Our Italy vs Northern Ireland Prediction: 2-1
Italy vs Northern Ireland in the Europe - World Cup Qualifying is scheduled for an 19:45 GMT kick-off on Thursday March 26, 2026. A 2-1 victory for the hosts is our top prediction, yet given both teams’ attacking form, BTTS seems like a smart betting choice.
Our prediction is supported by key Italy vs Northern Ireland stats, including attacking and defensive strength, recent form and historical results — all detailed below.
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Recent Form Insights
Italy's Last Match – Italy vs Norway
Italy must win to recover from their recent 1-4 Europe - World Cup Qualifying defeat against Norway on November 16 and regain momentum. In that match, Italy recorded 58% possession, firing 10 shots at goal, with 4 on target.
| Team | Possession | Shots (on target) | xG | Dangerous Attacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Italy | 58% | 10 (4) | 1.27 | 43 |
 Norway | 42% | 10 (5) | 1.92 | 67 |
Northern Ireland's Last Match – Northern Ireland vs Luxembourg
Northern Ireland will hope to extend their good run following a 1-0 Europe - World Cup Qualifying win against Luxembourg on November 17. In that match, Northern Ireland controlled 40% of possession and managed 8 shots on goal, with 3 hitting the target.
| Team | Possession | Shots (on target) | xG | Dangerous Attacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Northern Ireland | 40% | 8 (3) | 1.15 | 24 |
 Luxembourg | 60% | 10 (3) | 0.63 | 47 |
Italy vs Northern Ireland Stats
Key Stats
| Italy | Northern Ireland | |
|---|---|---|
| 1.24 | Attacking Strength | 0.88 |
| 0.53 | Defence Strength | 0.96 |
| 1.9 | Points Per Game | 1.3 |
| 6/10 | WIN | 4/10 |
| 1/10 | DRAW | 1/10 |
| 4/10 | Clean Sheets | 3/10 |
| 5/10 | BTTS | 5/10 |
| 8/10 | Over 2.5 Goals | 4/10 |
| 2.5 | Average Scored | 1.1 |
Goals Scored vs Goals Conceded
Italy are averaging 2.5 goals scored and 1.7 conceded per match, while Northern Ireland average 1.1 scored and 1.4 conceded per game.
Italy 25-17
Northern Ireland 11-14
What are the odds for this match?
Italy to win: @1.285
Draw: @5.5
Northern Ireland to win: @11
Over 2.5 Goals: @2
Lineups
Italy (3-5-2) : Gianluigi Donnarumma, Gianluca Mancini, Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Matteo Politano, Nicolo Barella, Manuel Locatelli, Sandro Tonali, Federico Dimarco, Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui
Northern Ireland (3-5-1-1) : Pierce Charles, Trai Hume, Paddy McNair, Ruairi McConville, Terry Devlin, Shea Charles, Ethan Gaibraith, Justin Devenny, Brodie Spencer, Isaac Price, Jamie Donley