| Italy vs Belgium | |
| MATCH | Nations League |
| DATE | 26 - 09 - 2026 |
| TIME | 12.15 AM IST |
| STADIUM | Stadium |
Italy vs Belgium Match Preview
Italy begin a new chapter as they prepare to face Belgium in their opening Group 1 match. The Azzurri are still recovering from another disappointing World Cup qualification campaign, having missed out on the 2026 tournament after suffering a dramatic playoff defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The result extended Italy's unwanted run of missing three consecutive World Cups. Despite their success at Euro 2020, the four-time world champions have struggled to reproduce that level of consistency on the international stage.
Following the departure of Gennaro Gattuso, Italy briefly turned to youth coach Silvio Baldini before Roberto Mancini was brought back into the role. Mancini previously guided Italy to European Championship glory and will now oversee another rebuilding project as the team looks ahead to the next European Championship cycle.
Mancini has already shown his willingness to introduce younger players, naming a 34-man squad containing several fresh faces. Italy will now look to begin the new Nations League campaign with a positive result against Belgium.
Belgium are also entering a new era. The Red Devils reached the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup but were eliminated by eventual champions Spain. Rudi Garcia subsequently left his position, with former PSV Eindhoven, Wolfsburg and Antwerp boss Mark van Bommel taking charge.
Van Bommel faces a demanding start to his tenure. Belgium must travel to Italy before taking on France twice and Turkey in a difficult run of fixtures.
Despite the changes, Belgium still possess considerable experience. Kevin De Bruyne remains an important figure, while Romelu Lukaku continues to provide a major attacking option. Belgium had also gone 18 matches unbeaten before their World Cup defeat to Spain.
Italy have enjoyed the better recent record between these sides, winning four of their last five meetings. However, Belgium's combination of experienced stars and emerging young players could make this a closely contested encounter.
Italy Form
Italy's recent results have been mixed, with the Azzurri recording four wins and two defeats in their last six matches across all competitions.
W - L - W - L - W - W
Belgium Form
Belgium enter the match with three wins, two draws and one defeat from their previous six games.
D - D - W - W - W - L
Team News
Italy will be captained by Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has already established himself as one of the country's most experienced players despite being only 27.
The Azzurri will be without Alessandro Bastoni through suspension, while Federico Dimarco, Bryan Cristante and Manuel Locatelli are unavailable because of injuries.
Mateo Retegui has not been selected, leaving Moise Kean, Gianluca Scamacca, Sebastiano Esposito and Pio Esposito competing for the central attacking role. Mancini is expected to use a 4-3-3 formation, with Pio Esposito among the players pushing strongly for a starting position.
Italy's squad also includes several newcomers. Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Romano has chosen to represent Italy, while Michael Kayode has impressed during his time in England. Mohamed Ali Zoma is another relatively unfamiliar name who has earned a place in the squad.
Belgium have also included several promising young players. Paris Saint-Germain winger Mika Godts is among the attacking options, while Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia could feature in midfield. Malick Fofana and Matias Fernandez-Pardo are further youngsters who could be involved.
Youri Tielemans is expected to captain Belgium in the absence of some of the country's more experienced leaders.
Belgium have also experienced several absences. Axel Witsel has retired from international football, while goalkeeper Mats Selz has stepped away from the national team. Thibaut Courtois remains unavailable as he manages his return from injury.
Senne Lammens, Mike Penders, Maarten Vandevoordt and Jari De Busser are therefore among the goalkeeping options.
Andre Onana is unavailable because of the long-term injury he suffered at the World Cup, while Leandro Trossard is also sidelined. Jeremy Doku, meanwhile, has not been selected after only recently returning to competitive action.
With both teams undergoing changes, the encounter should provide an early indication of how Italy and Belgium are adapting to their new eras.