Match Overview: Serbia vs England

The 6th round match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying tournament between the national teams of Serbia and England is set to take place on September 9 at the Rajko Mitić Stadium in Belgrade. This detailed preview offers an in-depth analysis and a well-researched betting prediction, considering current form, statistics, and team dynamics.

Serbia’s Current Form

Dragan Stojković’s squad has maintained an impressive unbeaten run so far in the qualifiers. After three played matches, the Serbian national team has accumulated 7 points, placing them 5 points behind England. However, it’s worth noting that the group leader has played one more fixture. Serbia began their campaign with a goalless draw against Albania (0:0), followed by convincing victories over Andorra (3:0) and Latvia (1:0). Furthermore, the Serbians boast an outstanding record in World Cup qualification, remaining undefeated for 12 consecutive matches, securing 9 wins and 3 draws.

Serbia’s Key Statistical Insights

• The national team has demonstrated solid defense, conceding no more than one goal in their last 9 World Cup qualifying encounters.
• Serbia has proven to be formidable at home, winning 6 of their last 7 home games in this tournament.
• Their attacking prowess at home is evident, with Serbia scoring at least two goals in 5 of their last home matches in World Cup qualification.

Serbia’s Predicted Starting Lineup (3-5-2)*

Djordje Petrović – Strahinja Pavlović, Miloš Veljković, Nikola Milenković – Filip Kostić, Ivan Ilić, Saša Lukić, Aleksandar Katai, Andrija Živković – Luka Jović, Dušan Vlahović.

England’s Dominant Performance

Under the tactical guidance of Thomas Tuchel, England currently sits comfortably at the top of Group K, having secured a perfect 12 points from their 4 matches. Remarkably, similar to Serbia, the English national team has yet to concede a single goal. Their qualifying journey started with victories over Albania (2:0) and Latvia (3:0). They then went on to record two disciplined wins against Andorra (1:0 and 2:0). This extends England’s impressive winning streak in World Cup qualification to 6 consecutive matches.

England’s Key Statistical Insights

• England possesses an incredible unbeaten record in World Cup qualifying, stretching across 34 matches (26 wins and 8 draws).
• The national team has maintained a clean sheet in their last 6 fixtures in this tournament, highlighting their defensive strength.
• When playing away, the English have been highly successful, winning 7 of their last 8 road games in World Cup qualification.

Match Official: Clément Turpin

Clément Turpin (France) will be officiating this crucial match.

Matches officiated (International matches, 2024/25–2025/26) – 18;

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 56;

Average yellow cards per match – 3.1;

Red cards shown – 1;

Average fouls per match – 22;

Penalties awarded – 56%.

Expert Prediction for Serbia vs England

In Group K, the battle for the top spot is, as anticipated, between Serbia and England. Both national teams have demonstrated defensive resilience, conceding no goals thus far, while also maintaining a relatively conservative scoring record. Even with the presence of weaker opponents like Latvia and Andorra in their group, both teams exhibit a modest average goal output: England scores an average of 2 goals per match, while Serbia averages 1.3.

Given these trends, it is highly probable that both teams will adopt a highly cautious and defensively oriented approach in this direct confrontation. It’s also worth recalling that these two rivals last met a year ago at the European Championship, where England secured a narrow 1:0 victory. Furthermore, a notable statistic is that in 10 of Serbia’s last 12 official matches, a maximum of 2 goals were scored in total.

Betting Recommendation

My prediction for this match is “Total Goals Under 2.5”, with current odds of 1.73

Author: Олександр Олексенко

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