Jürgen Klopp considers XXL DFB squad for Nations League window

National team coach Jürgen Klopp is considering naming a significantly larger squad for the DFB team because the upcoming Nations‑League‑phase features four matches in eleven days and he wants to rotate parts of the squad between the games. The long international break requires a new concept, which he intends to present in Herzogenaurach.

Schedule and Timeframe

The Nations‑League‑phase comprises four matches spread over eleven days. On September 24, Germany will face the Netherlands in Amsterdam, three days later, on September 27, the team will play Greece in Augsburg. The third match follows on October 1 in Munich against Serbia, before the return match against Greece is held in Thessaloniki on October 4. Four matches in eleven days present the team with particular challenges.

Klopp's Thought Experiments on the Giant Squad

Klopp's thought experiments revolve around a giant squad that will be considerably larger than the regular 23 players. The decision to nominate an XXL‑squad has been made, even though the coaching staff has not yet decided in detail how a bed swap in the training camp in Herzogenaurach should look. The aim is to share the workload and give many players the chance to contribute to the team.

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Implementation and Regulations

According to information from Sportschau and Sky Sport, it is still unclear which details the coaching staff will set. In principle, according to the UEFA format, a list of 23 players, including three goalkeepers, must be submitted by 23.59 on the day before the match. Theoretically, this list could be completely different for each of the four matches, which would allow a large exchange of players. The planned bed swap and possible rotation are intended to make sense both sportingly and for the club coaches.

The new national team coach Jürgen Klopp will present his highly anticipated squad on September 17 in Sportschau. There, the team will gather in Herzogenaurach to discuss the first training details. The precise information about the coaching staff's detailed plan will be revealed at that time.

The trend toward XXL‑squads is reflected in modern football: the Champions‑League has been expanded, the 2026 Club World Cup in North America will be contested by 48 teams, and by 2030 it could already involve 64 teams. The Nations‑League format has remained largely unchanged since 2018, but the current international break requires a new concept that Klopp wants to implement with a massive DFB‑squad.