England concludes their World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign against Albania in Tirana this evening, November 16, 2025. Having already secured their place at next summer's tournament with a 5-0 victory over Latvia in October, this match is technically a dead rubber. However, it still presents an intriguing opportunity for coach Thomas Tuchel to fine-tune his squad.
The match kicks off at 5 p.m. GMT at the Arena Kombëtare in Tirana. For viewers in the UK, the game will be broadcast live on ITV1, with coverage beginning at 4 p.m. GMT. The match can also be streamed live and for free on ITVX's website and app.
England has had a perfect record in Group K, winning all seven of their matches. They sit atop the group with 21 points, having scored 20 goals and conceded none. Their recent success over Serbia, where goals from Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze secured another win, underscores their strong form. England are aiming to finish their World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign with a 100% record.
Albania, coached by Sylvinho, has secured a playoff spot after beating Andorra and after Serbia's loss to England. They are second in the group with 14 points. Kristjan Asllani's second-half goal led to a 1-0 victory over Andorra, marking their fourth clean sheet in five games. This victory ensured their continued dream of a first World Cup appearance.
Tuchel may use this final qualifier to experiment with his lineup. Competition remains for the No. 10 position, with players like Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham, and Phil Foden potentially vying for the spot. Bournemouth's Alex Scott may also get his international debut in midfield.
England has historically dominated against Albania, winning all seven of their previous encounters with a goal aggregate of 21-1. In their match at Wembley in March, England secured a 2-0 victory.
England, along with Spain and Switzerland, are the only European nations not to concede a goal during this preliminary phase. They are one step away from matching Spain's record of ten consecutive shutout victories from 2014 to 2016. Albania, however, is also experiencing a defensive improvement, with four clean sheets in their last five matches.
