With a home advantage, Germany’s national team reaches for the National League title. The Final Four offers attractive opponents – and opportunities for the 2026 World Cup.
Germany’s national soccer team and the UEFA Nations League – that has not been a love story so far. Since the 2018/19 premiere, the Final Four has always taken place without German participation. But now national coach Julian Nagelsmann has led the team into the semi -finals for the first time with impressive achievements and called for the title in front of a home crowd.
Play live in the first, on ZDF and RTL
This requires a victory in the semi-finals against Portugal on Wednesday (9:00 p.m., live on ZDF and in the Sportschau-AudioStream) and in the final on Sunday (9:00 p.m., RTL), both games take place in Munich. Spain and France will take the other semi -finals on Thursday (9:00 p.m., live in the first) in Stuttgart, where the game for third place on Sunday (3 p.m., RTL) is also set.
Sportschau, 04.06.2025 8:59 p.m.
| encounter | Venue | Appointment | Transmitter |
|---|---|---|---|
Germany – Portugal | Munich | Wed., 9 p.m. | ZDF |
Spain – France | Stuttgart | Thu, 9 p.m. | ARD |
Game for third place | Stuttgart | Sun., 3 p.m. | RTL |
final | Munich | Sun., 9 p.m. | RTL |
Consequences for the World Cup draw
For Germany, it is also about a good starting position at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA. In the event of a title, the team of the German Football Association (DFB) collects enough world ranking points to land in the best lottery in the World Cup draw.
On the other hand: if Germany is already losing its semi -finals, the last place in Lost pot is expected to go to Italy. Then – provided your own qualification – threatens opponents such as Spain, Argentina, France or England in the World Cup group phase.
Many failures, two debutants
Nagelsmann also had to accept some short -term cancellations: Jamal Musiala, Antonio Rüdiger, Kai Havertz, Angelo Stiller, Nico Schlotterbeck, Tim Kleindienst, Benjamin Henrichs, Nadiem Amiri and Yann Bisseck fail.
To do this, Marc-André Ter Stegen and Florian Wirtz return and Tom Bischof and Nick Woltemade have been nominated for the first time. The latter, successful attacker at the cup winner VfB Stuttgart, even hopes for a starting fine.
Kimmich before anniversary
Joshua Kimmich could play his 100th international match in the semi -finals and still has a lot to do afterwards. Opponent Portugal comes to Munich with confidence, three players have just won the Champions League with Paris St. Germain, including the outstanding playmaker Vitinha.
Farewell tour from Sandro Wagner
For Nagelsmann’s assistant coach Sandro Wagner, the Final Four will be a farewell tour at the DFB, he becomes head coach at Bundesliga club FC Augsburg for the new season. His successor at DFB becomes Benjamin Hübner.