Sports Mole previews Thursday’s World Cup Qualifying – Europe clash between Andorra and Albania, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
In control of their World Cup 2026 playoff destiny, Albania hit the road to face an already-eliminated Andorra in their penultimate Group K qualification game on Thursday.
The Red and Blacks are currently on course for a second-placed finish, while their hosts in Encamp are guaranteed to finish at the bottom of the pile.
Match preview
Avoiding a host of humiliating defeats would have been goal number one for Andorra during the preliminary rounds of 2026 World Cup, which Koldo Alvarez’s side could have had no realistic aspirations of making the finals for, but there are some foundations for the Tricolours to build on.
Andorra memorably gave England a rough ride in their two qualification games and have not lost by more than three goals in any of their seven contests, but the Principality side are unsurprisingly rooted to the foot of the section with just one point to their name.
That sole positive result came in a creditable 2-2 draw with second-from-bottom Latvia, before Alvarez’s men took a shock lead against Serbia in their penultimate Qualifying match before falling to a 3-1 loss to the Eagles.
However, after failing to score in any of their first six games of 2025, Andorra’s three strikes from their last two matches offer reason for encouragement ahead of the visit of Albania, even if nothing tangible is at stake.
Once another doomed qualification campaign is over, the hosts will close out 2025 with a friendly battle against Finland, before kicking off another quest for promotion from the doldrums of Nations League D.
While Andorra might only have pride on the line at Estadi de la FAF, Albania have the only incentive they need to pursue all three points away to the group’s whipping boys, as World Cup qualification remains within their reach.
Thursday’s visitors cannot mathematically catch England at the summit of the section, but they are one point better off than third-placed Serbia in the playoff place and will fall into that safety net if they win their final two games against Andorra and the Three Lions.
As Serbia are expected to fall to defeat against Thomas Tuchel’s side, though, Albania may only need to triumph on Thursday to seal a precious second-placed finish and a spot against an as-yet unknown opponents in March’s playoffs.
Sylvinho‘s side have hit their stride at just the right time too, winning four consecutive games in all tournaments courtesy of Group K successes over Latvia and Serbia – both by a goal to nil – and friendly victories against Jordan and Gibraltar.
Albania were also convincing 3-0 winners over Andorra during March’s qualification battle, extending their triumphant run against the hosts to three games and their unbeaten streak to six since a shock 2-0 friendly loss back in 2002.
Andorra World Cup Qualifying – Europe form:
Andorra form (all competitions):
Albania World Cup Qualifying – Europe form:
Albania form (all competitions):
Team News
Andorra defender Joel Guillen would be eligible to return from suspension for Thursday’s game, having been dismissed in the draw with Latvia on October 11 for two bookable offences, but the 24-year-old has been left out of Alvarez’s squad this time around.
Eric Vales and Christian Garcia are technically serving yellow-card bans on Thursday too, but understandably, neither man has been called up either.
There is also no room in the hosts’ squad for veteran midfielder Marc Vales, who sits fifth in the Andorran all-time appearance charts with 103 caps, so 95-cap defender Moises San Nicolas is the most experienced player in Alvarez’s ranks.
As for the Albanians, head coach Sylvinho is blessed with all of his big-hitters for Thursday’s game, where the most notable absentee will be Mallorca defender Marash Kumbulla.
Armando Broja remains a national team stalwart, but the ex-Chelsea and now-Burnley forward has played just 216 minutes of football all season, so vice-captain Rey Manaj should be preferred as the focal point of the attack.
Experienced right-back Elseid Hysaj became Albania’s most capped men’s player of all time last month, and the 31-year-old should make his 95th appearance for his nation from the off this week.
Andorra possible starting lineup:
Gomes; Borra, Olivera, Llovera, Garcia, San Nicolas; Rosas, Babot, Rebes, Cervos; Lopez
Albania possible starting lineup:
Strakosha; Hysaj, Ajeti, Djimsiti, Mitaj; Asllani, Ramadani, Laci; Bajrami, Manaj, Uzuni
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Elsewhere in the European World Cup qualifiers, England play host to Serbia looking to maintaint their perfect qualifying record to date. After a 5-0 win away in Belgrade last time out, you’d fancy the Three Lions to bag at least one goal tonight.
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We say: Andorra 0-2 Albania
Andorra may have developed an unexpected sense of attacking freedom in recent fixtures, but the hosts’ recent feats ought to count for nothing against a well-drilled Albania backline.
Sylvinho’s men also have our backing to make their chances count at the other end, as they march to the win that could very well seal their playoff place.
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