Overview

• Germany face Slovakia in Bratislava on Thursday at 20:45 local time, with ARD broadcasting free-to-air from 20:15 and live streams available via Sportschau.
• Julian Nagelsmann has outlined a new structure that returns captain Joshua Kimmich to the holding midfield role as the fulcrum of Germany’s play.
• Nagelsmann named a 23-man squad on August 27 featuring three first-time call-ups in Finn Dahmen, Nnamdi Collins and Paul Nebel.
• UEFA qualifying awards 16 European spots, with 12 group winners advancing and a 16-team playoff in March 2026; Germany’s Nations League run secures Pot‑1 status and guaranteed playoff eligibility.
• Debate over selections and form continues, with Lothar Matthäus questioning Noah Atubolu’s omission and Slovakia great Marek Mintal praising his nation’s defensive core while calling Nick Woltemade’s reported fee excessive.