The UEFA Nations League is reaching its thrilling conclusion as the four remaining teams gear up for the semifinals, third-place match, and the grand final. Let’s take a closer look at the qualified teams and the host country for the 2022-2023 Nations League Final Four.
Tournament Format
Revamping international friendlies, the Nations League made its debut in 2018 with a format featuring promotion and relegation matches. The inaugural champion was Portugal, who secured a 1-0 victory against the Netherlands. In the 2020/21 edition, France emerged victorious by defeating Spain 2-1.
Dates and Schedule
The winner of this edition will be crowned this Sunday. The semifinals took place on June 14th and 15th, followed by the third-place match and final on June 18th. The matches will kick off at 15:00 (third-place match) and 20:45 (final) local time. The Final Four of the Nations League will be held in the Netherlands.
Host Venues
The Real Dutch Football Federation has selected two stadiums as the host venues for the Final Four matches.
Firstly, the De Grolsch Veste stadium, home to FC Twente, with a seating capacity of 30,205, is located in Enschede, a city in the province of Overijssel, Netherlands. It lies in the Twente region, east of the province.
The second venue is Stadion Feijenoord or De Kuip, the iconic stadium of Feyenoord, boasting a capacity of 51,117 seats. It is situated southeast of the port city of Rotterdam, in the province of South Holland, Netherlands.
Qualified Teams
As of today, the qualified teams for the Final Four are:
- Croatia from Group 1
- Italy who secured the top spot in Group 3
- Netherlands as winners of Group 4
- Spain, the most recent addition to this prestigious lineup.
Semifinals and Final
Netherlands vs. Croatia
In the first semifinal of the 2022-23 Nations League, Croatia defeated the Netherlands by a 4-2 scoreline. The Dutch team took an early lead with a goal from Malen in the 55th minute, but Kramaric equalized for Croatia. Pasalic put Croatia ahead, and in the 96th minute, Lang scored to send the match into extra time. In extra time, the Croatian team dominated the Netherlands, with Petkovic and Luka Modric adding two more goals to secure a 4-2 victory and a place in the final for Croatia.
Spain vs. Italy
Spain and Italy are set to clash in the semifinals of the Nations League on Thursday, June 15th, at 20:45 local time in Enschede, Netherlands. The winner of this match will face Croatia in the final on Sunday, June 18th, at 20:45, following Croatia’s victory over the Netherlands in the other semifinal (2-4).
Where to Watch
The UEFA Nations League match between Spain and Italy can be watched on La1, which will broadcast the entire final phase of the tournament. Additionally, you can follow the Spain vs. Italy match live on the EL MUNDO website, where you will find pre-match and post-match coverage.
Spanish National Team Squad
Goalkeepers: Kepa, Unai Simón