Malta plays the last match from Group G of the European Qualifiers leading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, facing Poland at the National Stadium on Monday, kick-off at 20:45.

Thanks to the stunning win over Finland on Friday, Malta moved second from bottom, two points ahead of Lithuania and unless the latter beat the Netherlands, it will only be the second time, Malta managed to avoid the bottom spot in the group in the World Cup or EURO qualifiers. In fact, in the 1994 World Cup qualifiers, Malta placed fifth out of six teams with three points.  

With the five points obtained – the two draws against Lithuania and the win over Finland, Malta matches the record of five points, obtained under the leadership of Dusan Fitzel in the EURO 2008 qualifiers and under the leadership of Devis Mangia in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers although in those campaigns, Malta had played twelve matches and ten matches respectively, compared to this year’s campaign where Malta will be playing a total of eight matches.

Photos courtesy of Malta FA

Addressing the media on Sunday, Malta coach Emilio De Leo said the win over Finland was only part of the national team’s journey.

“For me, it’s part of the journey. We honestly achieved something we deserved. We could have already taken something from the first match against Finland and in Lithuania. Whether it’s fate or luck … call it what you want … it gave us something we perhaps had not achieved before. As I always say, we have to be balanced; we’re working and building, cultivating a team of serious guys with technical and tactical skills and moral values. There can be a bad match or a bad international window, as the October window was for some. But if we continue to work with balance and not be influenced by the results… I think this is a path of growth that will lead to positive results in the future.”

Referring to Monday’s opponents, De Leo said “We know we will be playing against a very strong team with physicality, tremendous quality, and a strong counterattack. They clearly have players who can decide the match at any moment. For us, this must be an opportunity to compete with strong players and a team with extensive international experience. However, on the other hand, as I always say, we must not be sacrificial victims. We must go out and play our game, looking within ourselves to see where we can improve and what we can express. Then, in the end, we must draw conclusions. Without ever getting discouraged, we are working hard and moving forward. My job is to do it with positivity and balance.”

For the game against Poland, Malta welcomes back Ryan Camenzuli and Teddy Teuma after both served a one-match ban. 

Asked whether, there would be any changes to the team, De Leo said “We do not have enough time to evaluate the possibility of making changes. We arrived late last night and today we will make some quick assessments. We first need to assess the players who played a great match in Finland. First, we will have the final training today and then we’ll take stock. Teuma and Camenzuli are definitely back among the available players … two more players who allow us to vary our technical and tactical positioning on the pitch and in managing the match. Having two more players is certainly an advantage. ”

James Carragher was allowed to return to Wigan Athletic after failing to feature in the game against Finland. 

“We discussed with the player and the club the possibility of allowing James Carragher to go back. In my opinion, he was not fully fit and by returning to his club, he will have the opportunity to work on his recovery in order to gain more playing time given that he was recovering from a long-term injury.”

When asked whether Jake Grech could make it to the starting line-up after scoring the winning goal on Friday, the Malta coach said “As for Jake, from day one I’ve had a special relationship with him based on respect, affection, and admiration. He has always been an exemplary, very serious guy. When I brought him on the bench for the first time in Lithuania, when I announced it, and he was not even in the starting lineup, he had tears in his eyes. From that moment, I realised he was a special guy on whom I could count and rely. It was no coincidence that he scored the winning goal. I know I can count on him, both from the start and during the game, without any problems.”

Grech expressed his satisfaction for scoring the winning goal in Helsinki. 

“First of all it was of great satisfaction because it was my first goal with the national team and then because it was the first away win in the qualifiers for twelve years. As a group of players and technical staff, we deserved much more in certain matches in this group, especially at home with Finland and Lithuania. An indescribable emotion… I think everyone dreams of playing with the national team and scoring, let alone if this leads to a win away from our shores.”

The players selected for this game are:

Goalkeepers Henry Bonello (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Rashed Al Tumi (Sliema Wanderers FC), Matthias Debono (Naxxar Lions FC).

Defenders Zach Muscat (Chaves FC – POR), Ryan Camenzuli (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Juan Carlos Corbalan (Marsaxlokk FC), Kurt Shaw (Sorrento FC – ITA), Enrico Pepe (Marsaxlokk FC), Jean Borg (Sliema Wanderers FC), Gabriel Mentz (Gżira United FC), Sven Xerri (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Myles Beerman (Sliema Wanderers FC).

Midfielders Matthew Guillaumier (Panserraikos FC – GRE), Brandon Diego Paiber (Valletta FC), Alexander Satariano (Athens Kallithea FC – GRE), Teddy Teuma (Stade Reims – FRA), Yannick Yankam (Valletta FC), Jake Grech (Floriana FC).

Forwards Joseph E. Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Paul Mbong (FK Čukarički – SRB), Ilyas Chouaref (Sion FC – SUI), Adam Magri Overend (Sliema Wanderers FC), Irvin Cardona (AS Saint-Étienne – FRA), Trent Buhagiar (Tampines Rovers – SGP), Basil Tuma (Reading FC – ENG), Andrea Zammit (Birkirkara FC).

Poland are currently second in the group, three points behind leaders Netherlands and therefore the latter need just a point to win the group, leaving Poland in the runner-up spot and hence a spot in the play-offs. 

In 2025, Poland won six matches – against Lithuania, Malta, Finland at home and Lithuania away from home and two friendly matches against Moldova and New Zealand. The two clashes with the Netherlands ended in 1-1 draws with the  only defeat being at the hands of Finland in June. 

Coach Jan Urban has the following players at his disposal:

Goalkeepers

Bartłomiej Drągowski (Panathinaikos AO), Kamil Grabara (VfL Wolfsburg), Mateusz Kochalski (Qarabag Agdam), Kacper Tobiasz (Legia Warszawa);

defenders Bartosz Bereszyński (Palermo), Matty Cash (Aston Villa), Tomasz Kędziora (PAOK FC), Jakub Kiwior (FC Porto), Kryspin Szcześniak (Górnik Zabrze), Przemysław Wiśniewski (Spezia), Paweł Wszołek (Legia Warszawa), Jan Ziółkowski (AS Roma);

midfielders Kamil Grosicki (Pogoń Szczecin), Jakub Kamiński (1. FC Koln), Bartosz Kapustka (Legia Warszawa), Kacper Kozłowski (Gaziantep FK), Filip Rózga (Sturm Graz), Michał Skóraś (KAA Gent), Bartosz Slisz (Atlanta United), Nicola Zalewski (Atalanta BC), Piotr Zieliński (Inter);

forwards Adam Buksa (Udinese), Robert Lewandowski (FC Barcelona), Karol Świderski (Panathinaikos AO).

Malta and Poland met five times with the latter winning the five matches, scoring fifteen goals and conceding none. In the three matches played on home soil, Malta lost 0-2 in December 1980 in the 1982 World Cup qualifiers, 0-1 in February 1999 and 0-4 in December 2003 in two friendly matches.

Malta vs Poland will be controlled by Croatian officials, namely referee Igor Pajač, assisted by Bojan Zobenica and Ivan Mihalj and fourth official Dario Bel. The Video Assistant Referee will be Ivan Bebek and Assistant Video Assistant Referee Fran Jović.