Italy Vs Belgium opens Group A1 of the Nations League 2026 in Rome with plenty already on the line. Italy have won 17 of the 26 official meetings between the sides, and although Belgium arrive in a rebuilding phase under Mark van Bommel, this is still a contest that should tell us plenty about both teams.
The timing matters. Italy are back on the field after missing their third consecutive World Cup, and they know that every major international window now carries extra weight. Belgium, meanwhile, begin a new cycle after changing coaches from Rudi García, with Van Bommel taking over a side that has to reset quickly while staying competitive.
Italy’s edge in the rivalry
The recent record suggests Italy will go into this opener with real confidence. They have won four of the last five meetings with Belgium, including a 1-0 away win in November 2024 when Sandro Tonali scored the only goal. Italy have also won the last three Nations League meetings, which gives this fixture a clear pattern.
That does not mean the match is straightforward. Belgium have lost only twice in their last 11 matches, and they showed resilience in qualification when they came back from a two-goal deficit against Ukraine to keep their place in League A. So while Italy carry the stronger head-to-head record, Belgium are not arriving without momentum of their own.
Belgium’s rebuild starts here
One of the big storylines is how Belgium look under Van Bommel. This is the start of his cycle, and it comes with the obvious challenge of replacing the familiarity that came with the previous setup. When a team is in transition, the first few matches can say a lot about organisation, confidence and whether the new ideas are taking hold.
For Italy, the opportunity is simple enough to understand. A win at the Estadio Olímpico de Roma would be the ideal opening to Group A1 and a strong early signal that they can turn a positive head-to-head record into group control. Belgium, on the other hand, will want to show that a new era can begin with something more than survival.
With Italy and Belgium both carrying questions into the match, the opener in Roma feels like the kind of fixture that can shape the tone of the whole group. Italy have the historical advantage, but Belgium have enough experience and physical resilience to make this a proper test from the start.
