Have England Qualified for the Nations League Quarter-Finals?
England Nations League permutations look healthier after Tuesday’s 2-0 win in Czechia, but England have not qualified for the quarter-finals yet. England Nations League qualification requires a top-two finish in Group A3. Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane supplied the goals in Prague; now comes Croatia, a direct rival with exactly the same points and considerably less room for another bad evening.
Where are England in the Nations League table?
England sit second after two matches. Spain lead with six points following their 4-1 victory over Croatia, while Czechia remain without a point.
| Team | Played | Points | GD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2 | 6 | +4 |
| England | 2 | 3 | +1 |
| Croatia | 2 | 3 | -2 |
| Czechia | 2 | 0 | -3 |
Gordon broke the deadlock after 47 minutes and Kane added the second after 69. Pavel Šulc’s first-half dismissal helped England establish control, so the clean sheet needs that context when assessing Saturday’s challenge. England currently lead Croatia on overall goal difference. Their two head-to-head meetings are still to come, making the next fixture particularly valuable.
What do England need against Croatia?
Saturday’s meeting offers England the chance to move three points clear of Croatia. The immediate scenarios are straightforward.
| England result | England points | Croatia points |
|---|---|---|
| Win | 6 | 3 |
| Draw | 4 | 4 |
| Lose | 3 | 6 |
Spain host Czechia later that evening. An England victory would keep pressure on the leaders while preventing Croatia from adding anything to their total.
A draw leaves the two sides level on points. Defeat would put England behind Croatia, although nine points would remain available from their final three fixtures.
How many points do England need to qualify?
England can still reach 15 points. Four wins from their remaining four games would guarantee a top-two finish, although fewer points could be enough depending on other results.
Beating Croatia and Czechia during this window would take England to nine. A win and a draw would produce seven; one win and one defeat would leave them on six.
Nine points would be encouraging without automatically securing qualification. The two November matches still matter, particularly the return meeting with Croatia.
Croatia v England odds: is the away win worth backing?
Prague restored confidence; Saturday asks whether England can justify favouritism against eleven men. These Betfred markets cover Croatia v England, with match-result bets settled after 90 minutes plus stoppage time.
Prices checked on 30 September and subject to change.
My preference is England to win at 10/11, provided the starting side retains enough attacking quality. That price needs a winning chance above 52.4% to offer value; Tuesday’s result alone cannot establish that.
When do England play next?
The remaining schedule gives England two home fixtures and two away trips. All kick-off times below are UK local times. The group phase finishes in November.
| Date | Fixture | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 3 October | Croatia away | 5pm BST |
| 6 October | Czechia home | 7.45pm BST |
| 12 November | Croatia home | 7.45pm GMT |
| 15 November | Spain away | 7.45pm GMT |
What happens if teams finish level?
Beni’s verdict
BeniThe conservative one
