Slovakia vs Northern Ireland Prediction 15 November 2025

📢 What can we expect from the clash between Slovakia and Northern Ireland in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers at the Košice Football Arena? This is one of the most crucial matches for both teams, as they each still have a shot at reaching the final tournament. They are well aware that any slip-up could be costly. For the hosts, it's a chance to boost their prospects of direct qualification for the World Cup, while for the visitors, it's an opportunity to catch up with their rivals and reignite the group's intrigue. Any mistake could prove expensive.

Head-to-Head

📊 Slovakia and Northern Ireland have faced each other only four times in official matches, with Slovakia coming out on top in three of those encounters. The exception was in the current qualifying campaign, when on October 10th, Northern Ireland defeated Slovakia 2-0 on home soil. In that match, the team looked strong and composed, fully earning their three points.

Slovakia Team Overview

🔵 Slovakia have only made it to the World Cup once in their history, back in 2010. Now, with the expansion to 48 teams, the "Slovak Falcons" have a golden opportunity to return to the world's biggest stage. They're off to a solid start: 9 points out of a possible 12, sitting second in Group A. Only Germany are ahead, thanks to a better goal difference. However, Slovakia need to deliver top performances in the remaining two fixtures; otherwise, they risk missing out on even the playoff spot.

⚪ In their latest outing, Slovakia convincingly defeated Luxembourg 2-0 at home. The first half was uneventful, but after the break, the hosts stepped up, scored twice, and comfortably secured the win. This result was crucial for their morale—they regained confidence after a 2-0 away loss to Northern Ireland and now aim to get revenge on home turf.

Northern Ireland Team Overview

🟢 In recent years, Northern Ireland have rarely been seen as serious contenders: they lack European-level stars, and their results remain inconsistent. Throughout their history, the team have only qualified for the European Championship once (in 2016) and last reached the World Cup way back in 1958. However, the current qualification campaign is going relatively well: six points from four matches and third place in the group. They trail Germany and Slovakia by just three points, and with successful performances in the remaining two rounds, the "Green and White Army" could realistically aim for a spot in the playoff matches.

⚪ On the pitch, the team also leave a positive impression. In the last round, Northern Ireland put up a strong fight against Germany at home (0-1). The hosts actually registered more shots than their opponents (12 to 11) and managed to score first, though the goal was disallowed for offside. With a bit of luck, the scoreline could have been different.

Latest news

Slovakia

📣 Slovakia's head coach Francesco Calzona acknowledged that the team once again approaches the match against Northern Ireland without their optimal lineup: "Since September 2024, we've been dealing with the absence of key players at every camp. However, those who take the field always give their all. I trust the players called up and will field those in the best form right now."

📌 Francesco Calzona addressed questions about individual players' conditions: "Playing after a month's break is tough, but we expect Lobotka to be able to help us... Vavro has been and remains an important player for us. Even if he's not at 100 percent, his physical strength will be useful for at least part of the demanding match." Calzona added that Lukáš Haraslín and Ivan Schranz are not in ideal form, which is why Adrián Kaprálik has been included in the squad.

🚫 Ondrej Duda will definitely miss the upcoming match due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Northern Ireland

📣 Northern Ireland head coach Michael O'Neill emphasized the team's mindset heading into the final qualifying matches: "There's genuine belief throughout the squad, from players to staff. Despite the injuries we've faced during the qualifying campaign, we're confident we can pick up points both in Slovakia and at home against Luxembourg." Speaking about the cycle's conclusion, O'Neill highlighted: "We fully understand the task ahead... Finishing the qualifying campaign in front of our fans will be particularly important and symbolic."

🚫 No surprises for Northern Ireland's squad: the lineup is nearly identical to the one announced for the October matches, though there are minor setbacks. Midfielders Shea Charles and Ali McCann are sidelined with injuries.

⚽️ Goals Prediction

⚽️ Goals Prediction

Slovakia's national team has approached this qualifying cycle with extreme caution, resulting in low-scoring affairs across all four of their matches so far, each featuring no more than two goals. The team prioritizes solid defense and a patient game plan, avoiding unnecessary risks. In the upcoming clash with Northern Ireland, the stakes are incredibly high—any outcome could significantly alter the standings and both teams' chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. This implies that both sides will proceed carefully, minimizing risks and errors. Given this context, expecting a tight encounter makes sense, making a bet on under 2.5 goals a justified choice.

🚩 Corner Prediction

If we anticipate a cautious match with limited scoring opportunities, it's reasonable to predict a low number of corners as well. Notably, the trend shows that under 10.5 corners has occurred in 8 of Northern Ireland's last 9 games. This will be our bet.