Bulgaria vs Georgia Prediction 19 November 2025

🔊 How will the underdogs of Group E, Bulgaria and Georgia, conclude their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign? Both teams have already missed out on a playoff spot, collectively earning just three points throughout the group stage. It's no surprise that their only points came from their head-to-head clash. In Tbilisi, the hosts emerged victorious. The upcoming match will take place in Sofia at the Vasil Levski Stadium. Can Bulgaria redeem themselves after their away defeat? We'll provide an insightful prediction in our analysis.

Head-to-Head

📊 Not too long ago, these teams faced off in a major European tournament during the group stage of Division C in the Nations League. Now, they find themselves in the same group once more, but this time in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. This will mark their fourth encounter. Georgia have claimed two victories, while Bulgaria managed to hold off the Crusaders on the road and secured a draw. The overall score in their head-to-head stands at 8-2.

Bulgaria Team Overview

For Bulgaria, considered underdogs in Group E even before the World Cup qualifiers began, the campaign has turned out worse than anticipated. Throughout the qualification process, they not only failed to secure a single point but also lost their head coach. It all started with a disappointing finish in the Nations League, where the "Lions" ended up in 2nd place. However, they failed to qualify for Division B after the playoff round. Their last victory came in that same tournament against Luxembourg (1-0), which happened just over a year ago on November 15.

In September, following initial defeats to Spain (0-3) and Georgia (0-3), Ilian Iliev was dismissed. The October qualification cycle saw Bulgaria under the guidance of Aleksandar Dimitrov. However, the situation only worsened. The "Lions" lost their next three matches with a combined score of 1-12. They were somewhat fortunate in their last away game against Turkey, where despite 67% possession and 19 shots from the hosts, they conceded only twice (2-0).

Georgia Team Overview

The "Crusaders" have failed to qualify for their second major tournament in a row. Heading into the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, they were newly promoted to Division B of the Nations League and had reached the Round of 16 at the 2022 European Championship. In the current qualification campaign, Willy Sagnol's squad has only managed to secure three points, thanks to a home victory over Bulgaria in September (3-0). However, in their next three matches, Georgia suffered defeats with an aggregate score of 1-10.

Georgia's most recent match took place in Tbilisi against Spain. It's not that the hosts gave their opponents numerous opportunities. The shot statistics were respectable, considering the difference in class between the teams (6-14). However, a penalty in the 11th minute set the tone, and two more goals found their way past Giorgi Mamardashvili in the first half. In the remaining time, "La Roja" sealed the final score at 4-0.

Latest news

Bulgaria

🎙 The head coach of the Bulgarian national team shared his thoughts on the defeat against Turkey. “We knew how Turkey play and prepared accordingly. At the start of the match, our plan worked well, as we had chances to score. However, the Turks then played to their strengths. As we lost possession in midfield, they gradually took control. When the opponent has good ball possession, you have to work hard to win it back. And once you regain the ball, it's crucial to push forward or find a teammate. This is where we faced challenges,” said Aleksandar Dimitrov.

❌ It's tough for Bulgaria to perform at their best with a depleted squad. Due to injuries, Anton Nedyalkov (Ludogorets, Bulgaria), Emil Tsenov (Orenburg, Russia), Petko Hristov (Spezia, Italy), Stanislav Ivanov (Ludogorets, Bulgaria), and Fabian Nürnberger (Darmstadt, Germany) will miss the November qualification cycle.

Georgia

🎙 The rhetoric from Georgia's head coach hasn't shifted much since their initial loss to Spain. Here's how Willy Sagnol reflected on the latest clash against "La Roja" in Tbilisi: "It was a disaster. None of us anticipated this. Spain played almost perfectly in the first 40 minutes, and we couldn't stop them. They played with fantastic efficiency and precision. I have no words to explain it. We are very disappointed, but we have another game in three days, and we must move on as quickly as possible. It's not easy because we've lost our chances of reaching the playoffs. The defeat has left us all devastated—both the players and me as their coach."

❌ Georgia entered the match against Spain with their best lineup. However, in the second half of the encounter, they lost two players. Defender Saba Goglichidze (Udinese, Italy) and midfielder Anzor Mekvabishvili (Universitatea Craiova, Romania) were unable to finish the match.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The main referee for the match is Jakob Kehlet from Denmark. In his last 20 matches in the Danish Superliga, he averages 3.4 yellow cards per game. As the current qualification progresses and the tournament prospects fade, both teams are engaging less in aggressive play. In their last three matches, Bulgaria have received three yellow cards, while Georgia have been even more disciplined with just one. We anticipate that this trend will continue and the total number of yellow cards will not exceed 3.5.

⚽️ Goals Prediction

Bulgaria are struggling with finishing in this qualification campaign: they have failed to score in 4 out of 5 matches. However, on home turf, the "Lions" manage to find the net consistently, albeit not prolifically. They have scored at least once in 8 of their last 9 home games. Ahead of the November qualification cycle, Georgia could rely on a solid defense. However, with two key players from midfield and defense sidelined after their clash with Spain, their chances of keeping a clean sheet are significantly reduced. Our prediction: Bulgaria will score.

🚩 Corners Prediction

Georgia's attacking 4-3-3 formation allows them to utilize their rapid flanks effectively. The team's star player, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, can not only drive the ball towards the goal through individual skill but also earn set pieces even in tough situations. Bulgaria have conceded an average of 7.4 corners per game over five qualification matches. We believe that in Sofia, Georgia's total corners will exceed 5.5.

The upcoming clash in Sofia offers both teams a chance to end their qualification campaign with a statement. While Georgia showed glimpses of competitive football early in the qualifiers, Bulgaria have consistently struggled, compounded by the loss of four players ahead of the November international break, three of whom are regular starters. The head-to-head history also favors the Georgians, who remain unbeaten against the Bulgarians. A victory for Georgia seems the most reasonable outcome here, though the Bulgarians could find the net at home. The predicted scoreline is a 2-1 win for the visitors.