Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers match.
Both Albania and Serbia failed to progress beyond the group stage at last year’s UEFA European Championship—a disappointing outcome for both squads given their ambitions going into the tournament. With a place at the upcoming FIFA World Cup now at stake, both squads are left targeting second place in the group, with England widely expected to finish top.
Albania
Albania have already dropped points against England (0:2), as expected. Their only win so far came against group outsiders Andorra (3:0). Comparing recent UEFA Nations League performances, Serbia have shown a higher level. They competed in League A last year and managed to avoid finishing bottom of their group. In the spring play-offs, Serbia preserved their status with a 1:1 draw followed by a 2:0 win over Austria, who later participated in the UEFA Euro 2024 play-offs. In contrast, Albania were relegated from League B.
Serbia
This also explains why Serbia have yet to feature in the current qualification cycle. What are realistic expectations for Serbia? At the very least, a second-place finish is within reach—especially given Serbia’s strong qualifying performance for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where they topped their group ahead of Portugal, winning six and drawing two of their eight matches.
Albania vs Serbia Prediction
The last time these squads met was during the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers, when Serbia secured a 2:0 away win. While the result is important, the hope is also for the match to proceed without incident. Their infamous 2014 meeting in Belgrade ended in crowd trouble and a technical defeat for the hosts. Assuming a calmer atmosphere this time around, the visitors look the more reliable pick.
