The England national football team will kick off their journey in the 2026 World Cup qualifying cycle with a match against Albania, set to take place on March 21, 2025, at Wembley Stadium in London. The game marks a significant moment in English football as it will be the first official match for new head coach Thomas Tuchel, who was appointed after Gareth Southgate's departure following mixed results in recent international competitions.
Under Southgate, the team reached the finals of Euro 2020 but failed to secure the trophy, leading to a critical evaluation of the team's performance. The Football Association of England took a decisive step by hiring Tuchel, a manager with a wealth of experience and success, including winning the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea. Tuchel's style of play demands a high-intensity game, which contrasts with the more cautious approach of his predecessor.
In preparation for this qualifier, Tuchel has made some surprising selections for the squad. The 32-year-old Dan Burn from Newcastle United has received his first senior call-up, alongside veterans Kyle Walker and Jordan Henderson, who at 34 are now seen as key figures despite the new direction Tuchel is ensuring. This decision reflects Tuchel's approach to fostering a robust team dynamic while integrating fresh talents.
England enters this match as clear favorites, with bookmakers assigning a victory only a 1.17 odds, while a draw is priced at 8.00 and an Albania win is at a staggering 22.00. Additionally, the expectation for the total goals in the match is also high, with odds for over 2.5 goals set at 1.62. Given the impressive offensive talent within the England squad and Albania’s defensive struggles, the high expectations are not unwarranted.
Albania's national team has struggled historically, notably never qualifying for a World Cup, but they have shown resilience by reaching two recent European Championships. Last fall, Albania finished last in their group in the UEFA Nations League while managing to qualify for Euro 2024. Under the leadership of Brazilian coach Sylvinho, the Albanian squad consists of players competing in various top European leagues, yet they are still considered underdogs in this matchup.
Key figures for Albania include Kristjan Asllani from Inter Milan and Ernest Muci from Besiktas, both of whom have the capability to influence the outcome of the game. However, perhaps their most diffused injury concerns the recovery of Armando Broja, a pivotal player whose absence during the qualifying campaign may prove costly. Sylvinho is poised to adopt a defensive strategy, aiming to minimize losses and possibly aim for counter-attacks during the game.
Jordan Pickford, England's goalkeeper, is expected to be a formidable barrier for the Albanian offensive lineup, which is expected to make few opportunities to score. The need for discipline and concentration from the Albanian players will be paramount to avoid conceding; they will need to be razor-sharp to capitalize on potential chances.
Betting odds also suggest that a decisive victory for England is likely, with options available for England to win both halves at 2.06 and a handicap of -2.5 for England set at 2.35. Observers from the footballing community are already inclined towards placing bets on England’s victory by a margin of at least two goals. Expert analysts like Roman Pavlyuchenko express confidence in England’s depth and predict a high-scoring affair, given that in four of England’s last six matches, more than 2.5 goals have been scored.
In previous encounters, such as their 5-0 and 2-0 wins against Albania in 2021, the trajectory seems to favor England significantly. Still, the performance of the Albanian side cannot be underplayed as they strive to prove their mettle on the world stage, even if their FIFA ranking currently puts them at 65th.
The atmosphere at Wembley is likely to be electric as England fans look forward to witnessing an assertive display of football from their national team, underlining Tuchel’s philosophy of aggressive play. This match presents an opportunity for England to affirm their status as a top-tier footballing nation and initiate what they hope will be a successful qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup. The clock is ticking down to kick-off at 22:45, and the football world watches closely as England aims to not only win but to entertain.
