vs Bulgaria (15:00)
J North Macedonia vs Liechtenstein (18:00)
A Luxembourg vs Slovakia
A Germany vs Northern Ireland
E Türkiye vs Spain
G Lithuania vs Netherlands (18:00)
G Poland vs Finland
J Belgium vs Kazakhstan

Monday 8 September 2025

B Kosovo vs Sweden
B Switzerland vs Slovenia
C Belarus vs Scotland
C Greece vs Denmark
I Israel vs Italy
L Gibraltar vs Faroe Islands
L Croatia vs Montenegro

Tuesday 9 September 2025

D Azerbaijan vs Ukraine (18:00)
F Armenia vs Republic of Ireland (18:00)
D France vs Iceland
F Hungary vs Portugal
H Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Austria
H Cyprus vs Romania
I Norway vs Moldova
K Albania vs Latvia
K Serbia vs England

All games 20:45 CET unless stated