England vs. Albania World Cup Qualifiers – Injury News, Injury Update, Predicted Line-ups

With a talented squad under new manager Thomas Tuchel, the Three Lions are firm favourites to continue their dominance over Albania.

The Three Lions are set to kick off their journey towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a clash against Albania at Wembley Stadium on Friday evening. Under the new leadership of head coach Thomas Tuchel, the England team will aim to secure the three points as they embark on their qualification journey. England head into this match with a historical edge, having won all six previous meetings against Albania.

Albania, on the other hand, have found goals hard to come by in this fixture, having scored just once across those six matches. Their most recent clash ended in a 5-0 defeat during World Cup 2022 qualifying, where Harry Kane bagged a first-half hat-trick, leading England to a dominant win at Wembley.

Coming into this fixture, England are riding high, having secured promotion back to League A in the UEFA Nations League. With a talented and youthful squad under new manager Thomas Tuchel, the Three Lions are firm favourites to continue their dominance over Albania.

Matchday 1️⃣ for Thomas Tuchel. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/AP2quFEff1
— England (@England) March 21, 2025

England Injury News

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has left Morgan Gibbs-White, Jarrell Quansah and Aaron Ramsdale out of his matchday squad for Friday’s World Cup qualifier. Nottingham Forest midfielder Gibbs-White was not included by Tuchel in his original squad but was called up when Chelsea’s Cole Palmer pulled out.

Also read: England Men’s Football Fixture: What Are the Upcoming Games for England National Football Team?

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane will captain the side, while Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice are expected to start in midfield. Meanwhile, Phil Foden, Morgan Rogers and Anthony Gordon are all in contention to play alongside Kane in attack.

England probable starting lineup:

Pickford; Walker, Guehi, Colwill, Lewis-Skelly; Henderson, Rice; Foden, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane

Albania Injury News

Having qualified for both Euro 2016 and Euro 2024, Albania now dream of securing their first-ever World Cup berth, a goal that would mark a historic milestone for the nation. The Albanian team will be led by captain Berat Djimsiti, the experienced Atalanta BC defender. Djimsiti is one of seven players in Sylvinho’s 26-man squad currently plying their trade in Italy.

Also Read: Nations League Quarterfinals Results, March 20 – Kylian Mbappe’s France Struggles, Cristiano Ronaldo-Led Portugal Stunned by Denmark

However, Albania will be without one of their most seasoned campaigners, as Lazio full-back Elseid Hysaj misses out due to injury. Joining him on the sidelines is Al-Ittihad defender Mario Mitaj, who recently underwent groin surgery and has been ruled out of the March internationals.

There is better news in attack for Albania as they welcome back their first-choice strikers Armando Broja and Rey Manaj. Their presence provides Albania manager Sylvinho with a much-needed boost.

Albania probable starting lineup:

Strakosha; Balliu, Ismajli, Djimsiti, Aliji; Asllani, Ramadani; Asani, Bajrami, Muci; Manaj

England vs. Albania World Cup Qualifying Final Betting Odds

Odds via BetMGM

Teams	Moneyline	Total Goals
England	Win: -625 Draw: +665	Over 2.5: -181 Under 2.5: +125
Albania	Win: +2000 Draw: +665	Over 3.5: +137 Under 3.5: -196

England

England vs Albania

Abhinav Goel

soccer

I am a soccer writer at The PlayOffs, covering everything from match analysis to transfer buzz and tactical deep dives. Ever since I was a kid, soccer has been more than just a sport to me—it’s been an obsession. Playing and watching the game from a young age fueled my passion, eventually leading me into the world of sports media and betting. Now, I get to analyze the sport I love and bring the latest updates to fans worldwide.