Greece kicks off its 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a home clash against Belarus. The two sides come into the game from very different paths in the Nations League, each aiming for a strong start to the competition. Backed by home support, the “Ethniki” will look to begin their journey on the right foot.
Greece’s road to the World Cup begins against Belarus, with the national team coming off an impressive run in the Nations League. Victories over Scotland secured promotion to the top tier of the competition, highlighted by a 1-0 win in Piraeus and a commanding 3-0 triumph in Glasgow, courtesy of goals from Konstantelias, Karetsas and Tzolis.
Two friendlies followed against Slovakia and Bulgaria, the latter leaving particularly strong impressions. The 4-0 victory showed not only Greece’s defensive solidity but also its attacking efficiency, with Pelkas, Ioannidis, Tzolis and Konstantelias all on the scoresheet.
Head coach Ivan Jovanović has shaped a team that prioritizes cohesion and collective spirit over individual names. The next big challenge for Greece comes on September 8, when they face Denmark in Athens.
Squad news
Jovanović reported no major injury concerns ahead of the match. Left-back Dimitris Giannoulis, however, was forced to withdraw after sustaining a thigh injury during Augsburg’s clash with Bayern Munich, and his place has been taken by Panathinaikos defender Kyriakopoulos. Midfielder Petros Mantalos returns to the squad, while Chatzigiovanis, Fountas and Alexandropoulos have been left out.
Belarus, meanwhile, competed in League C of the Nations League and failed to make a strong impression, finishing third in a group with Northern Ireland, Bulgaria and Luxembourg. Their only win came against Luxembourg, while the rest of their points came from draws against Northern Ireland, Luxembourg at home, and Bulgaria both home and away. In their most recent match, away to Bulgaria, they fell behind early to a Panayotov goal in the 13th minute, but salvaged a draw thanks to Kovalev’s strike in the 70th.
Spanish coach Carlos Alós, who took over in August 2023, has gradually instilled his philosophy and mindset into the side. In their last four friendlies, Belarus defeated Tajikistan 5-0, Azerbaijan 2-0 and Kazakhstan 4-1, before losing 4-1 to Russia. In that game, Russia’s Kladyshev scored all four goals, with Pigas netting a consolation for Belarus. Their next fixture is against Scotland on September 8.
Squad news
Belarus includes Astera Tripolis midfielder Yablonski in the traveling squad. Forward Pavel Sedko, however, has been ruled out due to injury and replaced by fellow striker Dmitri Antilevski. Coach Alós is expected to line up his team in a 4-2-3-1 formation.