The Serbia vs England clash in the two teams’ upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification clash is expected to be a highly eventful match between two sides vying for total control of Group K of the qualifiers, with both sides being undefeated in their qualification journey so far.
The Three Lions can possibly expect their toughest challenge yet in their World Cup qualifiers under Thomas Tuchel in the upcoming Serbia vs England clash at the Rajko Mitic Stadium (Belgrade) on Tuesday, September 9.
Serbia are undefeated in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers so far, having won two of their three group games so far. They are also undefeated in their last seven matches across all competitions and have not lost a single match in 2025 so far.
The Serbian players will look to keep their sturdy nature in the match against the Three Lions and work hard to grind out another positive result in the qualification campaign.
England are yet to really hit top gear under new head coach Thomas Tuchel, but they have at least won every qualification match so far under him.
The Three Lions have taken control of their group with four wins, but will need to elevate their ruthlessness in the key attacking areas to have a chance of sealing an important result.
England have, although, scored only four goals in their last three matches and aim to significantly improve their attacking prowess to be able to power through to a defining victory.
With that being said, we shall now look at the key factors to consider in the Serbia vs England clash in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Which England Players Can Unlock Serbia’s Gritty Defensive Shape?
Thomas Tuchel’s side can expect a really challenging game against Serbia because of how well the Serbian side have kept a strong defensive shape over the last few matches.
Serbia have kept clean sheets in their last four matches and only conceded one goal in their previous five matches. They have shown the ability to keep a really tight defensive line, with the Serbian defenders frustrating opposition attacking players with their hard-working ability and tendency to turn up with vital defensive contributions at key moments of the last few matches.
That is why Tuchel will need his attacking talents to be at their clinical best to break the Serbian backline’s stubbornness. The German gaffer is likely to trust Noni Madueke, who produced an excellent performance in the recent win over Andorra and is acting as a respectable replacement for Bukayo Saka.
Madueke’s dribbling ability and tendency to get into the box and fling in inviting passes should help England create a lot of chances.
Eberechi Eze will also need to be more efficient with his shooting and finishing ability in key areas inside the opposition box, while Harry Kane will have the responsibility of expertly finishing off chances that come his way.
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Can Dusan Vlahovic Continue Fiery Form To Stun England?
For Serbia, their attacking ace-in-the-hole during this match will definitely be their star forward, Dusan Vlahovic. Despite speculation over his future in the 2025 summer window, Vlahovic has remained at Juventus and has had an excellent start to the 2025/26 season.
Vlahovic has acted as a super-sub for the Bianconeri, scoring two goals to help them win the first two matches of the 2025/26 Serie A campaign.
Vlahovic has been able to bring that form to the international scene, too. He scored a vital winner for Serbia in their recent 1-0 win over Latvia to help them head into the match against England with momentum on their side.
The 25-year-old has scored 15 goals in the international scene for Serbia and remains their most potent goal outlet. He will need to torment the English defenders with his physicality and off-the-ball movement, and look to create chances for himself and finish them off in prolific fashion to guide Serbia to a prominent result.
Predicted Lineups for Serbia vs England
Both Serbia head coach Dragan Stojkovic and England gaffer Thomas Tuchel will be aiming to field their strongest possible lineups to give their side the maximum possibility of sealing a win in this upcoming qualifier.
Here we look at the predicted lineups for the Serbia vs England clash.
Serbia Predicted XI: Djordje Petrovic (GK), Milos Veljikovic, Nikola Milenkovic, Strahinja Pavlovic, Andrija Zivkovic, Sasa Lukic, Ivan Ilic, Lazar Samardzic, Filip Kostic, Luka Jovic, Dusan Vlahovic
England Predicted XI: Jordan Pickford (GK), Reece James, Marc Guehi, Dan Burn, Valentino Livramento, Declan Rice, Elliott Anderson, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / PRiME Media Images
Recording Date: 06.09.2025