Croatia host unbeaten Spain, England face Czechia: Nations League Group A3 kick-off times in Malaysia
Spain visit Split looking for a fourth straight win while England host Czechia at Wembley. Both kick off at 2.45am Wednesday, Malaysia time.
Nations League Group A3 reaches its halfway point on Tuesday night, with leaders Spain travelling to Split to face Croatia and England hosting Czechia at Wembley. Both matches kick off at 8.45pm Central European time, which is 2.45am on Wednesday, 7 October, for fans in Malaysia.
The two games come only days after a weekend that reshaped the group, with England thrashing Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka and Spain beating Czechia 3-1 in Oviedo.
Where Group A3 stands
Spain have a perfect record after three games, with nine points from wins over England (3-2), Croatia (4-1) and Czechia (3-1). England are second on six points: they lost that opening match to Spain but have since beaten Czechia 2-0 and Croatia 7-0.
Croatia are third with three points, earned by a 2-1 win over Czechia on the opening matchday, while Czechia have lost all three of their games and are yet to get off the mark.
Croatia v Spain at the Poljud
Croatia return home to the Stadion Poljud in Split still reeling from Saturday's heavy loss to England, which was a home defeat in Rijeka. Another poor result would leave Slaven Bilić's side under real pressure in the fight to avoid relegation from League A.
Spain arrive in strong form but will be without midfielder Fabián Ruiz, who has stayed with his family following the birth of his child. Historically, Spain have the upper hand in this fixture, with seven wins in 11 meetings since 1994.
England v Czechia at Wembley
Thomas Tuchel's England will be expected to build on their record win in Croatia, but they will do so without Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, who has withdrawn from the squad with a thigh injury that is expected to keep him out for around two months.
Captain Harry Kane is in line for a milestone. If he plays, he will draw level with Peter Shilton's England record of 125 caps. Several players, including Jude Bellingham and Marc Guéhi, are one booking away from a suspension.
Czechia, coached by Santi Denia, are without defender Ladislav Krejčí, who is suspended after his red card against Spain. Midfielder Pavel Šulc returns from a ban, while full-back Vladimír Coufal is a doubt with a knee problem.
The rest of Tuesday's programme
Eight other matches are scheduled on Tuesday. Kazakhstan against the Faroe Islands kicks off earliest at 4pm CET, or 10pm Tuesday in Malaysia. The 2.45am Wednesday slot also includes Scotland v Slovenia and Switzerland v North Macedonia in League B Group B1, plus Albania v San Marino, Belarus v Finland, Moldova v Slovakia, Estonia v Iceland and Luxembourg v Bulgaria in League C.
After Tuesday, the league phase pauses until matchdays five and six from 12 to 17 November. Those are when the top two in each League A group will settle the quarter-final places.
Key takeaways
- Croatia v Spain (Split) and England v Czechia (Wembley) kick off at 2.45am Wednesday, Malaysia time.
- Spain lead Group A3 with nine points, England have six, Croatia three and Czechia none.
- Harry Kane can equal Peter Shilton's England record of 125 caps.
- England are without Alex Scott; Spain are without Fabián Ruiz; Czechia are missing the suspended Ladislav Krejčí.
- Kazakhstan v Faroe Islands is the early game at 10pm Tuesday, Malaysia time.
FAQ
What time is England vs Czechia in Malaysia? 2.45am on Wednesday, 7 October 2026 (8.45pm Central European time on Tuesday).
Where is Croatia vs Spain being played? At the Stadion Poljud in Split, Croatia.
How many caps does Harry Kane need to equal the England record? One more appearance would take him to 125 caps, level with Peter Shilton's record.
Sources: UEFA, Sports Mole, 101 Great Goals, Africa Soccer