Greece hosts Netherlands in Thessaloniki seeking third consecutive Nations League win

Match setup at Toumba

Greece hosts the Netherlands at Toumba Stadium in Thessaloniki on Thursday, 1 October 2026 at 21:45 local time for matchday three of the UEFA Nations League top tier. The fixture is sold out as the Greek squad plays its first home match of the tournament window following consecutive away victories in Serbia and Germany. Greece enters the meeting in first place in the group standings with six points, while the Netherlands holds four points after a home draw with Germany and an away win in Serbia. Italian official Marco Guida will referee the match alongside assistants Giuseppe Perrotti and Giorgio Peretti, fourth official Fabio Maresca, and video assistants Daniele Chiffi and Valerio Marini.

Greek squad preparations

Greece completed its pre-match schedule with an evening training session on Wednesday, 30 September without reported injury concerns. Manager Ivan Jovanovic addressed the squad on the pitch before speaking at the pre-match press conference about building a stable foundation for the team. Jovanovic, who lived in Thessaloniki for 20 years after moving to Greece in 1989 and leaving for APOEL in 2008, described the return to the city as personally significant. During Wednesday's training at Toumba, former and current PAOK players Adelino Vieirinha and Taison visited the venue to meet with squad members including Konstantinos Koulierakis, Giannis Michailidis, Dimitris Salpingidis, and Christos Tzolis.

Jovanovic cautioned against overconfidence despite the team's strong start in the opening two rounds:

We have played two matches and four remain. There is still a lot that we must achieve.

Netherlands squad conditions

Netherlands head coach Xavi confirmed defensive absences ahead of the trip, noting that centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke will miss the match due to foot pain sustained against Serbia. Forward Cody Gakpo sustained an ankle knock, though Xavi stated that the squad avoided muscular problems during recent fixtures. The Dutch staff gave players a rest day earlier in the week to recover from physical fatigue before resuming tactical drills with the 23-man traveling group. Xavi commended forward Crysencio Summerville for his positional versatility across the frontline while noting Greece's physical conditioning and counter-attacking danger.

Xavi assessed the form of the Greek national team during his pre-match press briefing:

Greece is in its best moment. They dominated against Serbia and defended very well in Germany. They have quality and are dangerous offensively.

Group dynamics and schedule

The concurrent group fixture features Germany hosting Serbia as all four teams navigate a crowded international autumn window. Jovanovic noted that several players entered national team camp after making three club appearances in seven days, with total match loads set to reach seven games in a condensed period. The Greek coach highlighted that giving young players time to develop remains essential alongside the competitive demand to qualify for international tournament finals. Both coaching staffs indicated that rotation and physical recovery will play a central role across the four remaining group games.