Preview: Iceland vs Azerbaijan - prediction, team news, lineups

Iceland and Azerbaijan get their World Cup qualifying campaigns underway at long last when they lock horns in Reykjavik on Friday night.

As the two lowest seeds in Group D, neither are expected to challenge France or Ukraine in this four-team section, but a win for either nation will stand them in good stead before facing the stronger sides in the group.

Match preview

After the glory years in the mid-to-late 2010s, which saw Iceland beat England and get to a Euro quarter-final, and also draw with Argentina at the World Cup, they have now slumped back to the levels they were at prior to that dream period.

At the start of the decade, they were playing in League A of the UEFA Nations League, but by the time the next edition comes around, they will be in League C, after continued poor form saw them suffer two relegations in three cycles.

After coming third in their League B group in the autumn, taking almost all of their points against bottom-place Montenegro, Iceland went into a promotion/relegation playoff with League C nation Kosovo, who thumped them 5-2 on aggregate.

Only Kazakhstan conceded more goals than Iceland in League B, and letting another five in during the playoff means their problems are clear for all to see.

Returning to the British Isles in June, a year after beating England at Wembley, proved more fruitful though, as they beat Scotland 3-1 in Glasgow, but they did fall to defeat against Northern Ireland.

After an eight-year absence from major tournaments, Arnar Gunnlaugsson will hope he is the man to guide his country back to the big time, after losing in the playoffs of Euro 2024 qualifying.

Iceland were extremely poor in the most recent World Cup qualifiers though, for 2022, finishing fifth behind Romania, North Macedonia and Armenia, taking just nine points from a possible 30.

Luckily for Iceland, opponents Azerbaijan are also in their worst run of form for many years, and are the outright favourites to finish bottom of the section.

Azerbaijan have not won a competitive fixture since 2023, when they stunned Sweden 3-0, but that was so long ago, the Swedes have since completed a double over them in the Nations League, including a 6-0 thrashing in Stockholm.

That was part of a UNL campaign in League C that saw Azerbaijan relegated automatically to League D with just one point from six games, being one of the two worst-performing sides that finished bottom across the division.

Results have not gotten any better since, because in four friendlies so far in 2025, they have drawn 0-0 away in Riga against Latvia, and lost at home to Haiti, Belarus and Hungary.

Manager Fernando Santos has had no positive impact on the Azeri’s flight since taking over, failing to win any of his first 10 games in charge - losing eight.

Iceland form (all competitions):

Azerbaijan form (all competitions):

Team News

Malmo man Arnor Sigurdsson remains injured for Iceland, and will be a big miss in midfield, while the experienced Johann Berg Gudmundsson has also been ruled out, just one game shy of winning his 100th cap.

Hordor Magnusson has been left out after failing to find a new club over the summer, while Arnor Ingvi Traustason, so often a regular squad member, has also been snubbed.

Albert Gudmundsson will be the key man for the hosts, but a keen eye must also be kept on young guns Orri Oskarsson, Hakon Arnar Haraldsson and Andri Gudjohnsen, who are all now regulars with the national side.

Santos has named a virtually unchanged Azerbaijan squad from June despite more disappointing results, with optimism currently at rock bottom.

Badavi Huseynov is currently out injured at the back, but there will be two other namesakes in the squad, with Abbas Huseynov and Calal Huseynov both set to start.

There are seven members of the Qarabag side that have just reached the Champions League in the squad, including young attacker Nariman Akhundzade, who will hope their recent woes allows him to have an opportunity in the side.

Iceland possible starting lineup:

Olafsson; Palsson, Gretarsson, Ingason, Ellertsson; Thordarsson, Willumsson, Haraldsson; A Gudmundsson, Gudjohnsen, Thorsteinsson

Azerbaijan possible starting lineup:

Mahammadaliyev; A Huseynov, C Huseynov, Mustafazada, Cafarquliev; Nuriyev, Mahmudov, Ibrahimli; Emreli, Dadashov, Akhundzade

We say: Iceland 1-0 Azerbaijan

Iceland have been far from convincing over the past few years, but they are still a stronger side on paper than the visitors, with notable talent playing in Europe’s biggest leagues.

Azerbaijan have slumped to their lowest level in many years, and this section will be hugely challenging for them, especially after suffering the indignity of relegation to League D in the Nations League recently.

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