TAB WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 2 – 4 SEPTEMBER 2026
NATIONS LEAGUE CLASHES TOP THE MENU
UEFA Nations League continues to dominate the football menu this weekend and into next week with four of the six rounds of group matches played by the time the curtain comes down on the current international window on Tuesday. There’s no shortage of compelling matches with many groups still in the balance and TAB soccer customers have four added pools to bet into through the weekend, a carryover Any 13 Xtra and a guaranteed R16-million Soccer 13 Jackpot on Saturday if there’s a single all-13-correct entry.
FRANCE, SPAIN AND PORTUGAL SET TO TOP THEIR GROUPS
This is the fifth edition of Nations League, which was created to replace a bunch of meaningless friendly and often one-sided games with competitive matches between countries of similar calibre.
Currently, Nations League comprises three leagues (A, B and C) each comprising four groups of four teams that play each other home and away in each competition. League D comprises six teams divided into two groups of three.
Only the top two teams in each of the four A League groups advance to the knockout quarter-final stage of the competition. As for the remainder there’s a promotion-and-relegation system that will result in Nations League transitioning into three leagues of 18 teams for the 2028-29 edition, as opposed to three leagues of 16 and one of six at present.
The battles for the quarter-finalists from the League A groups are still mostly in their early stages, although it’s nigh certain that France will top Group 1, Spain Group 3 and Portugal Group 4.
France and Spain have won both their matches to date and should continue on their winning path with France likely to beat Italy tonight followed by Spain putting Czechia to the sword tomorrow. Portugal reeled off their third successive win last night and now top Group 4 with nine points to the three of the others.
The crunch games coming up are Germany away to Greece on Monday night in round four in League A Group 2 and England away to Croatia in a third-round clash in Group 3 tomorrow.
It’s a potentially tricky tie for under-pressure manager Thomas Tuchel and his team, especially because defeat will leave them in third place, three points behind Croatia and likely six behind Spain at the halfway stage in the group.
England would then be under huge pressure to qualify for the quarter-finals because they would probably need to beat Croatia by a sufficient margin in the return leg to ensure they finished second in the group on goal average.
They can avoid all of that tomorrow by beating Croatia tomorrow and they should be more than capable of doing that, given they beat the Croatians 4-2 at this year’s World Cup finals.
GERMANY NEEDS TO WIN AWAY IN GREECE
Germany notched their first win for new boss Jurgen Klopp last night and they need to follow up away to Greece on Monday, a task that may be easier said than done after losing 1-0 at home to the Greeks in their opening match.
Another defeat will leave them six points behind Greece and likely four points behind Holland with only two games remaining.
There’s a R100,000-added Soccer 10 pool tonight and the standout bankers are home victories for France, Belgium against Turkey and Ukraine over Ireland.
The second Soccer 10 pool tomorrow also boasts a R100,000 add-in bonus from TAB and here it’s best to rely on England to win away in Croatia and home wins for Iceland, Belarus and Almeria.
MATCH PREVIEWS R100,000-ADDED SOCCER 10 BETS
Friday 2 October – S10 V1
M1 CD Eldense vs Real Oviedo: A R100,000 bonus add-in from TAB should ensure a substantial pool and a great chance to start the weekend with a big win. Oviedo are eighth in LaLiga2 with 11 points, six more than Eldense in 19th after losing seven of their last 10. Last meeting ended 0-0.
M2 Belgium vs Turkey: Nations League clash. Belgium have won six of last 10 games, going down 1-0 to France last time. Turkey have also won six of last 10 but have lost both League A Group 1 matches this season. FIFA rankings: Belgium 8; Turkey 27.
M3 Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Sweden: Bosnia unbeaten in eight of last 10 games and Sweden unbeaten in seven of last 10, winning their opening two matches in Nations League. FIFA rankings: Bosnia 61; Sweden 37.
M4 Dundalk vs Bohemians: Irish Premier League. Bohemians have won four league games in a row, whereas Dundalk have won only once in last five. Bohemians third in Irish Premier Division with 56 points, 15 more than Dundalk in fifth. Dundalk won last meeting 2-1 away, their sixth victory to Bohemians’ five in last 15 meetings.
M5 Faroe Islands vs Slovakia: Faroe Islands have won six of last 10 and Slovakia are unbeaten in last five, including winning their first two Nations League clashes. FIFA rankings: Faroe Islands 123; Slovakia 45.
M6 France vs Italy: France have won nine of last 11 games and have won both 2026 Nations League clashes. Italy lost their opening Nations League match but then trounced Turkey 4-1. France beat Italy 3-1 away two years ago, their ninth victory in the last 15 games between the two. FIFA rankings: France 3, Italy 15.
M7 Poland vs Romania: Poland have one point from their opening two games in Nations League, while Romania have suffered successive defeats. Poland won last meeting 3-1 nine years ago. FIFA rankings: Poland 36, Romania 52.
M8 Ukraine vs Northern Ireland: Both have a win and a draw from their first two games in 2026 Nations League and currently share the lead in League B Group 2. Ukraine won the last meeting 1-0 five years ago. FIFA rankings: Ukraine 33, Northern Ireland 70.
M9 CA Independiente vs Instituto ACC: The visitors have three wins from last five league games and top Group A in Argentina’s Liga Profesional with 22 points, five points ahead of Independiente in sixth. Instituto beat Independiente 2-1 in March but have three wins to Independiente’s seven in last 15 meetings between the two.
M10 Sao Paulo vs Santos: Santos are eighth in Brazil’s Serie A with 38 points, two ahead of Sao Paulo in 11th. Santos have won four league games in a row and Sao Paulo three of last five. Their last meeting ended one-one.
Saturday 3 Oct – S10 V3
M1 Finland vs Albania: Like Friday’s Soccer 10, this pool carries a R100,000 add-in bonus from TAB. Albania tops the log in League C Group 1 of Nations League, having won their first two games. Finland are second with a win and a draw from their first two matches. Should be closely contested. FIFA rankings: Finland 75; Albania 67.
M2 Avai vs Ceara: Avaí winless in last six games and Ceara are unbeaten in last three. Ceara are 15th in Brazil’s Serie B with 36 points, six ahead of Avaí. Ceara won last meeting 2-1 in June.
M3 Burton Albion vs Huddersfield Town: Burton defeated once in last five league games, while Huddersfield beaten for first time in eight matches recently. Both level on 12 points in League One but Burton did win last meeting 3-1.
M4 UD Almeria vs Burgos CF: Almería on four-game winning streak and third in LaLiga2 with 15 points, one more than Burgos who are unbeaten in last five. Last meeting ended 0-0 and in last six meetings Almería have three wins to Burgos’ two.
M5 Belarus vs San Marino: Belarus lost their opening game in Nations League, their first defeat in seven games, and went on to draw with Finland. San Marino have lost both games and are winless in last 11. FIFA rankings: Belarus 96; San Marino 211.
M6 Croatia vs England: Croatia won have six of their last 10 games and England seven. Croatia kicked off their 2026 Nations League campaign with a win over the Czech Republic, while England were unlucky to lose to world champions Spain in their opener. Croatia then lost 4-1 to Spain while England beat the Czechs. England beat Croatia 4-2 in June. FIFA rankings: Croatia 13; England 4.
M7 Estonia vs Luxembourg: Estonia unbeaten in three games and drew their Nations League opener, while Luxembourg notched their fourth victory in their last five when beating Bulgaria in their opening match. Estonia then drew with Bulgaria, while Luxembourg were trounced by Iceland. FIFA rankings: Estonia 127; Luxembourg 98.
M8 Iceland vs Bulgaria: Iceland drew their Nations League opener and then slammed Luxembourg 3-0, while Bulgaria have lost six of last 11 including their opening game FIFA rankings: Iceland 74; Bulgaria 85.
M9 Cadiz vs Leganes: Cadiz winless in last five LaLiga2 matches, whereas Leganes have won two of their last five. Cadiz beat Leganes 3-0 back in May, but are 20th on the log and seven points behind their rivals.
M10 Sabadell vs Andorra: Sabadell have won three of their last five LaLiga2 matches, while Andorra broke a losing run with a victory over Grenada recently. Sabadell are seventh with 12 points, six more than Andorra. Last clash ended 0-0.