Match Overview and Setting

The highly anticipated 6th-round fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, featuring the national teams of Israel and Italy, is scheduled for September 8th. This significant match will take place at the Nagyerdei Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary. This comprehensive preview delves into the teams’ current form, key statistics, and offers an informed prediction for the upcoming Israel – Italy encounter.

Israel’s Performance and Key Statistics

Ran Ben-Shimon’s squad delivered an emphatic performance in their last outing, securing a dominant 4-0 away victory against Moldova. This impressive result marks their third win in the ongoing qualification campaign, alongside only one defeat. Notably, the Israeli national team has managed to find the net in every match during this period, even in their sole loss. Furthermore, Israel’s remarkable goal-scoring streak in World Cup qualifiers now spans an impressive eight consecutive games. They currently hold the second spot in Group I standings, although their six goals conceded position them third in terms of defensive vulnerability within the five-team group.

• Both teams have found the net in 7 of Israel’s last 8 World Cup qualifying matches.
• At home, the national team has remained undefeated in 5 of their last 6 World Cup qualifiers, boasting 4 wins and 1 draw.
• A minimum of three goals has been scored in Israel’s last 5 home matches in this tournament.

Israel’s Projected Starting Lineup

Daniel Peretz – Stav Lemkin, Roy Revivo, Idan Nachmias, Eli Dasa – Dor Peretz, Oscar Gloukh, Eliel Peretz, Dan Biton – Tai Baribo, Manor Solomon.

Italy’s Recent Form and Tactical Outlook

In Gennaro Gattuso’s inaugural match as head coach, his team achieved a resounding 5-0 victory over Estonia. This win followed a four-game winless streak in World Cup qualifiers, which included two draws and two losses. Italy has now secured two consecutive victories without conceding a single goal, showcasing a significant improvement in their defensive solidity. In fact, the Azzurri have kept a clean sheet in 9 of their last 13 World Cup qualifying matches. Currently, Italy occupies the third position in Group I with 6 points.

• Italy has avoided defeat in 11 of their last 13 World Cup qualifying matches, recording 6 wins and 5 draws.
• The team has kept a clean sheet in 5 of their last 7 away matches in World Cup qualifiers.
• The national team has failed to score more than one goal in 6 of their last 8 away matches in this tournament.

Italy’s Projected Starting Lineup

Gianluigi Donnarumma – Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Federico Dimarco – Nicolo Barella, Matteo Politano, Sandro Tonali, Mattia Zaccagni – Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui.

Team News Update

Forward Gianluca Scamacca is currently sidelined due to injury.

Match Prediction: Israel vs Italy

Italy has recently secured two clean-sheet victories, but these wins came against the weaker teams in Group I. Facing Israel, Gennaro Gattuso’s squad is expected to encounter a more significant challenge, unless the new coach has managed to rapidly transform Italy’s away game strategy. In their last 6 away matches in World Cup qualifiers, Italy has managed only two victories (2 draws, 2 defeats), both ending with a 2-0 scoreline. It’s worth noting that in both these matches, their second goal came within the final 10 minutes of play.

The Israeli team’s only defeat in this qualifying campaign was against Norway, a Scandinavian side that started the tournament with considerable strength. This loss broke Israel’s impressive five-match unbeaten home run in World Cup qualifiers, which included four wins and one draw. A key aspect to highlight is the scoring prowess of Ran Ben-Shimon’s charges: they rank second in goals scored, trailing only Norway. Furthermore, Israel has consistently scored at least twice in their last seven World Cup qualifying fixtures. This vibrant attacking display should prove beneficial for the hosts as they face a defensively disciplined Italian side.

In Autumn 2024, Israel hosted Italy in a Nations League fixture, losing 1-2. Considering their strong home form and offensive capabilities, Ran Ben-Shimon’s players are likely to maintain a positive handicap margin in this upcoming match. My prediction: “Israel with a handicap (+1.5)” at odds of 1.72

* The starting lineup listed for each team represents their formation in their previous match in this tournament.