Finland vs Albania preview
Finland host Albania on October 3, 2026, at 13:00 UTC in a UEFA Nations League Group 1 League C fixture. Albania currently lead the group with six points after defeating Belarus 2-0 and San Marino 3-0. Finland sit in second place with four points, following a 7-0 victory against San Marino and a 0-0 draw with Belarus. The match takes place at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.
Finland’s squad, managed by Jacob Friis, features striker Joel Pohjanpalo, who scored a hat-trick in the win over San Marino, alongside midfielders Glen Kamara, Robin Lod, and Onni Valakari. Viljami Sinisalo is expected in goal, with Kaan Kairinen and Leo Walta also in contention. For the visitors, manager Rolando Maran must adjust his lineup due to an injury to midfielder Qazim Laçi, who is ruled out with a thigh problem and replaced by Feta Fetai. Historically, Finland have won four of the seven previous meetings between the two nations, while Albania’s last victory in this fixture occurred in September 1980. Both teams are competing for promotion after being relegated from League B in the previous cycle.