Slovakia vs Kosovo: battle for a place at the 2026 World Cup

In the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup qualification play-offs, Slovakia will face Kosovo on Thursday, March 26. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:45 CET, and I suggest a bet on this match.

• See also: Georgia vs Israel: prediction, head-to-head, and probable line-ups – 26 March 2026

Slovakia vs Kosovo: match preview

Slovakia began their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in spectacular fashion with a 2:0 victory over Germany, but that was followed by a 0:2 defeat to Northern Ireland, leaving everything to be decided in the final round. The Slovaks travelled away to Germany and conceded six goals there. As a result, the team finished second in the group and must now fight for a place at the World Cup through the play-offs. Notably, in the UEFA Nations League, they failed to secure promotion to League B after losing to Slovenia in qualification.

Kosovo, for their part, managed to earn promotion to League B of the UEFA Nations League. They finished second in their group but defeated Iceland in the play-offs with an aggregate score of 5:2. In World Cup qualifying, Kosovo came close to finishing top of their group but ultimately could not overtake Switzerland. In the final round, they drew 1:1 with the Swiss, which proved insufficient. With 11 points from six matches, they finished second in the standings and now head into the World Cup qualification play-offs.

Match facts and head-to-head

• In their last four matches, Slovakia have recorded two wins and two defeats.
• Kosovo are unbeaten in five consecutive matches: three wins and two draws.
• Kosovo are on a three-match scoring streak.
• Both teams have recorded five clean-sheet wins in their last ten matches.
• These two sides have never faced each other before.

Probable line-ups

• Slovakia: Dubravka; Gyomber, Skriniar, Obert, Hancko; Rigo, Lobotka, Duda; Duris, Sauer, Strelec
• Kosovo: Muric; Dellova, Rrahmani, Aliti, Gallapeni; Vojvoda, Hodza, Rexhbecaj, Muslija; Asllani, Muriqi

Prediction

I expect a very tough and tense contest, with neither side willing to back down as they push for progression. I suggest betting on both teams to score.

Prediction on game Both teams to score - Yes

Odds: 2.1

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