Back
28.05.2025Bayer 04

Internationals: Nations League semi-finals and World Cup qualifiers await

After the end of the competitive season for Bayer 04, the Werkself players still have a few international matches to look forward to at the beginning of June. In the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League, for example, the German national team will face Portugal, while the next World Cup qualifiers and a number of friendly matches will take place. An overview.
Bayer 04

Florian Wirtz, Robert Andrich and Jonathan Tah have been named in Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann's squad. The Nations League semi-final against Portugal happens on Wednesday 4 June at 21:00 CEST at Munich's Allianz Arena.

Germany edged past Italy in the quarter-finals. A 2-1 first-leg victory was followed by a thrilling 3-3 draw. The Portuguese, meanwhile, recovered from a 1-0 loss in the first leg against Denmark and won 5-2 after extra time in the return leg.

In the other semi-final, Alejandro Grimaldo and Spain take on France. La Roja defeated Netherlands on penalties in the quarter-finals after a 2-2 draw in the first leg, while the French recovered from a 2-0 first-leg deficit and overcame Croatia 5-4 in a penalty shootout.

The final will take place at the Allianz Arena on Sunday 8 June (kick-off 20:45 CEST), with the third-place match happening earlier that day at the MHP Arena (kick-off 15:00 CEST).

OTHERS IN WORLD CUP QUALIFYING ACTION

Since March, the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico have been ongoing. The teams are beginning their campaigns at different points, though, depending on their involvement in the Nations League. For the five-team groups G to L, for example, the third and fourth rounds of fixtures already take place in this international break. The groups of four from A to E, in which Germany find themselves, don't play their first qualifiers until Matchday 5 in early autumn. All groups will finish at the same time in November.

Patrik Schick and Matej Kovar are in the Czech squad for their clashes against Montenegro and Croatia in Group L. Schick and Co currently lead their group with six points.

Lukas Hradecky and Finland meet Netherlands and Jeremie Frimpong in their third match in Group G, followed by a meeting with Poland. The Dutch, meanwhile, face Malta. The Finns currently occupy second place with four points. Because Netherlands played against Spain in the aforementioned Nations League quarter-final in March, they're yet to play in World Cup qualifying.

Xhaka in the USA – Tella at Unity Cup

Captain Granit Xhaka is in Switzerland's squad for two friendlies against Mexico and the USA. Aleix Garcia, meanwhile, has been selected in the Catalonia team, who play Costa Rica in a friendly. Edmond Tapsoba is in action for Burkina Faso in two friendlies against Zimbabwe and Tunisia. Alejo Sarco has a friendly double-header for Argentina U20s against Australia U20s. 

Nathan Tella is in London with Nigeria at the Unity Cup 2025, where the Super Eagles take on Ghana and then either Jamaica or Trinidad & Tobago. Nigeria also play a friendly against Russia after that. Victor Boniface is in the squad alongside Tella for that one.

The call-ups at a glance (all times CEST):

Florian Wirtz, Robert Andrich and Jonathan Tah (Germany)

Wednesday 04/06, 21:00: Germany vs. Portugal (UEFA Nations League, semi-finals)

Sunday 08/06, 15;00/20:45: Germany vs. Spain/France (UEFA Nations League third-place match/final)

Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain)

Thursday 05/06, 20:45: Spain vs. France (UEFA Nations League, semi-finals)

Sunday 08/06, 15;00/20:45: Spain vs. Germany/Portugal (UEFA Nations League third-place match/final)

Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)

Saturday, 07/06, 22:00: Mexico vs. Switzerland (friendly)

Wednesday 11/06, 2:00: USA vs. Switzerland (friendly)

Patrik Schick and Matej Kovar (Czech Republic)

Friday 06/06, 20:45: Czech Republic vs. Montenegro (World Cup qualifying, match 3)

Monday 09/06, 20:45: Croatia vs. Czech Republic (World Cup qualifying, match 4)

Lukas Hradecky (Finland)

Saturday 07/06, 20:45: Finland vs. Netherlands (World Cup qualifying, match 3)

Tuesday 10/06, 20:45: Finland vs. Poland (World Cup qualifying, match 4)

Jeremie Frimpong (Netherlands)

Saturday 07/06, 20:45: Finland vs. Netherlands (World Cup qualifying, match 1)

Tuesday 10/06, 20:45: Netherlands vs. Malta World Cup qualifying, match 2)

Aleix Garcia (Catalonia)

Wednesday 28/05, 19:00: Catalonia vs. Costa Rica

Nathan Tella (Nigeria)

Wednesday 28/05, 20:00: Nigeria vs. Ghana (Unity Cup 2025, match 1)

Saturday 31/05, 19:00: Nigeria vs. Jamaica/Trinidad & Tobago (Unity Cup 2025, match 2)

Nathan Tella and Victor Boniface (Nigeria)

Friday 06/06, 19:00: Russia vs. Nigeria (friendly)

Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso)

Monday 02/06: Burkina Faso vs. Zimbabwe (friendly)

Friday 06/06: Burkina Faso vs. Tunisia (friendly)

Alejo Sarco (Argentina U20)

Friday 06/06: Argentina vs. Australia (friendly)

Monday 09/06: Argentina vs. Australia (friendly)

Related News

Ticket-Infos
Bundesliga - 02.11.2026

Tickets for the home match against Borussia Mönchengladbach

Bayer 04 host Borussia Mönchengladbach at the BayArena on matchday 12 of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season. The schedule for the game remains to be confirmed. The latest information on ticket sales.

Show more
Titelbild
Bundesliga - 02.11.2026

Tickets for the home match against Eintracht Frankfurt

Bayer 04 host Eintracht Frankfurt at the BayArena on matchday 14 of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season. The schedule for the game remains to be confirmed. The latest information on ticket sales.

Show more
Frauen unterliegen im Pokal-Achtefinale in München | Achteflinale DFB-Pokal
Werkself-TV - 01.11.2026

Women: TV-highlights of 0-1 loss at FC Bayern

Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04 Women's 0-1 loss at Bayern Munich in the round of 16 of the women's DFB-Pokal 2026/27

Show more
Werkself bedankt sich bei den Fans
Bundesliga - 01.11.2026

Werkself review: ‘We lacked the clinical edge’

“As far as mentality and determination are concerned, we have nothing to reproach ourselves for,” Robert Andrich said up after the first home defeat for the Werkself this term. In terms of their play, too, the Black and Reds put in a respectable performance for long stretches of this intense and physical match, outperforming VfB Stuttgart in most areas. It was only in terms of efficiency in front of goal that the Swabians had the edge over the Werkself. Head coach Carles Martínez wants to learn from this so that, in future, they can “win this sort of match too”. The Werkself review.

Show more
Rüdiger Vollborn
Bayer 04 - 01.11.2026

Rudi recounts…: Vollborn November highlights

Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career working as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personal Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…

Show more