Key Points
- Wales national team coach Craig Bellamy claims that Wales deserve to participate in the UEFA Nations League League A competition.
- According to Bellamy, Norway, with the help of Erling Haaland, is going to be a significant power in the world of international football for many years.
- Wales are bottom of the League A Group A4 following their 2-0 defeat by Denmark in Copenhagen and 1-0 loss to Portugal.
- Wales have zero points and goals scored in their first two League A matches.
- Wales have not won a game in 2026, according to BBC Sport’s live match report.
- Norway beat Denmark 3-2 in their last encounter with Haaland scoring twice.
- Wales will play Norway at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday, 1 October and then Denmark in Cardiff on Sunday, 4 October.
- Wales are in League A Group A4 along with Portugal, Denmark and Norway.
- Bellamy was previously reported to say that staying in League A will be beneficial for Wales’ prospects of becoming higher seeded teams in qualification campaigns.
Wales (Wales Times) September 28, 2026 – Wales head coach Craig Bellamy has insisted that his side belong in the top tier of the UEFA Nations League, despite beginning their League A campaign with successive defeats, as Wales prepare to face Erling Haaland’s Norway. As reported by BBC Sport, Bellamy said he expects Norway to be “a force for years”, but maintained that Wales have earned the right to be in Nations League A.
Wales returned to League A after winning promotion from League B in the previous Nations League edition, going unbeaten in that campaign. Their first campaign back among Europe’s leading 16 nations has, however, begun with defeats to Portugal and Denmark, leaving Bellamy’s team bottom of Group A4 without a point or a goal.
Can Wales survive in League A?
Bellamy’s belief that Wales belong at this level now faces a direct examination against Norway, who visit uk/local/cardiff/">Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday, 1 October. The Welsh side were beaten 2-0 by Denmark at Parken Stadium on Sunday, with Ben Davies scoring an own goal and Gustav Isaksen adding Denmark’s second, as reported by The Guardian and The Independent.
Before that defeat, Wales had lost 1-0 away to Portugal on Thursday, 24 September. The two results have left Wales winless in 2026 and without a goal in their opening two Group A4 matches.
Bellamy’s immediate task is to arrest that run against a Norway team that defeated Denmark 3-2 in its previous fixture. Haaland scored twice in that match, underlining the scale of the challenge facing Wales’ defence.
What did Craig Bellamy say about Norway?
As reported by BBC Sport, Bellamy said he expects Norway to be a force in international football for years to come. His comments came ahead of Wales’ meeting with Haaland’s side, a fixture that now carries added importance after Wales’ opening two defeats.
Norway’s threat is led by Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who has been central to the team’s recent rise. BBC Sport previously reported that Norway were described by Roberto Martinez as “European football’s form team” after Haaland inspired a flawless World Cup qualification campaign.
Bellamy, however, has continued to frame Wales’ League A status as a badge of progress rather than a burden. In February, BBC Sport reported that he said: “How I look at this group is to stay in this group.”
He added at the time: “If we can stay in League A it will give us a better opportunity of being a number one seeded team that goes into qualifiers, and able to stay at number one and go straight to a tournament and not in the play-offs anymore.”
Why does League A matter to Wales?
League A places Wales among the top 16 European nations in the Nations League structure. Bellamy previously said the competition would provide “good quality games”, while acknowledging that membership of the division naturally meant facing difficult opponents.
The current Group A4 contains defending Nations League champions Portugal, Denmark and Norway, alongside Wales. Portugal began the defence of their title in the group, while Norway and Denmark have also been involved in early high-scoring matches.
Under the competition format, the top two teams in each League A group advance to the quarter-finals. Third-placed teams enter play-offs to retain their place in the league, while the bottom side is relegated.
That structure gives Wales a clear incentive to move off the bottom of Group A4 during the October international window. After hosting Norway, Bellamy’s side will face Denmark at home on Sunday, 4 October.
How did Wales lose to Denmark?
Wales were beaten 2-0 by Denmark in Copenhagen on Sunday, 27 September. The Guardian reported that Ben Davies’ own goal and Gustav Isaksen’s “instinctive strike” gave Denmark victory.
The Independent reported that Wales “wilted” at Parken Stadium and were left bottom of the group after the defeat. The result followed their 1-0 loss to Portugal and left Wales without a point or a goal in Group A4.
The match was also a return to a stadium with personal significance for Bellamy. The Independent reported that the Wales head coach had scored the winning goal for Wales there as a 19-year-old in a Euro 2000 qualifier.
What challenges does Bellamy face?
Bellamy entered the campaign without first-choice centre-back Joe Rodon, who was ruled out with a hamstring injury. BBC Sport reported that Rodon’s absence was a significant blow as Wales prepared to face opponents including Haaland and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Wales squad includes several younger players being exposed to elite-level international football. Cardiff City midfielder Rubin Colwill, 21, was included in Bellamy’s 28-man squad and spoke ahead of the campaign about the prospect of facing Ronaldo and Haaland.
Liverpool forward Lewis Koumas has also been singled out for praise. BBC Sport reported that Bellamy described the 20-year-old as “outstanding” after Wales’ defeat to Portugal and said: “he belongs here”.
Wales winger Wes Burns has also spoken about Bellamy’s support during his recovery from a serious long-term injury. In remarks reported by BBC Sport and carried by Yahoo News, Burns said he hoped to repay that support by making an impact in the Nations League.
What happens next for Wales?
Wales’ next fixture is against Norway at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday, 1 October, with a 19:45 BST kick-off. They then host Denmark three days later, on Sunday, 4 October, also at 19:45 BST.
Later in the league phase, Wales travel to Norway on Saturday, 14 November, before completing their Group A4 campaign at home to Portugal on Tuesday, 17 November.
The league phase runs from 24 September to 17 November 2026. BBC Sport reported that Wales were drawn in League A Group 4 alongside Portugal, Denmark and Norway.
Background of Wales’ return to League A
Wales secured promotion from League B in the previous Nations League edition and did so without losing a match in that campaign. That unbeaten run earned them a place in League A for the 2026-27 edition of the competition.
Bellamy was appointed Wales head coach in 2024, signing a four-year contract to succeed Rob Page. BBC Sport reported that he turned down the opportunity to manage Burnley before committing to the Wales role.
At the time the draw was made, Bellamy said Wales’ objective was to remain among European football’s elite. He said staying in League A could improve Wales’ seeding for future qualification campaigns and increase their chances of reaching major tournaments directly rather than through play-offs.
Wales’ return to the top tier has come after they missed out on this summer’s World Cup. BBC Sport reported that Craig Bellamy’s side returned to competitive action in the Nations League following that disappointment.
Prediction: How can this affect Wales fans?
For Wales supporters, Bellamy’s insistence that the team belong in League A will be tested over the next two home fixtures. A positive result against Norway would give Wales their first points and first goal of the campaign, while also reducing the immediate pressure created by back-to-back defeats.
If Wales fail to respond, they could remain bottom of Group A4 and face an increasingly difficult battle to avoid the relegation play-off place. The group format means the bottom team is relegated, while the third-placed team enters play-offs to retain its League A status.
For fans, the October fixtures are therefore likely to shape perceptions of Wales’ first League A campaign since promotion. Bellamy has already told supporters that he believes the squad will improve, saying, as reported by Tribalfootball:
“This team will get better, these players will keep improving.”
A competitive display against Haaland’s Norway would support Bellamy’s argument that Wales can compete at this level. Conversely, another defeat would deepen concerns about Wales’ winless run in 2026 and place greater importance on the subsequent home match against Denmark.
