TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2026 — Matchweek 4 of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League is in the books, and Tuesday’s ten-match slate delivered the kind of evening this competition was built for. Spain trailed in Split, lost nothing, and still won: Mikel Merino scored twice in the second half as La Roja came from behind to beat a Croatia side that finished with ten men 2-1 at Stadion Poljud. At Wembley, England were ruthless — an early own goal opened the door and Harry Kane’s brace slammed it shut in a 3-0 win over Czechia. And in Scotland, the home crowd watched a lead turn into a loss as Slovenia struck twice after the break for a 2-1 comeback win.
Those were the three headliners, but the full slate told ten stories. Albania needed a stoppage-time penalty from Kristjan Asllani to edge San Marino 2-1. Belarus struck in the first minute and held on against Finland. Kazakhstan climbed off the canvas from two goals down to draw 2-2 with the Faroe Islands in a match that finished ten-a-side. Slovakia posted the day’s biggest win, 4-0 over Moldova. And Switzerland kept its perfect record intact with a 3-0 win over North Macedonia. Every score below is final, verified against ESPN.
Spain 2-1 Croatia: Merino settles it in Split
The marquee tie of the day lived up to its billing, and then some. Croatia struck first at Stadion Poljud — Ivan Perisic rose to head the hosts in front in the 17th minute, and the Split crowd had a lead to protect. Spain’s response was patient rather than panicked, and it arrived on the hour: Mikel Merino finished in the 61st minute to level the match at 1-1.
Then the evening turned on Perisic himself. Already on a yellow card from the 22nd minute, the Croatia winger was sent off in the 79th — scorer to dismissed in the space of an hour — and Spain made the extra man count. Merino struck again in the 88th minute, completing his brace and the comeback: Spain 2-1, from a goal down, against ten men, in one of Europe’s most hostile away grounds.
The result keeps Spain perfect in Group A3: four wins from four, 12 points, and a goal difference of +7. England sit second on 9 points after their own Tuesday win. Croatia, for all the noise at Poljud, are third on just 3 points with a goal difference of -10 — the November window is now close to must-win territory for the hosts. Czechia remain without a point at the bottom.
England 3-0 Czechia: Kane does what Kane does
There was no drama at Wembley, only efficiency. Czechia’s evening unraveled in the 27th minute when Vladimir Coufal turned the ball into his own net, and England never looked back. Harry Kane doubled the lead five minutes before half-time and then rose to head home his second — and England’s third — in the 57th minute. Czechia, already chasing the game, never found a way back into it.
It was the kind of performance that keeps a qualifying campaign boring in the best way: England are 3-0-1 in Group A3 with 9 points and a +11 goal difference, trailing only perfect Spain. For Czechia, the 0-0-4 record and -8 goal difference tell the story of a matchweek to forget — and a November window with pride, if little else, left to play for.
Slovenia 2-1 Scotland: the comeback in the north
Scotland had the lead and the crowd. Ryan Christie finished in the 31st minute to put the hosts 1-0 up, and at half-time the evening was going to plan. It did not survive the hour. Aljosa Matko equalized for Slovenia in the 56th minute, and Danijel Sturm completed the turnaround with the winner in the 71st. Scotland pushed, but the 2-1 scoreline held — a home defeat that stings.
The Group B1 table now has real separation. Switzerland lead it with a perfect 12 points after beating North Macedonia 3-0 — Fabian Rieder (43’), Johan Manzambi (73’) and Dan Ndoye (81’) with the goals. Slovenia’s comeback win moves them to 7 points in second. Scotland sit third on 4 points, and North Macedonia are bottom without a point.
Around the groups: stoppage-time drama and a two-goal comeback
Albania 2-1 San Marino (Group C1). Kristjan Asllani put Albania ahead in the 11th minute, and it looked routine until Lorenzo Lazzari equalized for San Marino in the 66th. The underdogs were twenty-five minutes from a famous point — then Asllani converted a penalty in the third minute of stoppage time. Albania 2-1, and top of the group on 9 points.
Belarus 1-0 Finland (Group C1). The fastest goal of the day decided it: Artem Shumanskiy volleyed Belarus in front in the very first minute, and that was that. Finland could not find a way through, and Belarus join them on 7 points — both sides now chasing Albania, with Finland’s superior goal difference (+7) keeping them level on points but behind on the tiebreak math that matters.
Kazakhstan 2-2 Faroe Islands (Group C3). The day’s wildest match came first, in the early kickoff in Astana. Petur Knudsen’s 22nd-minute header and Geza Turi’s 63rd-minute strike had the Faroe Islands 2-0 up and cruising. Then it unraveled: Martin Agnarsson was sent off for the Faroes in the 65th, Sergey Maliy pulled one back for Kazakhstan in the 68th, and Nuraly Alip’s 76th-minute header completed the two-goal comeback. Maliy was then sent off himself in the 85th, so both sides finished with ten men — and a point apiece. The Faroe Islands remain the group’s great curiosity: four draws from four, unbeaten, winless, and sitting second on 4 points behind Slovakia’s 10.
Slovakia 4-0 Moldova (Group C3). The biggest margin of the day. David Strelec opened it in the 8th minute, Tomas Suslov doubled it just before half-time, and second-half goals from David Hancko (60’) and Lukas Haraslin (75’) turned it into a rout. Slovakia stay top of C3 on 10 points.
Bulgaria 2-0 Luxembourg (Group C4). Kristiyan Balov struck in the 19th minute and Atanas Iliev volleyed home the second in the 34th — a comfortable home win that moves Bulgaria to 4 points. Iceland still lead the group on 8 after a 0-0 draw with Estonia, who sit second on 6.
Final scoreboard: all ten ties
Every result from Tuesday, October 6 — final, via ESPN. Home team listed second.
Spain
CroatiaStadion Poljud, Split · Group A3
Czechia
EnglandWembley Stadium, London · Group A3
Slovenia
ScotlandGroup B1
North Macedonia
SwitzerlandGroup B1
San Marino
AlbaniaGroup C1
Finland
BelarusGroup C1
Faroe Islands
KazakhstanAstana Arena · Group C3
Slovakia
MoldovaGroup C3
Bulgaria
LuxembourgGroup C4
Iceland
EstoniaGroup C4All scores final. Away team listed first; home team second.
Group tables after Matchweek 4
Where things stand with two matchweeks to play — standings via ESPN, updated with Tuesday’s finals:
Points after four matches played. Spain and Switzerland remain perfect at 4-0-0.
What’s next
Matchweek 4 is the halfway checkpoint of the group stage — and now the wait begins. The next international window, Matchweek 5, is set for November 12–14, with the group stage concluding on November 17. Between now and then, the quarter-final and promotion picture in the 2026/27 Nations League will come into focus: Spain and Switzerland look every bit the group winners in A3 and B1, Albania hold a two-point cushion in C1, Slovakia control C3, and Iceland’s unbeaten run has them top of C4.
For the sides in action today, every point between now and November 17 carries weight well beyond this season’s bracket — group winners in the top league advance to the quarter-finals, and promotion and relegation decide who moves up and down the pyramid for the next cycle.
Earlier today we covered Matchweek 4 as it happened and Monday’s results with a look ahead to November. For the full picture across today’s fixtures, see our soccer daily roundup, and check the Previously odds board and Parlay P’s daily card.
Sources
- ESPN Nations League scoreboard ESPN · final scores, goal times, group standings
- UEFA Nations League UEFA · competition fixtures and dates
