November’s international break will coincide almost exactly with the beginning of a year’s countdown to the 2022 World Cup.
England are on the verge of qualifying, needing just four points from their final two Group I games against Albania and San Marino. Wales are also still in with a chance of making it to Qatar, though they may have to rely on a play-off spot via the Nations League.
Here are i‘s standout fixtures for each day of the international break – as well as details of how to watch every game.
Thursday 11 November
- Republic of Ireland vs Portugal
Stephen Kenny will continue to plead for patience with the Republic of Ireland no longer able to qualify for the World Cup. Going into November’s international break, they had won just one of their six qualifiers, which included a 2-1 defeat to Thursday night’s opponents Portugal.
The nadir was a 1-0 loss at home to Luxembourg, but Kenny’s project is (just about) showing signs of fruition. He has recalled Callum O’Dowda in place of James Collins in attack.
As for Portugal, it is not so long since Cristiano Ronaldo was desperately trying to overhaul Ali Daei at the top of the men’s all-time international goalscoring charts. The Manchester United forward is now six clear and will be confident of adding to his tally (115) against an Irish defence which has kept just one clean sheet in qualifying so far.
i predicts: Rep of Ireland 1-3 Portugal
Thursday’s TV schedule
All kick-offs UK time.
- Ethiopia vs Ghana – 1pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Rwanda vs Mali – 4pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Armenia vs North Macedonia – 5pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Azerbaijan vs Luxembourg – 5pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Georgia vs Sweden – 5pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Football)
- Russia vs Cyprus – 5pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Serbia vs Qatar – 5pm, Friendly (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Czech Republic vs Kuwait – 5.30pm, Friendly (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Ukraine vs Bulgaria – 5.30pm, Friendly (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Togo vs Senegal – 7pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- England U21 vs Czech Republic U21 – 7pm, Uefa U21 Championship qualifier (Sky Sports Premier League)
- Germany vs Liechtenstein – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Greece vs Spain – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Mix)
- Malta vs Croatia – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Republic of Ireland vs Portugal – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Football)
- Romania vs Iceland – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Slovakia vs Slovenia – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Ecuador vs Venezuela – 9pm, World Cup qualifier (Premier Sports 1)
- Paraguay vs Chile – 11pm, World Cup qualifier (FreeSports)
Friday 12 November
- England vs Albania
Emile Smith Rowe will be fighting for his England debut after receiving a late call-up to Gareth Southgate’s squad. However, Marcus Rashford and James Ward-Prowse have not been deemed fit enough and have withdrawn. Mason Mount (dental surgery) and Luke Shaw (concussion) are being monitored.
In spite of those injury problems, the Three Lions will be expecting to take a huge leap towards qualification against Albania. Southgate’s men need four points from their final two qualifiers to be certain of their place in Qatar – though they have won just one of their last three games, beating Andorra but drawing with Poland and Hungary.
i predicts: England 3-1 Albania
Friday’s schedule
- Brazil vs Colombia – 12.30am, World Cup qualifier (Premier Sports 1)
- Peru vs Bolivia – 2am, World Cup qualifier (FreeSports)
- Djibouti vs Algeria – 1pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Gabon vs Libya – 4pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Moldova vs Scotland – 5pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Football)
- Angola vs Egypt – 7pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Andorra vs Poland – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Austria vs Israel – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Denmark vs Faroe Islands – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- England vs Albania – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (ITV/ITV Hub)
- Hungary vs San Marino – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Italy vs Switzerland – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Premier League)
- Northern Ireland vs Lithuania – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Football)
- Uruguay vs Argentina – 11pm, World Cup qualifier (Premier Sports 1)
Saturday 13 November
- France vs Kazakhstan
France will be without Paul Pogba, who suffered a thigh injury on day one of the international break during a training session.
Kazakhstan are 125th in the Fifa rankings, which suggests it should be another comfortable win for the world champions, who are unbeaten in Group D after winning three and drawing three.
Les Bleus do face uncertainty over Didier Deschamps’ future, with L’Équipe having revealed the transcript of an upcoming interview with Prime Video in which he discussed “life after being France manager” and returning to club management.
i predicts: France 4-0 Kazakhstan
Saturday’s schedule
- Malawi vs Cameroon – 1pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Zambia vs Mauritania – 1pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Finland, 2pm World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Premier League)
- Equatorial Guinea vs Tunisia – 4pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Liberia vs Nigeria – 4pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Norway vs Latvia – 5pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Turkey vs Gibraltar – 5pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Football)
- Belgium vs Estonia – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Premier League)
- France vs Kazakhstan – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Montenegro vs Netherlands – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Wales vs Belarus – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (S4C/Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Football/Sky Sports Ultra HD)
Sunday 14 November
Spain vs Sweden
A top-of-the-table clash in Group B. Greece are the only side to have beaten Sweden in qualifying so far, but Spain have been gaining momentum and reached the final of the Nations League.
It was goalless when the two nations played each other at Euro 2020 as La Roja were frustrated despite enjoying 85 per cent possession. So while it may not be a thriller, it could be one of the more competitive rivalries on offer on Sunday.
i predicts: Spain 2-2 Sweden
Sunday’s schedule
- Madagascar vs Tanzania – 1pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Croatia vs Russia – 2pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Football)
- Malta vs Slovakia – 2pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Slovenia vs Cyprus – 2pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Armenia vs Germany – 5pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Football)
- Liechtenstein vs Romania – 5pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- North Macedonia vs Iceland- 5pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Azerbaijan vs Qatar – 5pm, Friendly (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Ghana vs South Africa – 7pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Senegal vs Congo – 7pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Greece vs Kosovo – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Luxembourg vs Republic of Ireland – 7.45, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Football)
- Portugal vs Serbia – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Spain vs Sweden – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Premier League)
Monday 15 November
- San Marino vs England
The last time England faced San Marino, Gary Lineker questioned the legitimacy of a 5-0 steamrolling which he suggested should prompt Fifa to stop the world’s lowest-ranked nations from playing higher seeded teams.
“Surely we’ve reached the stage where the lowest ranked nations should play among themselves to qualify for the right to play at this level,” Lineker tweeted. “It’s become absurd. It’s not condescending and sneering. It works brilliantly in the FA Cup. It would actually be more meaningful to make it through to this stage. Just getting battered constantly must be soul destroying.”
England’s aggregate score over the seven times they have played San Marino is 42-1; La Serenissima have only ever won one game (a 1-0 friendly win over Liechtenstein in 2004).
i predicts: San Marino 0-5 England
Monday’s schedule
- Namibia vs Togo – 1pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Georgia vs Uzbekistan – 2pm, Friendly (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Lithuania vs Kuwait – 5pm, Friendly (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Albania vs Andorra – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Austria vs Moldova – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Israel vs Faroe Islands – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Northern Ireland vs Italy – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Premier League)
- Poland vs Hungary – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- San Marino vs England – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (ITV/ITV Hub)
- Scotland vs Denmark – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Football)
- Switzerland vs Bulgaria – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
Tuesday 16 November
- Argentina vs Brazil
There is an added edge to the Clásico del Atlántico after the fallout from their last meeting, which was interrupted when officials from Anvisa, the Brazilian health authority, entered the pitch and attempted to detain Premier League quartet Giovani Lo Celso, Cristian Romero, Emiliano Martinez and Emiliano Buendia over an alleged breach of quarantine rules.
Somewhat predictably, Argentina and Brazil have cruised through the Conmebol group but it is the Selecao who have made it look effortless, winning 10 of their 11 matches so far.
i predicts: Argentina 1-2 Brazil
Tuesday’s schedule
- Algeria vs Burkina Faso – 4pm, World Cup qualifier (Mola TV)
- Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Ukraine – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Czech Republic vs Estonia – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Finland vs France – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Gibraltar vs Latvia – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Montenegro vs Turkey – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Red Button)
- Netherlands vs Norway – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (Sky Sports Premier League)
- Wales vs Belgium – 7.45pm, World Cup qualifier (S4C, Sky Sports Main Event/ Sky Sports Football)
- Bolivia vs Uruguay – 8pm, World Cup qualifier (Premier Sports 1)
- Venezuela vs Peru – 11pm, World Cup qualifier (Premier Sports 2)
- Argentina vs Brazil – 11.30pm, World Cup qualifier (Premier Spots 1)
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