National coach Hansi Flick can expect strong international opponents for the German national team in the coming year despite missing the Nations League finals.
As confirmed by the European Football Union, a quick reunion with old rival England is just as possible as a test against 2018 world champions France. The prerequisite for this is that these teams are not drawn into one of the three groups of six in the qualifying draw for the EM 2024 in Germany on October 9th.
It is up to the German Football Association to “arrange a friendly match with the available teams from matchday to matchday,” said UEFA at the request of the German Press Agency.
Non-European opponents for DFB also possible
Games against the four participants in the Nations League final round, i.e. against the Netherlands, Croatia, Spain and Italy, are not possible because they no longer have free dates in the international game year 2023. Conceivable top opponents, on the other hand, would also be the World Cup participants Portugal, Belgium and Denmark if these nations, who were seeded in pot 1 in the qualification, are drawn into one of the three remaining groups of five. Four groups of five are reserved for the Nations League semi-finalists. England and France are drawn from Pot 2 after their poor performance in the Nations League group stage and can end up in all ten groups.
UEFA expressly announced that the DFB could also choose non-European opponents. Prestige duels with Argentina and Brazil would also be possible in the year before the European Championships at home. There are five international windows in 2023, one each in March, June, September, October and November.