Slovakia vs Northern Ireland prediction 14.11.2025 | World Cup 2026 qualifiers

Slovakia comes into Friday's crucial World Cup 2026 qualifier still sitting second in Group A after a vital 2:0 win against Luxembourg in their most recent outing last month. After slipping to a 2:0 setback in Northern Ireland, the Slovaks maintained their qualification hopes with all three points in Bratislava. 

Four games into the six-game campaign, Francesco Calzona's men retain a three-point advantage ahead of the Irish, with a final trip to Germany still to come. Northern Ireland finish their campaign with a home game against Luxembourg. 

Goals are likely to be in short supply in a potentially tight World Cup qualifier. Only three of Slovakia's last 18 games finished with more than three goals scored. More recently, just one of their last nine games saw over 2.5 goals. 

Head coach Calzona has a 27-man squad available this weekend. David Strelec is set to lead the Slovakian attack at Košická futbalová aréna.

Northern Ireland makes the trip to Bratislava after a hard-fought and somewhat unfortunate 1:0 defeat against Germany last month. Nick Woltemade's first-half goal proved the difference in Belfast. 

Michael O'Neill's men had claimed a superb 2:0 win against Slovakia three days before their narrow reversal against the Germans.

Still in contention to qualify, the Irish sit three points behind Slovakia, but with a final home game against Luxembourg to come, O'Neill's men could be content to avoid defeat and take their chances in next week's final round of fixtures. 

The Northern Irish boss named a 27-man squad for Northern Ireland's final round of World Cup qualifiers against Slovakia and Luxembourg. Conor Bradley will return to the side after missing last month's defeat against Germany.