2026 World Cup Qualifiers - The Curtain Falls on Matchday 8 Fixtures
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
Latvia vs. England
- Date and Time: 14 October 2025, 20:45
- Venue: Daugava Stadium, Riga, Latvia.
Latvia's poor run of form persisted last time out against Andorra on matchday seven in the FIFA World Cup European qualifiers. Despite their dominant performance in that match, they could only manage a point in a 2-2 draw at Daugava Stadium.
On paper, that might appear to be a positive result, but for the 11 Wolves, it's far from that, as it means they've gone six matches without a win across all competitions. Can they end this barren spell by upsetting a juggernaut in European football? Check out our detailed Latvia vs. England prediction.
England are on the brink of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The Three Lions are perched at the top of Group K in the FIFA World Cup European qualifiers with a four-point cushion and have a game in hand. A win here could see them qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Four nations have maintained a 100% record in the qualifiers, and Thomas Tuchel's men fall under this bracket after winning five consecutive matches in their group. Their last outing in this tournament was a 5-0 thrashing of Serbia on September 9th.
This marks the second meeting between these two sides. The previous meeting was in the FIFA World Cup European qualifiers, and England came out on top in a commanding 3-0 home victory.
Portugal vs. Hungary
- Date and Time: 14 October 2025, 20:45
- Venue: Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal.
In Saturday's qualifying match, Portugal got a bit of a fright against Ireland. Whoever said it was going to be a walk in the park misjudged the challenge ahead.
Selecao das Quinas met with a resilient opponent, and despite registering 13 attempts at goal in the first half, it all came to nothing. In the second half, the 75th minute to be precise, a big opportunity presented itself, and it required Cristiano Ronaldo to put his nation in front from the penalty spot. The 40-year-old effort was stopped.
Ruben Neves was the savior this time around as he headed home the winner in the dying embers of the game to gift his side a slender 1-0 home victory. This also earned him his first goal for the senior national team in 60 appearances. Thanks to that result, it means the hosts' perfect start in the qualifiers remains intact (W3), and they still lead at the top of Group F with a five-point cushion. Can the hosts make it four wins in a row in the qualifiers and further strengthen their position at the top in Group F? Find out what our experts have to say in our Portugal vs. Hungary prediction.
Hungary are out to exact revenge on a side that condemned them to a 3-2 home defeat in their last qualifying match. The Tricolours' recent match in the qualifiers was a 2-0 home victory against Armenia.
Spain vs. Bulgaria
- Date and Time: 14 October 2025, 20:45
- Venue: Estadio Jose Zorrilla, Valladolid, Spain.
Spain, a powerhouse in European football, maintained their perfect start to the FIFA World Cup European qualifiers. Luis de la Fuente's side currently sits at the top in Group E with 9 points after winning three consecutive matches.
La Roja's success in this tournament has been built on a solid defense (GA 0) and on the most prolific front line (GF 11). Well, this doesn't come as a surprise for a nation plagued with star-studded players.
In their recent qualifying match, the hosts had no trouble seeing off the threat of Georgia in a 2-0 home victory.
Bulgaria are the whipping boys in Group E after losing three consecutive matches. This leaves them anchored at the bottom of the table with no points to their name. Their downfall has been well-reported, and it has to do with their creativity in the final third and a leaky defense. They've scored one goal and conceded an eye-popping 12. Despite this, our experts believe they might be able to avoid a heavy defeat. Check out what they have to say in our Spain vs. Bulgaria prediction.
The Lions recently welcomed Turkey to the National Stadium Vasil Levski, and the result was a damaging 6-1 defeat.
Other matchday 8 fixtures to watch out for
- Estonia vs Moldova
- Andorra vs Serbia
- Ireland vs Armenia
- Italy vs Israel
- Turkey vs Georgia
