The group winners go straight into next year’s finals that are being held in the USA, Canada and Mexico

7 September 2025 - 9:27 am

The second set of games take place in Group E of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Spain top the table on goal difference from Turkey who they travel to in this vital match. Can The Red One pick up three valuable away points? Read our match prediction below.

Also in this group are Georgia and Bulgaria, both of whom lost their opening fixtures. The group winners go straight into next year’s finals that are being held in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The runners-up will find themselves in the play-offs.

Spain got their campaign off to a comfortable start with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria and know a victory in Turkey will really see them stamp their authority on the group. That’d particularly be the case with just one more away fixture to be played in the four remaining matches. Turkey also won away in their first group match and know just how important it would be for them to defeat Spain in this match.

Turkey beat Georgia 3-2 away in their opening World Cup qualifier. They seemed to be cruising to victory when leading 3-0 after 52 minutes. They just couldn’t find another goal and their opponents nearly got back into the game. A 98th minute goal gave the Turks a scare but they held on for a crucial win.

The Crescent Stars have won four of their last five games. The other saw them lose an away friendly to Mexico (played in the USA) in June. March saw them beat Hungary in the Nations League play-offs to win promotion to League A.

In the World Cup, Turkey hasn’t qualified for the finals since 2002 when finishing third. Last year saw them get to the Euro quarter-finals.

Spain won 3-0 in Bulgaria in their opening group fixture, all the goals coming in the first half. Over 90 minutes they are unbeaten in their last 23 games. The only recent loss was on penalties to Portugal in the Nations League final this summer.

Not since 2002 have they failed to qualify for the World Cup finals. Their last time past the last 16 was in 2010 when winning the trophy.