The UEFA Nations League trophy during the draw ceremony at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, December 16, 2021. /CFP
England, Italy and Germany were placed in the same group in the draw for the next edition of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Nations League on Thursday, a competition in which France will defend their title.
Hungary will complete Group A3, the pick of the groups for the competition which will be played between June next year and June 2023.
The draw means England will renew acquaintances with two sides who they faced at this year's European Championship – Gareth Southgate's team defeated Germany 2-0 at Wembley in the last 16 before losing to Italy on penalties in the final.
England also played Hungary twice in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup earlier this year, winning 4-0 in Budapest and drawing 1-1 at home.
"It's a good group, it will certainly be fun," remarked Italy coach Roberto Mancini in comments to the Italian Football Federation website.
Germany and Italy have met at nine major tournaments, most recently at Euro 2016 when the Germans won on penalties in the quarter-finals.
Italy, who must come through play-offs next March to avoid missing a second straight World Cup, are also due to go to London on June 1 to face Copa America winners Argentina in a new intercontinental final.
The fixtures are not yet known but Hungary are due to play their next two home UEFA competition games behind closed doors as a punishment following "discriminatory behavior" by supporters at Euro 2020, when incidents of homophobic chanting and racial abuse were alleged to have occurred during several of their group games.
The 2022/23 Nations League groups line-up shown on the screen during the draw ceremony at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, December 16, 2021. /CFP
2022/23 Nations League groups line-up:
League A
Group A1: France, Denmark, Croatia, Austria
Group A2: Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Czech Republic
Group A3: Italy, Germany, England, Hungary
Group A4: Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Wales
League B
Group B1: Ukraine, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Armenia
Group B2: Iceland, Russia, Israel, Albania
Group B3: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Romania, Montenegro
Group B4: Sweden, Norway, Serbia, Slovenia
League C
Group C1: Turkey, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Faroe Islands
Group C2: Northern Ireland, Greece, Kosovo, Cyprus/Estonia
Group C3: Slovakia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan/Moldova
Group C4: Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Georgia, Gibraltar
League D
Group D1: Liechtenstein, Kazakhstan/Moldova, Andorra, Latvia
Group D2: Malta, Cyprus/Estonia, San Marino