Winning the Title in the Nations League: Why Portugal vs Germany is Crucial for Germany's World Cup 2026 Hopes
The significance of the Portugal match lies in its impact on the World Cup's outcome. - The significance of the Portugal game lies in its impact on the World Cup's progress.
Football enthusiasts, is your heart beating for the upcoming Nations League final? Well, forget the World Cup for a moment, because this game could have a considerable impact on Germany's seeding in the World Cup draw for 2026!
That's right; head coach Julian Nagelsmann is hell-bent on leading the Football National Team to victory in the Nations League. But it's not just about winning the UEFA competition; the team's performance in the final tournament could sway their position in pot 1 for the World Cup 2026. If Germany wins the UEFA competition, they'll earn so many points in the world ranking that a coveted spot in pot 1 would be all but guaranteed.
But, here's the kicker: if Germany suffers a defeat in the semi-final against Portugal on Wednesday (21:00 CET/ZDF and DAZN) in Munich, wooing Italy for the last spot in pot 1 might be a losing battle.
Facing a steep opponent
If Germany stumbles against Portugal, they risk ending up in pot 2 for the World Cup draw in December. A tough customer like Spain, Argentina, France, or England is likely to grace their group phase if that happens. Alternatively, they might find themselves in group A with the co-hosts, Mexico, which comes with challenging temperatures and inconvenient venues.
Nagelsmann warned of this possibility back in March when a last-minute equalizer against Italy in Dortmund prevented Germany from leaping ahead of Italy in the coveted 9th place in the world ranking. A spot in pot 1, besides the hosts USA, Canada, and Mexico, would be waiting for the top nine teams in the world ranking at the World Cup.
Complex formula
Fear not, math enthusiasts! The ranking formula for the World Cup draw is complex, but interesting. Each game is given a specific weight. With a win against Portugal during regular time, Germany (1716.98 points) would earn 13.29 points and climb to 1730.27 points, surpassing Italy (1718.31) in any case. However, a defeat in the potential Nations League final against Spain or France would cost Germany points. Italy could overtake again with a win against Moldova the following day. The final ranking post-World Cup qualifiers will determine the draw.
There are other teams hot on Germany's heels, such as the Netherlands (1752.44), Portugal (1750.08), and Belgium (1735.75), who could catch up in ranks 6-8. Croatia (1698.66) and Morocco (1694.24) are also close, but they can't gain many more points from their World Cup qualifying rounds.
- Julian Nagelsmann
- Nations League
- Football National Team
- Portugal
- Italy
- Munich
- Head Coach
- Final Tournament
- Germany
- Spain
- France
- Mexico
- German Team
- UEFA
- ZDF
- DAZN
The crucial match for Germany's World Cup 2026 hopes is the Nations League final against Portugal. If Germany wins, they'll earn enough points to secure a spot in pot 1 for the World Cup draw, avoiding tough opponents like Spain, Argentina, France, or England. On the other hand, a defeat in this game could push Germany into pot 2, facing possible challenges from teams like Mexico in the group stage.
