On Friday night, England will host Albania in Group K’s first match, marking the beginning of their journey to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The England vs Albania match will kick off at 19:45 UK time.
Albania’s performance in the Nations League was lacking, as the group stage concluded at the end of 2024. The team finished in the final position within the group and was relegated to League C. It is worth mentioning that the Albanians were on the verge of maintaining their position in League B, or even striving to ascend to a higher league. Ultimately, they secured fourth place, narrowly falling short to Georgia based on supplementary criteria. Ukraine was just a point ahead of the team.
I find nothing surprising in these results. Albania achieved a commendable outcome at Euro 2024, particularly considering its standing. Reaching the tournament is already a significant accomplishment. The Albanians performed admirably in the group round, despite not advancing to the play-offs. In the context of facing three formidable opponents, the team’s performance was quite commendable.
England experienced a contentious European Championship. Although it reached the final, it did so with a very passive style; the team did not display vibrant football. The battle for the trophy was ultimately lost to the more attacking and daring Spain, leaving much to be desired.
Despite achieving success by reaching the Euro final, Gareth Southgate departed from the team following the tournament. Coach Lee Carsley took over temporarily, leading the Three Lions to a smooth victory in the Nations League group. Even though the English faced opponents who were less formidable, as they competed in League B.
The team had been in search of a head coach for quite some time, ultimately selecting Thomas Tuchel, who is well-acquainted with the EPL. Actuality, this will be his first game as a coach.
England vs Albania date & kick-off time
- Competition: World Cup Qualifying
- Game Day: Friday, 21 March 2025
- Kick-off: 19:45 UK time
- Stadium: Wembley Stadium, London
Where to watch England vs Albania
- UK: ITVX, STV Player, ITV 1 UK, STV Scotland, UTV, TalkSport Radio UK, BBC Radio 5 Live
- USA: fuboTV, ViX
- Canada: DAZN Canada
- Australia: Optus Sport
- Albania: SuperSport 2 Digitalb
England vs Albania possible lineups
England predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford (GK), James, Guehi, Colwill, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Henderson, Foden, Bellingham, Rashford, Kane
Albania predicted lineup (4-3-3): Strakosha (GK), Balliu, Ismajli, Djimsiti, Mihaj, Asllani, Ramadani, Laci, Asani, Broja, Muci
