2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Back Tuchel’s first big England win
The first international break of the 2025/26 season is here.
Some love it, some could do without it but, whenever it comes into town, all eyes turn to the national teams across the United Kingdom.
There are lots of questions for England manager Thomas Tuchel to answer. The German has hardly had it easy since taking the helm and a meagre 1-0 win over Andorra followed by a poor 3-1 defeat at home to Senegal has some sections of the England fan base starting to reminisce about waistcoats and Atomic Kitten.
In Scotland, the Tartan Army are fantasising about walking out in a World Cup for the first time since 1998. There have been rumblings around Steve Clarke’s future – but is he set for one last dance? His nation is fond of a boogie, after all.
Meanwhile Craig Bellamy continues to confound the doubters with Wales but his team must win to keep his team on track for automatic qualification for the World Cup next year and Northern Ireland are also in action and need a good start to come out of a tough group.
Below, we provide our three top tips ahead of the set of fixtures.
Tip 1 – Both teams to score no, England to score over 4.5 goals & Declan Rice 1+ shot on target in England vs Andorra @ 29/10
Let’s face it, England were not at the races when they edged to a 1-0 win over Andorra in the reverse fixture.
They were jeered off at the break after failing to find the net in the first half against a team ranked 173rd in the world back in June.
However at Wembley, against a limited team with an England side full of talent aiming to stamp their authority on the senior squad, it’s difficult to see any result other than a comprehensive Three Lions victory.
Declan Rice should be in the game – and he takes free-kicks and likes to chance his arm.
Indeed, during the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League campaign, he had three shots on target. Only three others – Harry Kane (nine), Anthony Gordon (four) and Jarrod Bowen (three) – have managed more.
Tip 2 – Wales to score 2+ goals vs Kazakhstan @ 17/4
The Red Dragons are the highest scoring team in their group, with 10 goals in four games returning an average of 2.5 goals per game.
They have scored six goals in their previous two matches, including three in a heartbreaking and dramatic defeat to Belgium back in June.
We like the optimism surrounding Wales at the moment and, although the odds are slightly against them in the race for automatic promotion for the Word Cup, they have a lot of exciting players in Harry Wilson, Brennan Johnson and David Brooks.
It looks like a decent price for Bellamy’s boys to net two goals against Kazakhstan.
Tip 3 – Scotland to beat Denmark @ 5/1
England should win their match comfortably and Wales are strong favourites to come out on top too.
However don't sleep on Scotland, who are tantalising 5/1 outsiders to triumph over a very talented Denmark side.
They can rely on the form of Ballon d’Or nominee Scott McTominay or the precocious talents of Ben Doak in what is the toughest fixture, on paper, in their quest for automatic qualification
Yet Clarke’s men are chasing a fourth away win in a row after reverses against Poland, Greece and Liechtenstein while they took a stellar seven points from 12 on their Euro 2024 qualification travels too.
Adding to the appeal is the fact Scotland’s list of defeats on foreign soil in between times is a veritable who’s who of Europe’s elite: Spain, France, Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and Croatia.
The Scots typically fare well against Denmark with an 11-7 head-to-head advantage historically – it may take an off night for Brian Riemer’s men and a red-hot one for Clarke’s, but three points here to add to that record is not outside the thinking.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change
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