Matchday Three of the UEFA World Cup qualifiers continues this Saturday, and I’ve highlighted two fixtures that could present value from a betting perspective— Andorra v England and Finland v Netherlands.
Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, the outright market remains tight at the top. France, Spain, and Brazil are currently joint-favourites at 6/1, with England close behind at 7/1. Defending champions Argentina are priced at 8/1, while Germany round out the main contenders at 10/1. For those eyeing an outsider, there’s no shortage of longer shots — with most other nations starting at odds of 14/1 or higher.
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ANDORRA v ENGLAND – Click here to bet
Andorra face the daunting task of taking on England this Saturday at the RCDE Stadium in Spain, with the match being played at a neutral venue rather than in Andorra la Vella. Still without a point or a goal in Group K, the hosts have suffered back-to-back defeats to Latvia (0-1) and Albania (0-2) to sit bottom of the table.
Scoring goals has long been a challenge for the Tricolours, who have found the net just twice in their last 11 internationals. In fact, San Marino remain the only side Andorra have managed to beat in their past 25 matches — a stark reminder of the gulf in quality they face at this level.
The sight of England on the opposite side won’t bring much comfort either. These two sides met in the last World Cup qualifying campaign, with England winning both matches by a combined score of 9-0 — including a 5-0 thumping in this exact fixture, which remains one of Andorra’s heaviest-ever home defeats in qualifying.
England arrive in cruise control after opening their campaign with back-to-back wins over Albania (2-0) and Latvia (3-0) at Wembley. That perfect start leaves them top of the group with maximum points and a comfortable buffer. Still in the early stages of their new era under Thomas Tuchel, the Three Lions look well-organised and fully in control — they’re now unbeaten in their last 33 World Cup qualifiers, a run that stretches back over a decade. Based on early signs, that dominance in qualification looks set to continue.
With a favourable fixture following a long domestic season, the England boss may opt to rotate his squad — much like Gareth Southgate did during their last visit to Andorra. That game saw the likes of Tammy Abraham and Ben Chilwell on the scoresheet, and this time, Ivan Toney could be one to watch after netting 23 goals for Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia.
Head-to-Head
England have won all six previous meetings with Andorra, scoring 25 goals in total. Andorra have yet to score against England.
Betting
Andorra 90/1
Draw 18/1
England 1/40
Verdict
England are expected to cruise to another commanding victory, with Andorra offering little threat going forward. The gulf in quality remains considerable, and with the match taking place on neutral ground, the Three Lions may find it even easier to assert their dominance. I’m backing another heavy defeat for the Tricolours.
Suggested Bet: Handicap – England -3.5 at 17/20
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FINLAND v NETHERLANDS – Click here to bet
Finland host the Netherlands in Helsinki on Saturday evening in what promises to be their sternest test of the World Cup qualifying campaign so far. Jacob Friis’ side sit second in the group with four points from two matches — a narrow 1-0 win over ten-man Malta followed by a 2-2 draw away to Lithuania.
Encouraged by a positive start, Finland will hope to make the most of their first home qualifier, but question marks remain around their defensive resilience. They’ve conceded in eleven of their last thirteen internationals — including each of their last four on home soil — and will need a near-flawless display to keep the Dutch at bay.
The Netherlands arrive in the Finnish capital looking to bounce back from a dramatic Nations League quarter-final exit to Spain in March. While that penalty shootout defeat won’t affect their qualification campaign, it did extend a rather inconsistent run of form by their standards in the UEFA Nations League tournament.
In World Cup qualifying, however, Ronald Koeman’s men have proven reliable. During the previous campaign, the Dutch lost just once in their group and went unbeaten in their final seven qualifiers, recording five wins and two draws. While this marks the beginning of a new World Cup qualifying cycle for Die Oranje, they’ll be determined to carry that momentum into this one. With attacking talent such as Memphis Depay and Cody Gakpo at his disposal, Koeman’s side will aim to control possession and dictate the tempo from the outset, in a bid to secure their first set of points in Group G this weekend.
Head-to-Head
The Netherlands have won the last four meetings between the sides, including a 2-0 victory in their most recent encounter in Helsinki back in 2011.
Betting
Finland 9/1
Draw 9/2
Netherlands 1/3
Verdict
Finland have made encouraging strides under Friis, but the Netherlands arrive with greater depth, experience, and pedigree. Given their strong track record in qualifiers and the quality throughout their squad, the visitors should take control of proceedings and it’s hard to see the hosts causing many problems for the Dutch defence. For that reason, I quite like the look of the Netherlands to win to nil.
Suggested Bet: Netherlands to win to Nil – Yes at 1/1
Click here for betting on all of this weekend’s international matches
Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
