Not just the Nations League: World Cup qualification begins. This weekend, several European national teams will begin their qualification journey for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to take place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. One of the first matches features England vs Albania, scheduled for Friday, March 21 at the iconic Wembley Stadium. This match marks the official debut of Thomas Tuchel as England’s new head coach, having taken charge on January 1st. On the other side, Sylvinho’s Albania is a rising national team eager to make an impact. The Three Lions are the clear favorites, not only for this opening match but also for winning Group K, which includes Albania, Serbia, Latvia, and Andorra. Tuchel’s main objective in his first international coaching role is to implement his tactical vision and secure qualification, with the ultimate goal of bringing home England’s first international trophy since 1966. For Albania, this is a challenging start, facing the strongest team in the group. However, their main target will be competing with Serbia for the second spot, as the Serbian team is currently engaged in the Nations League relegation playoffs.

England's Recent Form and Key Statisics

England enters this match in solid form. After losing the Euro 2024 final to Spain, they recorded five wins and one loss in the Nations League, securing direct promotion to League A.

The Three Lions are on a three-game winning streak, including a dominant 5-0 victory over Ireland, scoring 11 goals and conceding just one. Despite these results, fans are eager to see Tuchel’s impact as he aims to improve upon Gareth Southgate’s tenure, which ended with a quarter-final exit at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Albania's Recent Form and Key Statistics

Sylvinho’s Albania enters World Cup qualification after a disappointing UEFA Nations League campaign, where they finished last in League B, Group 1.

In their last six matches, The Eagles have registered two wins, one draw, and three losses, scoring only four goals while conceding six. However, both victories came away from home: 2-1 against Ukraine and 1-0 against Georgia. This could provide some confidence heading into the challenge at Wembley.

England vs Albania Prediction & Tactical Overview

As this is Tuchel’s first competitive match, there are some uncertainties regarding his tactical approach. However, he is expected to rely on key experienced players like Jordan Pickford, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, and Harry Kane, who currently boasts 103 international goals.

For Albania, the lineup is expected to remain unchanged in their 4-3-3 formation, which may transition into 4-3-2-1 in defensive phases. There are concerns over Empoli defender Ardian Ismajli, who is not in peak condition, but a major boost comes from the return of Everton striker Armando Broja.

Given England’s dominance and superior squad depth, a high-scoring match is anticipated, possibly resembling their last encounter in 2021, which ended 5-0 (featuring a Harry Kane hat-trick, along with goals from Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson).

In agreement with the above, the BetMines algorithm prediction for England vs Albania also predicts a match with more than 2.5 goals. 

• The prediction of the BetMines algorithm for the England vs Albania match predicts an Over 2.5 goals at 58%
• The prediction of the BetMines algorithm for the England vs Albania match predicts an Under 2.5 goals at 42%

Predicted Lineups England vs Albania

England (4-2-3-1): Pickford; James, Guehi, Colwill, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Henderson; Foden, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane. Coach: Tuchel.

Albania (4-3-3): Strakosha; Balliu, Ismajli, Djimsiti, Mihaj; Asllani, Ramadani, Laci; Asani, Broja, Muci. Coach: Sylvinho.