Contents
- Competition: World Cup Qualification 2026, UEFA Playoffs
- Date: 26th March, 2026
- Kickoff: 19:45 UK / 20:45 CET
- Venue: PGE Narodowy
Poland and Albania will face off in the first leg of the UEFA World Cup Qualification 2026 playoff semifinal, with both nations aiming to take a decisive step toward securing a place in the World Cup finals. Poland enter the clash with a strong home record in the qualifiers, while Albania arrive as one of the more disciplined defensive sides in the playoff bracket.
Poland vs Albania Head to Head (H2H) stats
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Albania
2 : 0
Poland
Euro Qualification
-
Poland
1 : 0
Albania
Euro Qualification
-
Albania
0 : 1
Poland
WC Qualification Europe
-
Poland
4 : 1
Albania
WC Qualification Europe
-
Albania
0 : 1
Poland
Friendly International
Recent meetings between Poland and Albania suggest a slight advantage for the hosts. Poland have won three of the last four encounters between the sides, while Albania have recorded one victory, and none of those matches ended in a draw. To put it into perspective, Albania’s only win over Poland came in their most recent UEFA EURO qualification meeting in Tirana, and they have yet to beat Poland away from home.
Poland team overview
Poland come into this playoff semifinal with relatively solid recent form in World Cup qualifying fixtures. They recorded a difficult 3-2 win over Malta, a 2-0 victory against Lithuania, and a 3-1 home win over Finland, while also holding the Netherlands to a 1-1 draw in one of their recent matches. Overall, Poland’s World Cup qualifying campaign produced a strong win ratio and an impressive home record, with three wins and one draw in four home matches, underlining their effectiveness in Warsaw.
In terms of squad availability, Poland are expected to rely heavily on experienced attackers such as Robert Lewandowski and Karol Świderski, supported by creative midfielders like Piotr Zieliński. However, the team is dealing with some injury concerns, as Sebastian Szymański (groin problem) and Kacper Kozłowski (metacarpal fracture) are unavailable, slightly reducing depth in midfield and attacking transitions.
Last matches of Poland
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Malta
2 : 3
Poland
WC Qualification Europe
-
Poland
1 : 1
Netherlands
WC Qualification Europe
-
Lithuania
0 : 2
Poland
WC Qualification Europe
-
Poland
1 : 0
New Zealand
Friendly International
-
Poland
3 : 1
Finland
WC Qualification Europe
Poland lineup
Goalkeeper
-
22
Bartłomiej Drągowski
Defenders
-
3
Przemysław Wiśniewski
-
4
Tomasz Kędziora
-
14
Jakub Kiwior
-
19
Michał Skóraś
-
2
Matty Cash
Midfielders
-
10
Piotr Zieliński
-
17
Bartosz Slisz
-
13
Jakub Kamiński
-
20
Sebastian Szymański
Forwards
-
9
Robert Lewandowski
Albania team overview
Albania arrive in Warsaw with a disciplined and defensively structured approach, reflected in their recent results. They secured narrow but valuable wins against Andorra, Serbia, and Latvia during the qualification campaign, while their only recent defeat came in a 2-0 loss to England. Albania have shown a tendency to win low-scoring matches, often relying on compact defensive organization and efficient finishing, which has helped them maintain a strong overall qualification record with a high win percentage.
Key players such as Armando Broja, Rey Manaj, and Kristjan Asllani are expected to lead Albania’s attacking and midfield efforts, while defenders like Berat Djimsiti and Elseid Hysaj provide defensive stability. The main injury concern for Albania is Nedim Bajrami, who is sidelined with a muscle injury, potentially limiting creativity in advanced midfield areas.
Last matches of Albania
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Albania
0 : 2
England
WC Qualification Europe
-
Andorra
0 : 1
Albania
WC Qualification Europe
-
Albania
4 : 2
Jordan
Friendly International
-
Albania
1 : 0
Latvia
WC Qualification Europe
-
Gibraltar
0 : 1
Albania
Friendly International
Albania lineup
Goalkeeper
-
1
Thomas Strakosha
Defenders
-
4
Elseid Hysaj
-
18
Ardian Ismajli
-
6
Berat Djimsiti
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3
Stavro Pilo
Midfielders
-
20
Ylber Ramadani
-
8
Kristjan Asllani
-
14
Qazim Laci
-
10
Nedim Bajrami
-
21
Arber Hoxha
Forwards
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11
Myrto Uzuni
Prediction
Poland’s strong home record give them a clear edge heading into the first leg. Albania are likely to adopt a cautious approach, focusing on defensive organization and counter-attacks, which could keep the game relatively tight. It should be a tight contest with a low overall goal count, possibly ending with an under 2.5 total goals.
Prediction: Under 2.5 Goals Total.
Three reasons we expect Under 2.5 Goals Total
- Under 2.5 goals has landed in Albania’s last four WC qualifying matches.
- Three of Poland’s last four WC qualifying home matches have seen under 2.5 goals total.
- The last three direct meetings between Poland and Albania have seen a total of under 2.5 goals.
Main prediction Poland - Albania
Under 2.5 goals
Best Odds: