Finland vs Poland

On Tuesday, the top two teams in Group G of the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, Finland and Poland, will face off in Helsinki to close out their summer fixtures.

Finland, ranked 69th globally, suffered a defeat against the Netherlands last weekend, while group leaders Poland have secured maximum points from their opening two matches. The Finns are chasing their first-ever World Cup appearance, having tried 18 times before, and with the 2026 tournament expanding to 48 teams, their hopes are high—but they must finish in Group G’s top two.

Under new manager Jacob Friis, who took over from Markku Kanerva earlier this year following Finland’s relegation from UEFA Nations League’s League B, results have been inconsistent. They earned four points from their first two qualifiers, with Oliver Antman’s goal sealing a win against Malta, but they squandered a two-goal lead to draw with Lithuania. Their recent 2-0 loss to the Netherlands, where they fell behind early, highlighted the challenge ahead.

Having narrowly missed the Qatar 2022 playoffs by a single point, Finland are wary of history repeating itself, especially with Poland and the Netherlands favored to compete for the group’s top spot. A loss on Tuesday could severely dent their chances, particularly as they haven’t beaten Poland in 19 years and conceded heavily in their last two encounters—both friendlies, played five and nine years ago.

Meanwhile, Poland have started strongly, bouncing back from a five-game winless run and Nations League relegation. They secured 1-0 and 2-0 victories over Lithuania and Malta in March, maintaining clean sheets and taking a two-point lead over Finland and a three-point edge over the Netherlands, who have a game in hand. Poland are targeting their 10th World Cup appearance.

Most recently, under coach Michal Probierz, Poland defeated Moldova in a friendly, with goals from Matty Cash and Bartosz Slisz. As they return to competitive action in Helsinki, another victory would solidify their position and keep the pressure on their rivals for automatic qualification to the 2026 finals.