Italy vs Belgium Lineups September 2026 – Italy and Belgium are both starting a new chapter after making managerial changes. Both will begin their UEFA Nations League 2026-27 campaigns with a match expected to be an exciting one.

The match is scheduled to take place at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 01:45 WIB, or Friday, September 25, 2026 at 20:45 local time.

This opening League A Group 1 encounter will be the first of a total of four matches that each team will play over the next two weeks. The group also features France and Turkey.

Well, before this match gets underway, let’s take a look at Mansion Sports’ prediction for the Italy vs Belgium lineups in September 2026 below!

Both Teams’ Conditions Ahead of the Match

Italy

After failing in qualification once again, the struggling Italian giants are now beginning to rebuild their team after missing out on the World Cup for the third consecutive time through a difficult playoff route.

Gli Azzurri comfortably lost the battle for the top spot in their group to Norway. They then managed to eliminate Northern Ireland in the semifinals, but afterward had to accept a dramatic defeat on penalties against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Despite winning the European Championship five years ago, the four-time world champions last appeared at the world’s biggest football tournament in 2014, and Gennaro Gattuso became the latest coach to bear the consequences of that failure.

After a brief spell as interim coach under youth team coach Silvio Baldini, it was eventually decided that Italy needed a more stable figure to lead the team, after initial candidate Andrea Pirlo was no longer an option.

Three years after leaving La Nazionale to take charge of Saudi Arabia, Euro 2020 champion Roberto Mancini has returned to the coaching bench and will lead his country toward the next European Championship.

After Baldini fielded a young squad filled with uncapped players for two friendly matches following the end of the season, namely a 1-0 victory over Luxembourg and Greece, Mancini has also begun looking toward the future through his player selections this month.

There are several new faces in the 34-man squad, and their first task is to open Group 1 by defeating Belgium.

Belgium

While Italy reached the quarterfinals in 2025 after reaching the semifinals two years earlier, Belgium have only qualified for the Nations League finals once, when they finished fourth in 2021.

Amid that record are one draw and two defeats against Gli Azzurri, whom they will now face again under new management.

Despite leading Belgium to the World Cup quarterfinals, where they narrowly lost to eventual champions Spain, Rudi Garcia has been replaced as head coach.

Former PSV, Wolfsburg, and Antwerp coach Mark van Bommel is now in charge of the Red Devils, and the Dutch coach faces a difficult run of matches over the next two weeks.

First, his squad must travel to Italy, who have won four of their last five meetings, before facing their old rivals France twice, with a challenging home match against Turkey in between those two games.

The gradual generational transition will continue, with several young players beginning to be integrated into the team.

However, Kevin De Bruyne and all-time top scorer Romelu Lukaku remain part of the squad.

Before that defeat against Spain, Belgium had gone unbeaten in 18 matches.

Therefore, Van Bommel could have enough quality in his squad to compete for top spot in Group 1.

Italy vs Belgium Lineups September 2026

Italy (4-3-3)

As for the condition of Italy’s squad, there is one unprecedented fact: 10 players come from outside Serie A.

Italy’s first squad during Mancini’s second spell will be captained by Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has collected 83 caps at the age of 27.

The hosts cannot play Alessandro Bastoni due to suspension, while Federico Dimarco, Bryan Cristante, and Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli are all absent through injury.

Mateo Retegui was not called up, meaning Moise Kean and Gianluca Scamacca will compete with brothers Sebastiano and Pio Esposito for a place in the front line. Mancini is expected to use a 4-3-3 formation.

Since making his debut in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the latter player has scored five goals in nine international appearances.

His performances for Inter Milan should earn him an opportunity to start.

Among the new faces, Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Romano turned down an offer to represent Switzerland in order to play for Gli Azzurri.

Michael Kayode has also regularly impressed with Brentford, while Mohamed Ali Zoma was recruited from previously lesser-known 2. Bundesliga club Nurnberg.

Belgium (4-2-3-1)

Meanwhile, regarding the visiting team’s squad condition, Belgium’s young prospects include Paris Saint-Germain winger Mika Godts, who was the second-highest scorer in the Eredivisie last season, as well as Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia.

Premier League newcomers Malick Fofana and Matias Fernandez-Pardo could also feature on Friday, when Manchester United midfielder Youri Tielemans will wear the captain’s armband.

The Red Devils are without several experienced players. Axel Witsel has finally retired from international football, Mats Selz has also stepped down, while the injury-prone Thibaut Courtois is taking a break.

Without the latter two names, Senne Lammens, Mike Penders, Maarten Vandevoordt, and Jari De Busser can compete for the goalkeeper position.

Andre Onana is absent due to a long-term injury suffered at the World Cup and joins Leandro Trossard in the treatment room. Having only returned to action last week, Jeremy Doku was also left out of the squad.

The Italy vs Belgium match will mark the beginning of both teams’ UEFA Nations League 2026-27 campaigns with new coaches on each side.

With several young players beginning to receive opportunities and some senior names still serving as key figures, the clash at Stadio Olimpico will be an early test for both teams in the Group 1 competition.