Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the 2026 World Cup Qualification match.
The rugged northerners from Finland arrive in the warm Mediterranean setting of Valletta with a clear objective: to win.
Malta
While traditionally an underdog, Malta are not entirely harmless. The last time these two sides met on Maltese soil back in 2010, Finland only scraped a 2:1 victory thanks to a goal in the 70th minute. The return fixture was far more comfortable for the Finns, who cruised to a 5:0 win at home. Malta showed signs of progress last year by finishing second in their UEFA Nations League D group, earning a chance to compete for promotion to League C via a playoff against Luxembourg.
Finland
Finland had a tough Nations League campaign in League B, losing all six matches, but it’s important to note that their opponents—England, Greece, and Ireland—were far superior to Malta. During World Cup 2022 qualifying, Finland nearly secured a playoff spot, only missing out by a single point to Ukraine. They know that a win against Malta is essential if they want to challenge Poland for a place in the next round.
Malta vs Finland Prediction
No matter how many goals Finland score, they should comfortably beat Malta—the gap in quality is simply too vast. A failure to win here would be a major setback to their qualification hopes.
