As we head into Match day two of the UEFA World Cup qualifiers on Monday and Tuesday, here are our betting suggestions for three upcoming fixtures.
Here are the latest outright markets for the World Cup, set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year. Early prices worth considering include France, Spain and Brazil all favourites at 6/1, with England following at 7/1. Defending champions Argentina, alongside Germany, are both available at 10/1. However, plenty of value can be found elsewhere, with the majority of the field priced at 16/1 or higher.
Click here for the latest World Cup Outright Odds
MONDAY 24 MARCH
ENGLAND v LATVIA – Click here to bet
England made a winning start to their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory over Albania at Wembley, marking Thomas Tuchel’s first competitive match in charge. It was a historic night for 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly, who became the youngest player to score on his England debut. The Three Lions now turn their attention to Latvia, who also opened with a win, setting up this first-ever meeting between the two nations. The gulf between them is enormous, with England ranked 4th in the world, while Latvia sit in 140th place.
Unbeaten in their last 32 World Cup qualifiers (W24, D8), the Three Lions hold the longest ongoing streak of any European nation and are strong favourites to extend that dominance. Notably, 12 of their last 15 home World Cup Qualifying victories have come with a clean sheet, and Tuchel will be eager to continue the tradition of recent England managers who began their tenure with consecutive shutout wins.
Latvia edged past Andorra 1-0 in their opener but are under no illusions about the scale of this challenge. They have never beaten a team currently ranked inside FIFA’s top ten and will need a monumental performance to upset the odds. That said, they have won their last two World Cup Qualifying matches and are unbeaten in their last five away games in this competition (W2, D3), their longest such streak as an independent nation. However, securing another positive result here would be their greatest achievement to date.
Group K – (England, Latvia, Albania, Serbia, Andorra)
Head-to-Head
This will be the first-ever meeting between England and Latvia.
Betting
England 1/33
Draw 17/1
Latvia 80/1
Verdict
England’s formidable record in qualifiers and the sheer gap in quality between these sides make a convincing home victory the most likely outcome. With Tuchel’s side looking solid at the back, another clean-sheet win seems probable.
Suggested Bet: Multiscores – England to win 4-0, 5-0 or 6-0 at 12/10
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POLAND v MALTA – Click here to bet
Poland began their World Cup Qualifying campaign on a positive note with a 1-0 victory over Lithuania Friday evening. Ranked 35th in the world, they now host Malta, providing an opportunity to secure back-to-back competitive wins for the first time in a year. Poland’s strong home form in World Cup Qualifying matches (W3, D0, L1 in their last 4) makes them heavy favourites to continue their push toward a third consecutive World Cup finals appearance.
Malta, ranked 168th, enter Monday’s match on a seven-game winless World Cup Qualifying streak (D1, L6) after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Finland. Their attacking struggles have been evident, failing to score in their last 12 qualifiers, with their most recent goal coming via an own goal. Historically, Malta have struggled on the road in WCQ, winning just twice in 56 away matches, with their last such victory dating back to 2013.
Group G – (Poland, Lithuania, Finland, Malta)
Head-to-Head
Poland have won all three previous meetings with Malta, each without conceding a goal.
Betting
Poland 2/9
Draw 11/2
Malta 12/1
Verdict
Poland’s superior squad depth, strong home record, and Malta’s historical struggles on the road suggest a comfortable victory for the hosts. Expect them to dominate proceedings from the start.
Suggested Bet: Poland to win to nil – Yes at 5/6
TUESDAY 25 MARCH
ISRAEL v NORWAY – Click here to bet
Israel and Norway face off in a crucial World Cup Qualifier on Tuesday, at Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen in Hungary. Both teams made winning starts to their campaigns and will be looking to build momentum in Group I.
Ranked 76th in the world, Israel sit 2nd in Group I trailing only on goal difference after their 2-1 victory over Estonia on Match day 1. Ran Ben Shimon’s side are unbeaten in their last three matches, having secured draws against Belgium and France before their opening win. However, inconsistency remains a concern, with just three wins in their last ten outings (W3, D1, L6).
Ranked 43rd in the world, Norway sit atop Group I after a commanding 5-0 victory over Moldova in their opener. The Lions have hit top form, winning their last three matches while netting 19 goals and conceding just once. Their latest away outing saw them cruise to a 4-1 win against Slovenia, further highlighting their attacking prowess. Ståle Solbakken’s men will look to extend their impressive run here.
Group I – (Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova)
Head-to-Head
Norway have won the only previous encounter between these two sides (1-0).
Betting
Norway 9/2
Draw 3/1
Israel 13/20
Verdict
Norway’s excellent form and attacking output make them strong favourites here, but Israel’s recent resilience—especially against top-ranked sides—suggests they won’t go down without a fight.
Suggested Bet: Both Teams to Score – Yes at 8/10
Click here for betting on all of this week’s international matches
Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
