Preview: Belarus vs San Marino - prediction, team news, lineups

San Marino will be aiming to triumph for the first time in almost two years when they continue their 2026-27 UEFA Nations League campaign against Belarus on Saturday.

The home side have lost their opening two matches in Group 1 of League C to sit at the bottom of the table, while Belarus are third, claiming one point from two games. 

Match preview

Belarus opened their 2026-27 Nations League campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Albania, before playing out a goalless draw with Finland last time out - one point from two matches has left them third in Group 1 of League C ahead of this contest.

Viktor Goncharenko's team have two more games during this international period, welcoming San Marino on Saturday before hosting Finland on October 6.

Belarus competed in League D of the Nations League in 2018-19 but have been present in League C since, boasting an overall record in the competition of eight wins, 10 draws and seven defeats.

This will be the third time that Belarus and San Marino have locked horns throughout history.

The two previous meetings between the two sides came in the 2018-19 Nations League, with Belarus recording 5-0 and 2-0 victories over La Serenissima.

© Imago

San Marino had a difficult start to their 2026-27 Nations League, suffering a 7-0 defeat to Finland, before losing 3-0 to Albania last time out, with those two results leaving them at the bottom of Group 1 of League C.

La Serenissima have lost 16 of their last 17 matches in all competitions, while they have not been victorious since beating Liechtenstein in the Nations League in November 2024.

San Marino have a record of two wins, three draws and 14 defeats from their 19 previous matches in the Nations League, only finding the back of the net on five occasions.

Roberto Cevoli's side have two more games to come during this international period, following this contest with a clash away to Albania.

San Marino are the lowest-ranked FIFA-affiliated national team, but they incredibly managed to secure promotion from League D in the 2024-25 competition, having posted two wins.

Belarus Nations League form:

LD

Belarus form (all competitions):

WWWDLD

San Marino Nations League form:

LL

San Marino form (all competitions):

LDLLLL

Team News

© Imago

Belarus head coach Goncharenko could name an unchanged side for this contest, as no injury problems have been reported.

Vitaly Lisakovich has scored seven times in 28 caps for his country, and the 28-year-old will continue in the final third of the field.

Meanwhile, there should be another start in midfield for Max Ebong.

As for San Marino, Alessandro Golinucci is available again following a suspension, and the 31-year-old is expected to come back into the starting side.

Nicola Nanni has scored five times in 57 caps for San Marino, and there will be another start in the final third of the field for the 26-year-old.

Gabriel Capicchioni is also set to feature from the first whistle.

Belarus possible starting lineup:

Lapoukhov; Kalinin, Volkov, Gomanov, Pechenin; Lukashov, Selyava, Ebong, Shumansky; Barkovskiy, Lisakovich

San Marino possible starting lineup:

Colombo; Benvenuti, Cevoli, Rossi, Giocondi; Mularoni, L Capicchioni, Golinucci, Pancotti; Nanni, G Capicchioni

We say: Belarus 3-0 San Marino

San Marino will again be up against it on Saturday, and we are finding it difficult to predict anything other than a comfortable success for Belarus.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.