Match Preview - Greece vs Belarus FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying Match

Greece takes on Belarus at the iconic Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in the opening match of UEFA qualifying Group C for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This Greece vs Belarus key encounter highlights two nations on different paths, with the hosts aiming to capitalize on their impressive Nations League success under Ivan Jovanović.

Greece entered this campaign in outstanding form, having secured promotion to UEFA Nations League A after a remarkable turnaround that included a stunning 2-1 victory over England at Wembley and a dominant 3-1 aggregate triumph over Scotland in the promotion playoffs. The Ethniki have won eight of their last ten matches under Jovanović, averaging an impressive 2.2 goals per game while conceding just 0.6.

Belarus arrives in Piraeus as Group C underdogs, currently sitting in an unusual position at the top of the group standings alphabetically, though they face the significant challenge of trying to qualify for their first-ever World Cup. The White Wings have endured a mixed recent run, suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to Russia in June after beating Kazakhstan 4-1 in their previous outing.

Greece vs Belarus – FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying Match Preview

Greece vs Belarus FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying Match, team news, H2H, lineups and prediction Match Preview

This Group C opener represents a crucial opportunity for Greece to establish early momentum in their World Cup qualifying campaign, while Belarus will be hoping to spring a surprise that could reshape the group dynamics. With Denmark and Scotland also in the group, every point will be vital in the race for automatic qualification and playoff spots.

Date: Thursday, September 5, 2025
Time: 18:45 UTC (21:45 Local Time)
Venue: Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus, Greece
Competition: 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification – UEFA Group C

Head to Head

The historical record between Greece and Belarus shows a minimal but intriguing rivalry, with the teams having met just twice in their football history. The head-to-head record currently stands even at 1-1, with each nation securing one victory over the other.

Belarus has a slight psychological advantage after winning its most recent meeting, although both games have been close and low-scoring. With limited history between these teams, they’ll be navigating relatively uncharted waters in terms of tactical planning.

Matches Played	Greece Wins	Belarus Wins	Draws	Goals For Greece	Goals For Belarus
2	1	1	0	1	1

Greece – Last 5 Matches

Date	Opponent	Result	Competition
Jun 10, 2025	Bulgaria	W 4-0	Friendly
Jun 7, 2025	Malta	W 2-0	Friendly
Mar 23, 2025	Scotland	W 3-0	Nations League
Mar 20, 2025	Scotland	L 0-1	Nations League
Nov 17, 2024	England	L 0-3	Nations League

Belarus – Last 5 Matches

Date	Opponent	Result	Competition
Jun 10, 2025	Russia	L 1-4	Friendly
Jun 5, 2025	Kazakhstan	W 4-1	Friendly
Mar 25, 2025	Azerbaijan	W 0-2	Friendly
Mar 22, 2025	Tajikistan	W 2-0	Friendly
Nov 17, 2024	Bulgaria	D 0-0	Nations League

Greece vs Belarus Team News

Greece will be without Dimitrios Giannoulis due to injury, but manager Ivan Jovanović has a virtually full-strength squad at his disposal. The Greeks will be boosted by the return of key players following their successful Nations League campaign, with Fotis Ioannidis leading the attack after scoring 4 goals in recent competitive matches.

Star playmaker Anastasios Bakasetas has been in exceptional form with 3 goals and 3 assists in recent internationals, while veteran goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos continues as the reliable last line of defense. The emergence of young talents like Konstantinos Karetsas, who became the youngest Nations League scorer, adds depth to Greece’s attacking options.

Belarus faces selection challenges with Maxim Kireev sidelined through injury. Manager Carlos Alos will likely rely on experienced campaigners Dmitri Antilevski and Yuri Kovalev to provide the attacking threat, while Sergei Ignatovich and Pavel Pavlyuchenko compete for the goalkeeping position.

Current Possible Starting Lineup of Greece vs Belarus

Greece Predection XI (4-2-3-1)

Vlachodimos; Rota, Mavropanos, Koulierakis, Tsimikas; Bakasetas, Kourbelis; Masouras, Ioannidis, Tzolis; Pavlidis

Belarus Predection XI (4-4-2)

Ignatovich; Volkov, Palitsevich, Martynovich, Palyakow; Ebong, Pechenin, Klimovich, Antilevski; Sedko, Kovalev

Match Prediction

Greece enters as overwhelming favorites given their current form, home advantage, and significant difference in FIFA rankings – Greece sits 39th while Belarus ranks considerably lower. The hosts’ recent goal-scoring prowess, averaging over two goals per match, contrasts sharply with Belarus’s struggles in competitive fixtures.

Greece’s tactical evolution under Jovanovic has seen them develop into a more attacking and confident unit, particularly effective at the Karaiskakis Stadium, where they have won their last two home friendlies by impressive margins. The combination of Anastasios Bakasetas’ creativity and Fotis Ioannidis’ finishing ability poses a significant threat to Belarus’s defensive organization.

Belarus is likely to adopt a defensive approach, focusing on disrupting the hosts and capitalizing on set-piece opportunities. However, their recent 4-1 defeat to Russia highlighted defensive vulnerabilities that Greece’s attackers are well-equipped to exploit.

Predicted Result:

Greece’s superior quality, home advantage, and momentum from Nations League success should see them secure a comfortable victory to start their World Cup qualifying campaign positively.