A string of withdrawals has hurt England’s chances of promotion, while France, Italy, and Portugal are the top sides trying to guarantee a spot in the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals. European champions Spain and Germany have already qualified for the round of eight. Ahead of Israel’s visit on Thursday, which will feature a heavy police presence, France holds a strong position. Unbeaten Italy and Portugal only need one point to progress.
The Paris match comes one week after tensions erupted in Amsterdam over a game between Dutch team Ajax and Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Due to the surge in anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish sentiment since the start of Israel’s conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, officials in Israel have advised their supporters to stay away from the Nations League match, fearing that someone might single them out.
“I understand why people don’t want to come,” Dayot Upamecano, a defender for France, stated.
He went on to say, “It’s their choice,” “I’m only here to have fun.
“I like peace and I hope one day will have it again, in all countries.”
Due to the surge in anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish sentiment since the start of Israel’s conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, officials in Israel have advised their supporters to stay away from the Nations League match, fearing that someone might single them out.
In order to recuperate from a slight thigh injury, the captain of the national team missed last month’s doubleheader and instead took a little vacation to Stockholm.
Mbappe claimed that the claims were “fake news,” but his attorney suggested the player would face libel charges.
A Swedish prosecutor stated that they had launched an inquiry, without mentioning Mbappe.
“I can say two things, but I won’t lay out my case here. First, Kylian expressed a desire to attend,” Deschamps stated last week.
“The second is that it is not to do with the off-field problems because the presumption of innocence exists.”
Following the Israel game, France will travel to Milan to play Italy, the leaders of Group A, on Sunday.
Knowing that a victory would secure Luciano Spalletti’s team a trip to the quarterfinals, Italy travels to Belgium first.
In Group A1, where Scotland is at the bottom with only one point from four games, Portugal hosts Poland before traveling to Croatia.
Germany can secure the top place by defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the Netherlands and Hungary face off in a pivotal A3 matchup with both nations tied on five points.
Spain will compete with Denmark and Serbia for the other qualifying slot in Group A4.
In preparation for a possibly pivotal match in Leskovac on November 18, the Danes host Spain and Serbia go to Switzerland.
To remain in the running for promotion back to the top division, England has to defeat Greece in Athens.
Greece triumphed 2-1 at Wembley last month and is the only team in League B with a perfect record.
Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Trent Alexander-Arnold will not be available for Lee Carsley’s final two games as interim England manager before he turns the reins over to Thomas Tuchel.
If Georgia defeats Ukraine and the Czech Republic in Group B1, they would become the first side since the Nations League’s inception in 2018 to move up from League D to League A.
San Marino, who defeated Gibraltar on Friday to achieve their first-ever competitive victory in September, will advance to League C for the 2026–27 season.
Teams who place third in League A and second in League B will compete in the elegation/promotion playoffs; the League B and C playoffs are the same.
Twelve European qualifying group winners will advance to the World Cup, while the winners of the play-offs will receive the four remaining spots. The play-offs include the 12 runners-up and the top four Nations League clubs that have not qualified through other means.
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