Thessaloniki’s Toumba Stadium is set for a Sunday evening of consequence as Greece welcome Germany in Group A2 of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League. Greece arrive as section leaders on seven points, with Germany travelling south from a mixed opening three matches and needing a result to turn the group’s shape in their favour.
The fixture, scheduled for 4 October at 15:45 Brasília time, comes after Greece allowed a perfect start to slip away against the Netherlands in the previous round. Even so, Ivan Jovanović’s side remain ahead of the Dutch, who have five points, and Germany, who sit third on four following one win, one draw and one defeat.
There is already a measure of history in this short campaign. Greece won in Germany earlier in the group, while Germany responded in their most recent outing with a 2-0 victory over Serbia. Another Greek win in Thessaloniki would put the hosts firmly on the road towards the quarter-finals; a German success would draw Jürgen Klopp’s side back into the contest for first place.
A changing Germany squad arrives in Thessaloniki
Klopp has had to plan without Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala and Nico Schlotterbeck, all absent through injury. His response to an unusually extended international window, running from late September into early October, has been to call up 44 players, allowing him to use two entirely separate groups across the four matches of this FIFA window.
Germany are expected to line up with Urbig in goal; Treu, Anton, Thiaw and Mittelstädt in defence; Karl, Pavlovic, Bischof and El Mala across midfield; and Wirtz alongside Burkardt up front.
Greece’s likely side has Tzolakis behind a back four of Saliakas, Mavropanos, Retsos and Tsimikas. Karetsas, Androutsos, Kourbelis and Masouras are in contention for the midfield places, with Ioannidis and Pavlidis expected to lead the attack.
The longer route through the Nations League
This is the fifth edition of the Nations League, but the 2026/27 version carries a broader calendar role. Its outcomes feed into qualification for Euro 2028, to be staged in England and the Republic of Ireland, and also affect the European qualifying play-offs for the 2030 World Cup.
The group stage runs until 17 November. The leading sides will meet in quarter-finals between 25 and 30 March 2027, before the final phase begins in the week of 9 June. For Greece and Germany, though, the immediate calculation is more local: a packed stadium in Thessaloniki, a group table still close enough to move, and ninety minutes that could alter the road ahead.
