Preview: Liechtenstein vs Cyprus - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams that have missed out on World Cup 2026 will do battle on Sunday, when Liechtenstein welcome Cyprus to Rheinpark Stadion for a friendly.

The Blue-Reds are hoping to avoid a third consecutive defeat, while the Cypriots could make it three games unbeaten this weekend.

Match preview

Konrad Funfstuck's Liechtenstein are ranked 206th in the world by FIFA, and it was no surprise to see them fall short of qualification for this summer's tournament.

The Blue-Reds brought an end to their qualifying campaign when they were hammered 7-0 by Belgium on November 18, a dire result that marked eight losses from eight matches in UEFA Group J.

However, Funfstuck's side were able to bounce back and secure a rare win on March 26 - a 1-0 victory over Tanzania courtesy of a 55th-minute effort from Ferhat Saglam.

The hosts will be hoping to sign off for the summer on a positive note this weekend, but supporters will have their doubts given that the hosts have lost their last six when playing as the home side, a stretch that goes back to a 0-0 Nations League draw with Gibraltar in October 2024.

To make matters worse, Liechtenstein failed to score in any of their five most recent home games - conceding 16 times in the process - and after a 2-0 defeat against Andorra on Thursday, morale is likely to be low.

Meanwhile, Apostolos Mantzios's Cyprus will be aiming to give fans something to cheer about on Sunday, after the nation's performances in World Cup qualifying proved too little to make the finals.

The Cypriots racked up eight points in UEFA Group H, winning two, drawing two and losing two of their eight qualifiers, but a 2-0 defeat against Austria in their final outing saw them finish fourth and allowed Romania to seal third place.

Mantzios's side fell to two further defeats in the aftermath of their disappointment, before eventually finding their feet with a 3-2 success against Moldova on March 30, when they raced into a three-goal first-half lead and were able to hold out despite a late goal from the Tricolours.

Looking ahead to this weekend, the visitors have avoided losing in their last two away matches, the first time Cyprus did so in back-to-back games on the road since June 2024.

With that in mind, supporters will head to Rheinpark Stadion optimistic about the result, a feeling bolstered by seeing Mantzios's men hold 58th-ranked Slovenia to a 1-1 draw on Thursday, despite being reduced to 10 men.

Liechtenstein International Friendlies form:

Liechtenstein form (all competitions):

Cyprus International Friendlies form:

Cyprus form (all competitions):

Team News

Liechtenstein boss Funfstuck could opt for a back three of Livio Meier, Andreas Malin and Jens Hofer this weekend, with goalkeeper Justin Ospelt featuring between the sticks.

Emanuel Zund and Maximilian Goppel should be on hand to start at wing-back, either side of midfielders Marcel Buchel, Lars Traber and Alessio Hasler.

Elsewhere, Ferhat Saglam and Fabio Luque-Notaro look set to start in a strike partnership, hoping to fire their nation to success in their final friendly of the summer.

As for Cyprus, they may decide to start Neofytos Michail over Fabiano Freitas in goal on Sunday, shielding the 32-year-old Pafos man with a centre-back pairing of Christos Sielis and Konstantinos Laifis.

In midfield, Panayiotis Andreou could be joined by Grigoris Kastanos and Charalampos Charalampous once again, with the trio aiming to provide stability in the centre of the park.

Further forward, striker Ioannis Pittas of CSKA Sofia could lead the line, supported from out wide by Stavros Georgiou and Marinos Tzionis.

Liechtenstein possible starting lineup:

Ospelt; Meier, Malin, Hofer; Zund, Buchel, Traber, Hasler, Goppel; Saglam, Luque-Notaro

Cyprus possible starting lineup:

Michail; Stikkies, Sielis, Laifis, Malekkidis; Kastanos, Andreou, Charalampous; Georgiou, Pittas, Tzionis

We say: Liechtenstein 0-1 Cyprus

Liechtenstein are one of the lowest-ranked nations in world football, and they have failed to score in any of their last five home games.

By contrast, Cyprus have scored a combined four in their two most recent outings, and after their draw against Slovenia, they will be confident of victory on Sunday.

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