Preview: Hungary vs Kazakhstan - prediction, team news, lineups

Neither side qualified for this year's World Cup, so their 2025-26 season will end on Tuesday evening, as Hungary host Kazakhstan.

Now meeting in Debrecen for an international friendly, both are building towards a new UEFA Nations League campaign.

Match preview

Once again, Hungary will not be competing on the beautiful game's global stage after coming up short in qualifying.

World Cup runners-up in 1938 and 1954, their agonising absence from FIFA's top tournament now stretches to four decades after they narrowly missed out on a playoff place.

After those dreams were ended by a dramatic defeat to the Republic of Ireland, head coach Marco Rossi saw his resignation swiftly rejected, so he has stayed in the dugout for three subsequent friendlies.

The Italian manager - who has been in charge of the Magyars since 2018 - oversaw a 1-0 win against Slovenia and a goalless draw with Greece during the spring international period.

Then, kicking off their summer get-together in Budapest, Barnabas Varga's first-half brace secured victory over Finland on Friday.

Rossi now has one game left to experiment before Hungary's new Nations League campaign kicks off at the end of September - they are set to face Georgia, Ukraine and Northern Ireland in League B Group 2.

Before Tuesday's meeting, there has been one win apiece from two previous friendlies, with Kazakhstan winning 3-2 on their most recent trip to Hungary eight years ago.

Like their hosts, the Kazakhs must watch on as another World Cup takes place without them, after finishing a distant fourth in their qualifying group.

Despite picking up a pair of wins over Liechtenstein, and drawing with both North Macedonia and Belgium, the Hawks never came near to ending their wait for an overdue debut.

Now in his third spell as senior head coach, Talgat Baysufinov has been tasked with building towards the next Nations League, after Kazakhstan only picked up one point and were relegated last time around.

Following Saturday's 1-1 friendly draw in Armenia, they will have another chance to test fresh blood in Debrecen, before tackling a League C group featuring Slovakia, Moldova and the Faroe Islands.

Hungary International Friendlies form:

W D W

Hungary form (all competitions):

D W L W D W

Kazakhstan International Friendlies form:

L W W D

Kazakhstan form (all competitions):

D D L W W D

Team News

Keeping an eye on the future, Rossi introduced several uncapped players for Hungary's post-season double-header, including teenage striker Bendeguz Kovacs, who made his senior debut on Friday.

Without former mainstays Peter Gulacsi and Denes Dibusz in the squad, young Liverpool goalkeeper Armin Pecsi can vie with Balazs Toth of Blackburn Rovers and veteran stopper Peter Szappanos to start between the posts.

Star man and captain Dominik Szoboszlai - also his country's leading active scorer - is set to feature in midfield, after creating three chances and setting up Varga's first goal against Finland.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan are captained by Zenit St Petersburg centre-back Nuraly Alip, who will start at the heart of their defence.

Once again, 17-year-old Dastan Satpaev should lead the visitors' attack; the Kairat forward has already agreed a deal to join Chelsea when he turns 18 in August.

Due to injury, Dynamo Moscow winger Bakhtiyar Zaynutdinov - who scored when these teams last met in 2018 and is the Hawks' all-time top goalscorer - has not been called up. Roman Murtazaev also found the net in that match and is likely to start on the bench.

Hungary possible starting lineup:

B. Toth; Osvath, Orban, K. Szucs, Kerkez; Schafer, Styles; A. Toth, Szoboszlai, Sallai; Vargas

Kazakhstan possible starting lineup:

Anarbekov; Ashirbek, Kasym, Alip, Vorogovskiy; Orazov, Kuat, Tapalov; Chesnokov, Satpaev, Samorodov