Denmark and Wales meet at Parken on Sunday evening with both already looking for their first points of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League campaign. Brian Riemer’s Denmark were beaten 3-2 by Norway in an entertaining Scandinavian derby on Thursday, while Wales returned from Lisbon empty-handed despite a competitive performance in a 1-0 defeat to holders Portugal. With Norway and Portugal also occupying League A Group 4, neither side will want to begin with consecutive losses.

For Denmark, home advantage provides an immediate opportunity to respond. Wales, though, showed enough in Portugal to suggest their return to League A may be more competitive than the opening result indicates.

Denmark must learn from chaotic night in Oslo

Denmark’s opening result was disappointing, but the manner of the defeat offered Riemer both encouragement and concern. The Danes found themselves 2-0 down inside 18 minutes against Norway and were forced to spend much of the evening chasing the match. They responded impressively enough to draw level at 2-2 by the hour mark, with Rasmus Højlund among the scorers, only for Erling Haaland’s second goal of the evening to settle an absorbing contest in Norway’s favour.

Conceding three times will concern Riemer, particularly because Denmark now face another side comfortable attacking quickly when possession changes hands. There were positives going forward. Højlund’s goal was particularly welcome and he should continue as the central striker at Parken. Patrick Dorgu also impressed in an advanced role on the right, giving Denmark pace and directness alongside Mikkel Damsgaard and Højlund.

That combination gives Denmark several ways of attacking Wales. Damsgaard can drift inside and create, Dorgu is capable of carrying the ball directly at defenders, while Højlund offers the penalty-box presence needed to turn territorial control into chances.

Behind them, Morten Hjulmand and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg give Denmark considerable experience in midfield. Victor Froholdt could again be used further forward after starting against Norway.

The question is whether Riemer changes anything defensively. Denmark cannot afford another start like the one in Oslo. Wales may lack Norway’s extraordinary individual firepower, but Bellamy’s team have pace and are at their best when able to attack an opponent before its defensive shape has been restored.

There is also pressure created by the structure of the group. Denmark’s next fixture is at home to defending Nations League champions Portugal before travelling to Cardiff for another meeting with Wales. Dropping points again on Sunday would leave them with significant work to do before even reaching the halfway stage.

History, at least, is firmly on their side. Denmark have won seven of the 11 previous meetings between the countries, with Wales winning four. Remarkably, none has ended in a draw. Denmark have also won the last three, most memorably dismantling Wales 4-0 in the last 16 of Euro 2020. That was more than five years ago, though, and this is a very different Welsh side.

Wales encouraged despite defeat in Portugal

There are defeats that expose problems and defeats that offer encouragement. Wales’ 1-0 loss in Lisbon belongs much closer to the latter category. João Félix’s first-half goal ultimately decided the match, but Bellamy’s side remained competitive against the reigning Nations League champions and came away believing there were aspects of the performance they could build upon. Neco Williams described the display afterwards as containing “a lot of positives”.

That matters because this is a substantial step up. Wales earned their place in League A by winning their 2024-25 League B group ahead of Türkiye. They went through that campaign unbeaten, taking 12 points from six matches and sealing promotion with a 4-1 victory over Iceland.

The rewards for that success are daunting. Portugal, Norway and Denmark represent an enormous increase in difficulty, and Wales have now started the campaign with consecutive away matches against two of the strongest sides in the section.

Their situation is complicated further by injuries. Wilson, one of Bellamy’s most important attacking players, withdrew with a quadriceps problem. Broadhead and Darlow also pulled out, while Rodon and Lawlor are among the defensive absentees. Taylor and goalkeeper Cornell received their first senior call-ups as part of the subsequent reshuffle, with Savage also returning to the group.

Bellamy therefore has fewer options than he would like, particularly when four matches are being played during an extended international window. Even so, Wales retain plenty of pace.

Brennan Johnson remains one of their most dangerous attacking outlets, while Dan James could come into the starting XI after Lewis Koumas began against Portugal. David Brooks offers another technically gifted option and Ethan Ampadu remains crucial to providing balance in midfield. The approach in Copenhagen may not be dramatically different from Lisbon.

Denmark should have more possession, which could suit Wales if they remain compact and find Johnson or James quickly when the ball is recovered. Thursday’s game in Oslo demonstrated that the Danish defence can be exposed, particularly when opponents attack at speed.

Bellamy will also be aware that Wales do not necessarily need to dominate possession to make the evening uncomfortable. Their development under him has largely been based around becoming more aggressive with and without the ball, and promotion was achieved without losing a single Nations League match.

The difficulty is turning promising passages into goals against League A opposition. Wales failed to score in Lisbon and are missing Wilson’s creativity and set-piece quality. If Denmark establish sustained pressure at Parken, the visitors may not be afforded many opportunities.

That makes efficiency particularly important. Wales are unlikely to generate a large volume of chances, so the moments they do create through Johnson, James or Brooks must count.

Verdict

Thursday’s results make this a more important fixture than either side would have wanted after only one round. Wales deserve credit for how competitive they were against Portugal, and there were enough defensive vulnerabilities in Denmark’s performance against Norway to give Bellamy encouragement. The visitors have the pace to cause problems if Denmark become careless in possession.

The difference may be what Denmark can offer at the other end. Højlund, Damsgaard and Dorgu provide several attacking routes, while Hjulmand and Højbjerg should give the hosts enough control in midfield to ensure that much of the game is played in Welsh territory.

Wales can make this difficult, particularly if they reproduce the organisation shown in Lisbon. But with Denmark back at Parken and needing an immediate response after the defeat in Oslo, Riemer’s side should have enough attacking quality to get their first points on the board.

Tip: Denmark to win