England seeks first Nations League win in Prague after Spain upset

England travels to Prague on September 30 to face Czechia in a UEFA Nations League Group A3 match, seeking to recover from a 3-2 defeat to world champions Spain in their opening fixture. Thomas Tuchel's side led 2-1 at halftime against Spain but conceded three unanswered goals, including a missed penalty by Harry Kane that proved pivotal. Czechia also suffered a 2-1 home loss to Croatia in their opener and enters the match in last place in the group.

Both teams are searching for their first Nations League victory of the 2026-27 campaign. England's attack has shown promise, scoring twice against Spain despite the loss, with Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon combining effectively. However, England's defense remains a concern—the team has conceded 13 goals in six matches under Tuchel and failed to keep a clean sheet in consecutive games. Czechia, newly promoted to League A, faces mounting pressure after winning just two of their last eight matches and ending a 19-match home unbeaten streak in their Croatia defeat.

England arrives depleted by injuries, with Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford, Cole Palmer, and Kobbie Mainoo all ruled out. Tino Livramento is unavailable, forcing Trent Alexander-Arnold to start at right-back in a rare appearance. Nico O'Reilly and Ezri Konsa were doubts after missing training but are expected to feature. Jude Bellingham starts on the bench after playing the full 90 minutes against Spain. Czechia has also suffered significant losses, with David Jurásek, David Zima, Lukáš Provod, and Tomáš Chorý among those sidelined. The match will be refereed by Umut Meler with Fedayi San as VAR.

Historically, England holds a strong record against Czechia, winning 6 and drawing 2 of their last 9 encounters. However, Czechia won their most recent home meeting in October 2019 during Euro 2020 qualifying, prevailing 2-1 after England led. That match included a missed Kane penalty and suggests the fixture carries tactical complexity beyond standings. Kick-off is 7:45 p.m. BST at Fortuna Arena.