International
After three Premier League matches, we take our first international break of the 2025/26 season, with qualification for the World Cup firmly on the agenda.
Captain **Martin Odegaard** will skipper Norway in two fixtures this break, a friendly against Finland before facing Moldova in a World Cup qualifier. Martin's nation sits at the top of Group I with four wins from four so far.
In the same group is **Riccardo Calafiori's** Italy. The Azzurri have featured twice in Group I so far, with one win and one defeat to Norway, putting them in third place. Ricardo and his compatriots will host Estonia in Bergamo before facing Israel as Italy look to chase down Martin's Norway.
Elsewhere in Europe, we have a trio of Spaniards and a quartet of English stars looking to help their nations get one step closer to next year's showpiece.
**David Raya, Mikel Merino** and **Martin Zubimendi** are all in the Spanish squad for back-to-back away days against Bulgaria and Turkey. These are Spain's opening matches of World Cup qualifying, who also have Georgia in their group.
Our four England players, **Myles Lewis-Skelly, Declan Rice, Ebere Eze** and **Noni Madueke**, will be looking to keep up Thomas Tuchel's side's 100% record in qualifying with games against Andorra and Serbia. The Three Lions currently sit top of Group K with nine points.
**Jurrien Timber** has been called up to the Netherlands national team for fixtures against Poland in Rotterdam and Lithuania in Kaunas. The Dutch have two wins from two and are in second place in Group G, a point behind Finland, having played two fewer games.
**Leandro Trossard's** Belgium find themselves in third place in Group J, behind Wales and North Macedonia, but with two games in hand on both countries. The Red Devils play Liechtenstein and Kazakhstan in their two games this break.
Our new number 14, **Viktor Gyokeres,** kicks off his World Cup qualifying campaign with Sweden. Viktor will face Slovenia and Kosovo in Group B during this break.
The 12 group winners in Europe will qualify directly for the World Cup. The 12 second-placed teams, alongside the four best Nations League group winners, based on the Nations League overall ranking, will then compete in the play-offs for the final four spots to Mexico, Canada and the USA.
Over in South America, our representative for both Brazil and Ecuador have already punched their ticket for the 2026 finals, with two games remaining.
**Gabriel** and **Gabriel Martinelli** have been called up to the Brazil squad, facing Chile and Bolivia in their final two matches. Our newest signing, **Piero Hincapie** links up with the Ecuador national team, having secured qualification last time out. Piero will face Paraguay in Asuncion before hosting defending World Cup champions Argentina in Guayaquil.
Two of our first team squad are in under-21 action. **Ethan Nwaneri** has been selected by Lee Carsley for a Euro U21 qualifier against Kazakhstan, having won the tournament for a second time in a row this summer. Meanwhile, **Cristhian Mosquera** has been called up to the Spain under-21s for their games against Cyprus and Kosovo.
_All times BST_
**Thursday, September 4** Norway v Finland (Odegaard)
Friendly | Oslo | 5pm
Liechtenstein v Belgium (Trossard)
World Cup qualifier | Vaduz | 7.45pm
Bulgaria v Spain (Raya, Merino, Zubimendi)
World Cup qualifier | Sofia | 7.45pm
Netherlands v Poland (Timber)
World Cup qualifier | Rotterdam | 7.45pm
**Friday, September 5**Paraguay v Ecuador (Hincapie)
World Cup qualifier | Asuncion | 12.30am
Brazil v Chile (Gabriel, Martinelli)
World Cup qualifier | Rio de Janeiro | 1.30am
Spain U21 (Mosquera) v Cyprus
Euro U21 qualifier | Soria | 7pm
Italy v Estonia (Calafiori)
World Cup qualifier | Bergamo | 7.45pm
Slovenia v Sweden (Gyokeres)
World Cup qualifier | Ljubljana | 7.45pm
**Saturday, September 6** England v Andorra (Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Eze, Madueke)
World Cup qualifier | Birmingham | 5pm
**Sunday, September 7** Lithuania v Netherlands (Timber)
World Cup qualifier | Kaunas | 5pm
Belgium v Kazakhstan (Trossard)
World Cup qualifier | Brussels | 7.45pm
Turkey v Spain (Raya, Merino, Zubimendi)
World Cup qualifier | Konya | 7.45pm
**Monday, September 8** Kazakhstan U21 v England U21 (Nwaneri)
Euro U21 Qualifier | Pavlodar | 4pm
Israel v Italy (Calafiori) World Cup qualifier | Debrecen, Hungary | 7.45pm Kosovo v Sweden (Gyokeres)
World Cup qualifier | Pristina | 7.45pm
**Tuesday, September 9** Kosovo v Spain U21 (Mosquera)
Euro U21 qualifier | Pristina | 6pm
Norway v Moldova (Odegaard)
World Cup qualifier | Oslo | 7.45pm
Serbia v England (Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Eze, Madueke)
World Cup qualifier | Belgrade | 7.45pm
**Wednesday, September 10** Ecuador (Hincapie) v Argentina
World Cup qualifier | Guayaquil | 12am
Bolivia v Brazil (Gabriel, Martinelli)
World Cup qualifier | El Alto | 12:30am
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