Nine senior West Ham United players have been called-up by their respective countries for the November international break.
Vladimir Coufal, Lukasz Fabianski, Darren Randolph, Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek and Andriy Yarmolenko conclude the UEFA Nations League group stage, while Fabian Balbuena continues his 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign and Said Benrahma and Sebastien Haller are involved in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.
Many nations are again playing three matches during the November break, with friendly internationals sprinkled into the fixture list.
Where and when are our Hammers in action?
Let’s kick-off in South America, where Balbuena and Paraguay play their third and fourth CONMEBOL qualifiers.
Paraguay have taken four points from their opening two matches, but will face a tough task to continue their unbeaten start when they travel to Buenos Aires to tackle Argentina at La Bombonera on Thursday evening. Balbuena and his compatriots then head home to Asuncion, where they host winless Bolivia on Tuesday 17 November. Paraguay are seeking to qualify for their first World Cup finals since 2010, when they reached the quarter-finals.
Moving to Africa, Benrahma is in the Algeria squad for home and away Africa Cup of Nations Group H qualifiers with Zimbabwe. Algeria top the group with two wins from two games, while Zimbabwe are also unbeaten with a win and a draw. The first tie will be played in Algiers on Thursday evening, before the return match takes place in Harare on Monday 16 November.
Haller and Ivory Coast need to win both ties to overhaul Group K leaders Madagascar, who have six points from their opening two ties against Ethiopia and Niger. The Ivorians are third in the group after beating Niger at home but losing in Ethiopia. The pair will meet first at the Stade Nationale in Ebimpé on Thursday 12 November, before heading to the island of Madagascar for the return fixture in Toamasina on Tuesday 17 November.
Arthur Masuaku was initially called-up by DR Congo for home and away ties with Angola in Group D, but will now not be joining up with his national team.
The group winners will qualify for the final tournament, which will be hosted by Cameroon in January 2022.
In Europe, seven Hammers will be in UEFA Nations League qualifying and friendly international action.
Coufal, Soucek and Czech Republic travel to Leipzig for a high-profile friendly with Germany on Wednesday 11 November, then return to Nations League duty, with League B2 ties with Israel in Plzen on Sunday 15 November and Slovakia in Prague on Wednesday 18 November. Wins in both of those games could see the Czechs overhaul group leaders Scotland and win promotion to League A.
Fabianski and Poland have three big games, with a home friendly with Yarmolenko’s Ukraine in Chorzow on Wednesday 11 November, followed by League A1 ties with Italy in Reggio Emilia on Sunday 15 November and Netherlands in Chorzow on Wednesday 18 November. Poland are top of League A1 with seven points, a point ahead of Italy and two ahead of Netherlands.
Yarmolenko and Ukraine then head to Germany for their penultimate League A4 tie in Leipzig on Saturday 14 November, before travelling to Lucerne to face Switzerland on Tuesday 17 November. Wins in both would see Ukraine win their group and qualify for the finals.
Randolph and Rice could meet at Wembley, where England host Republic of Ireland in a friendly on Thursday 12 November.
Rice and England will hope to reach the Nations League finals again with League A2 wins over Belgium in Leuven on Sunday 15 November and Iceland at Wembley on Wednesday 18 November.
Randolph and Ireland will be hoping to avoid relegation from League B4, where they have two points from four matches ahead of a trip to Cardiff to face Wales on Sunday 15 November and home game with Bulgaria in Dublin on Wednesday 18 November.
How can I watch them?
England’s two UEFA Nations League ties will be screened by Sky Sports Main Event, while the Ireland friendly will be shown by ITV.
Ireland’s Nations League match with Wales will be shown by both S4C and Sky Sports Football, while the home game with Bulgaria will be screened by Sky Sports Arena.
Czech Republic, Poland and Ukraine’s Nations League ties will be broadcast via the Sky Red Button.
Neither Paraguay’s World Cup qualifiers, nor Algeria or Ivory Coast’s Cup of Nations ties, will be broadcast live in the UK.
