England v Spain: Prediction, team news, lineups and odds | OneFootball

England v Spain could have been the 2026 World Cup final had Thomas Tuchel’s men not been gripped by fear in July’s semi-final against Argentina. Spain showed no such self-doubt, easing past France in the last four and then holding firm to beat Argentina in the final and lift the trophy for the second time.

But despite that meeting never materialising, these two did go head-to-head in the final of the 2024 Euros, Spain edging out Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions 2-1 in Berlin.

This Nations League opener will be their first meeting on English soil since a 2-1 win for Spain at Wembley in 2018. The other two teams in Nations League A Group 3 are Croatia and the Czech Republic. England travel to the Czechs on Tuesday and are away to the Croatians next Saturday.

England v Spain kick-off time

England v Spain kicks off at 7.45pm BST on Saturday, September 26 at Wembley.

England v Spain how to watch

The game will be shown live in the UK on ITV, with coverage starting from 6.45pm.

BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT will provide full match commentary.

England team news

Tuchel has already had to deal with a series of withdrawals ahead of the three matches in this extended international break.

Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento have all declared themselves unavailable.

Morgan Gibbs-White and James Garner have joined the camp as replacements.

Lewis Hall has been recalled to the England squad after a strong start to the season, but the Newcastle United left-back missed training with a knock and Nico O’Reilly now looks set to start against Spain.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the only out-and-out right-back in the squad, but Ezri Konsa and Jarell Quansah both played there at the World Cup and would provide more defensive solidity.

Alex Scott and Myles Lewis-Skelly will be vying for Rice’s place in the team, while Tuchel is expected to name a front four of Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane.

Spain team news

Luis de la Fuente has kept most of his World Cup squad intact, but Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martínez has replaced Barcelona’s Joan Garcia, who is out with a minor knee issue.

Roberto Fernandez, Fermin Lopez and Dean Huijsen have also been named in the squad in place of Borja Iglesias, Gavi and Marcos Llorente, with the former recently announcing his retirement from international football.

Pedro Porro was initially in the squad but had to withdraw after sustaining a hamstring injury in Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa.

Eric Garcia is expected to come in for Porro at right-back, while Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella make up the rest of the back four.

Rodri is back in England for the first time since leaving Manchester City, and Fabian Ruiz will try to maintain his record of being unbeaten across 50 matches (won 35, drawn 15) for his country (excluding shootouts).

Barcelona duo Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo will keep their places in the team, but Nico Williams could replace Alex Baena on the left wing after an injury-free start to the season.

Ferran Torres, who scored the winner in the World Cup final after coming off the bench, will also be pushing for a start after netting seven goals in his first six appearances for new club Paris Saint-Germain.

England v Spain odds

Spain are 6/4 favourites to kick their Nations League campaign off with a win, while England are 7/4 to win the Matchday 1 clash. The Draw is 5/2.

To win Nations League A Group 3, Spain are odds-on at 4/5 ahead of 7/5 England, 16/1 Croatia and 40/1 Czech Republic.

In the outright Nations League betting, Spain head the market at 3/1 ahead of 4/1 France, 9/2 England and 5/1 Germany.

England v Spain prediction

The two teams have met 10 times since the turn of the century, with Spain winning six of those to England’s three.

There’s an angle that Spain could suffer a World Cup hangover, but put them in any sort of competitive environment and they come alive.

The Spanish made the final of the 2025 Nations League, won it in 2023 and were also runners-up in 2021.

Perhaps, though, they’re not invincible at this stage.

Anyone recall how they started their triumphant World Cup campaign? Yep, with a goalless draw against Cape Verde.

That suggests England can get something here in front of an expectant Wembley crowd, so try the draw at 5/2.

Jude Bellingham had a sensational World Cup and has three goals and three assists in seven matches for Real Madrid this season.

Back him to Score or Assist in this one at 15/8.