The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League gets underway on Thursday the 24th of September with two standout League A fixtures on the programme. The Netherlands welcome Germany in Group 2 while Norway host Denmark in Group 4.
Format
League A features 16 nations divided into four groups of four, with each side facing the other teams in its group at home and away. The top two nations from every group advance to the two legged quarter-finals in March 2027, with the four winners progressing to the Nations League Finals in June.
The teams finishing bottom are automatically relegated to League B, while those ending third enter relegation playoffs against the League B runners-up. We take a closer look at both opening round encounters from a betting perspective below
Netherlands vs Germany – Click here to bet
Recent Form
Netherlands return to international action after experiencing mixed fortunes during the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup. They produced an impressive display to defeat Tunisia 3-1 before their campaign ended with a narrow 2-1 loss against Morocco after penalties.
The Dutch will now look to make a positive start to the Nations League on home soil. Their attacking threat was evident throughout their World Cup fixtures, although they were unable to keep a clean sheet.
Germany also enter the competition following a disappointing conclusion to their World Cup campaign. They suffered consecutive 2-1 defeats against Ecuador and Paraguay, bringing their tournament to an early end.
Germany found the net in both matches but struggled defensively and will be eager to respond in their opening Nations League encounter. However, a trip to the Netherlands represents another difficult assignment.
Head-to-Head
Germany have enjoyed the better of the last six meetings between the nations, recording three victories compared to one for the Netherlands while the remaining two encounters ended level.
The sides shared a 2-2 draw in the Netherlands during the previous Nations League campaign before Germany secured a narrow 1-0 victory in the return fixture. Five of their last six meetings have produced goals for both teams.
Match Odds (1X2)
Netherlands: 2.45
Draw: 3.85
Germany: 2.75
Verdict
Germany hold the stronger recent head-to-head record, but their consecutive World Cup defeats highlighted defensive concerns which the Netherlands are capable of exploiting. The Dutch also have home advantage and scored four goals across their final two World Cup matches. This should be another competitive encounter between two evenly matched sides, although I believe the Netherlands can take advantage of Germany’s recent vulnerability and begin the tournament with a victory.
BET: Netherlands to Win at 2.45
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Norway vs Denmark – Click here to bet
Recent Form
Norway enjoyed an impressive World Cup campaign and recorded three victories from their five most recent internationals. They opened with a dramatic 3-2 success over Senegal before suffering a 4-1 defeat against France.
Norway responded by beating Ivory Coast and Brazil by identical 2-1 scorelines to reach the quarter-finals. Their run eventually ended with a narrow 2-1 loss against England but their performances against strong opposition should provide considerable confidence heading into the Nations League.
Denmark have produced mixed results across their four most recent international fixtures which have occurred within the last 7 months. They recorded a commanding 4-0 victory over North Macedonia in March before suffering a narrow 3-2 defeat away to the Czech Republic.
The Danes were then held to a goalless draw by DR Congo but returned to winning ways in their latest appearance, defeating Ukraine 2-1 in June.
Head-to-Head
Denmark are unbeaten across the last six meetings between the Scandinavian rivals, claiming four victories while the other two encounters ended level.
Their most recent meeting took place in June 2024, when Denmark secured a 3-1 friendly victory on home soil. Norway have not defeated the Danes since a friendly encounter in 2002.
Match Odds (1X2)
Norway: 1.83
Draw: 4.00
Denmark: 4.25
Verdict
Denmark’s success over the years in this matchup cannot be ignored but Norway enter this fixture after an excellent World Cup run. Their attacking quality was evident throughout the tournament, with the side scoring in all of their matches. Denmark should offer firm resistance although Norway’s recent performances and home advantage make them my preferred selection to begin their Nations League campaign in the winning column while holding Denmark out for 90 minutes.
BET: Result and Both Teams to Score – Norway and No at 3.40
Note: All prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.
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