Two nations seeking their first points of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign meet in Baku as Azerbaijan vs Ukraine at the Tofiq Bəhramov Stadium. Azerbaijan vs Ukraine, both teams suffered disappointing defeats in their opening fixtures – Azerbaijan were comprehensively beaten 5-0 by Iceland in Reykjavik, while Ukraine fell to a 2-0 defeat against group favorites France. This represents a crucial early opportunity for both sides to kickstart their World Cup dreams.
Azerbaijan, led by former Portugal manager Fernando Santos, faces a challenging journey in their pursuit of reaching the World Cup finals for the first time.
On the other hand, Ukraine aims to return to the 2026 World Cup stage for the first time since 2006, with coach Sergiy Rebrov working to unlock the potential of a talented but inconsistent squad.
Azerbaijan vs Ukraine FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying Match, team news, H2H, lineups, and prediction
The venue provides Azerbaijan with their best chance of securing points, as the passionate home support in Baku has historically helped the team achieve better results. However, Azerbaijan’s recent form has been concerning – they are winless in their last 11 matches across all competitions, with their most recent victory dating back to June 2024 against Kazakhstan.
This Group D encounter sees the bottom two teams in the standings clash at the Tofiq Bəhramov Stadium. Azerbaijan sits bottom of the group with zero points and a goal difference of -5 after their opening defeat to Iceland.
Ukraine occupies third place with the same points tally but a slightly better goal difference of -2 following their loss to France.
- Date: Tuesday, September 9, 2025
- Time: 17:00 UTC (21:00 Local Time)
- Venue: Tofiq Bəhramov adına Respublika Stadionu, Baku, Azerbaijan
- Competition: 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification – UEFA Group D
Azerbaijan vs Ukraine Recent Form
Azerbaijan – Last 5 Matches
| Date | Opponent | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2025 | Iceland | L 0-5 | WC Qual |
| Jun 10, 2025 | Hungary | L 1-2 | Friendly |
| Jun 7, 2025 | Latvia | D 0-0 | Friendly |
| Mar 25, 2025 | Belarus | L 0-2 | Friendly |
| Nov 19, 2024 | Sweden | L 0-6 | Nations League |
Ukraine – Last 5 Matches
| Date | Opponent | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2025 | France | L 0-2 | WC Qual |
| Jun 10, 2025 | New Zealand | W 2-1 | Friendly |
| Jun 7, 2025 | Canada | L 2-4 | Friendly |
| Mar 23, 2025 | Belgium | L 0-3 | Nations League |
| Mar 20, 2025 | Belgium | W 3-1 | Nations League |
Azerbaijan vs Ukraine Head to Head
The historical record between these nations is minimal, with only two previous encounters, both friendly matches in 2006. The head-to-head record stands at 1 win for Ukraine, 1 draw, and 0 wins for Azerbaijan. Ukraine secured a comprehensive 6-0 victory in their most recent meeting in August 2006, while the teams played out a 0-0 draw earlier that same year.
This will be the first competitive fixture between the two nations, making it particularly significant for both teams’ hopes of qualifying for the World Cup. Ukraine’s dominant 6-0 victory in their previous encounter gives them a psychological advantage, though the friendly nature of that match limits its relevance to this competitive qualifier.
| Matches Played | Azerbaijan Wins | Ukraine Wins | Draws | Goals For Azerbaijan | Goals For Ukraine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
Team News
Azerbaijan will be without several key players due to injuries and suspensions from their opening defeat. Manager Fernando Santos faces the challenge of rebuilding confidence after the humbling defeat to Iceland, where his team managed just two shots throughout the entire match. Goalkeeper Kamran Aghayev will need to significantly improve his performance, while striker Ramil Sheydayev remains their main attacking threat.
Ukraine has several injury concerns heading into this crucial fixture. Key players Andriy Lunin, Roman Yaremchuk, and Viktor Tsigankov are all unavailable due to injury. Manager Sergiy Rebrov will likely field a strong lineup featuring Artem Dovbyk as the focal point of attack, supported by creative midfielder Georgiy Sudakov and experienced defender Mykola Matviyenko.
Current Possible Starting Lineup of Azerbaijan vs Ukraine
Azerbaijan (4-2-3-1):
- Aghayev; Quliyev, Mustafayev, Haghverdi, Salahli; Garayev, Ibrahimli; Sheydayev, Emreli, Ozobić; Dadashov
Ukraine (4-3-3):
- Trubin; Konoplya, Zabarnyy, Matviyenko, Zinchenko; Yarmolenko, Sudakov, Kalyuzhnyi; Zubkov, Dovbyk, Hutsuliak
Match Prediction
Despite Ukraine’s recent struggles and defensive frailties, it possesses significantly superior individual quality compared to Azerbaijan. Ukraine are overwhelming favorites given Azerbaijan’s poor recent form and their inability to score goals consistently – they have failed to score in 7 of their last 10 matches.
Azerbaijan’s home advantage provides some hope, but their recent performances suggest they lack the quality to trouble a Ukraine side desperate for points. Ukraine’s experience in major tournaments and superior squad depth should prove decisive, particularly against an Azerbaijan team that has struggled defensively, conceding 26 goals in their last 10 matches.
- Predicted Result: Azerbaijan 0-2 Ukraine
Ukraine should secure a comfortable victory to claim its first points of the qualifying campaign. Azerbaijan’s attacking impotence and defensive vulnerabilities make it unlikely to trouble Ukraine’s goal significantly.
Where can I watch the Azerbaijan vs Ukraine FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying Match?
- United Kingdom: Not televised / UEFA.tv
- United States: FOX Sports / Paramount+
- Europe: UEFA.tv (selected regions)
- Azerbaijan: İdman TV
- Ukraine: UA: PBC
Kick-off Time by Region:
- Azerbaijan: 21:00 local time
- Ukraine: 20:00 local time
- United Kingdom: 18:00 BST
- United States: 13:00 EDT
- Central Europe: 19:00 CEST
This Group D fixture represents a crucial opportunity for both teams to kickstart their World Cup qualifying campaigns, with Ukraine expected to claim their first victory of the campaign against struggling Azerbaijan.