Iceland vs Bulgaria - prediction, team news, lineups

Hoping to proceed their beardown commencement to their UEFA Nations League campaign, Iceland volition invited Group C4 rivals Bulgaria to Laugardalsvollur connected Saturday.

Strakarnir okkar are looking to physique connected their triumph past clip out, portion the Lions are managerless aft struggling successful the contention truthful far.

Match preview

Iceland suffered back-to-back relegations successful the past 2 iterations of the Nations League, but look to person recovered their feet successful League C nether Arnar Gunnlaugsson.

Strakarnir okkar arrived for this autumn's fixtures with 4 defeats and 2 draws from their anterior six outings, and fans would person been forgiven for doubting the team's chances, contempt the little level of opposition.

However, Gunnlaugsson's broadside collected a constituent successful a 1-1 gully against Estonia connected September 16, earlier thoroughly beating Luxembourg 3-0 3 days later.

That triumph ended Iceland's seven-game winless tally - which stretched each the mode backmost to November 2025's 2-0 triumph implicit Azerbaijan successful World Cup qualifying - and has enactment the squad astatine the apical of Group C4.

Heading into Saturday's showdown undefeated successful the 2026-27 Nations League volition springiness Strakarnir okkar a consciousness of optimism, not to notation the hosts person lone mislaid 1 of their past 4 location clashes, a spell that includes a 2-2 gully with France successful October 2025.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria are without a imperishable manager after Aleksandar Dimitrov resigned from his station earlier this week.

The Lions were held to a 0-0 stalemate by Estonia connected Tuesday, a frustrating effect aft which the erstwhile brag announced his departure, citing the dire showing arsenic the crushed why.

"It was a precise chaotic show connected our part; our crippled program wasn't executed, and the precocious property didn't materialise," said Dimitrov, who recorded 5 losses, 2 draws and 3 wins during his 12 months successful charge.

Atanas Ribarski volition beryllium taking the reins connected an interim ground until a caller caput manager tin beryllium found, but helium volition beryllium hard-pressed to reverse Bulgaria's fortunes, considering they are sat astatine the bottommost of the radical with a azygous constituent to their name.

Saturday's contention volition beryllium the Lions' archetypal distant fixture successful this term's Nations League, fixed they lost their opener 2-1 to Luxembourg, but the much affirmative amongst the travelling enactment whitethorn instrumentality bosom from the information the visitors transportation a three-game unbeaten tally connected the roadworthy (two wins, 1 draw) into this clash.

Iceland Nations League form:

Bulgaria Nations League form:

Team News

Iceland are apt to beryllium without the versatile Stefan Thordarson, whose spot successful the squad is successful uncertainty aft helium picked up a musculus contented against Luxembourg connected Tuesday.

In his absence, Hordur Magnusson should beryllium connected manus to commencement alongside Daniel Gretarsson astatine the bosom of the hosts' defence, flanked by full-backs Victor Palsson and Logi Tomasson.

Elsewhere, determination are questions astir the fittingness of near winger Albert Gudmundsson owed to a enarthrosis problem, truthful expect to spot Mikael Ellertsson and Hakon Arnar Haraldsson run retired wide, supporting the onslaught concern of Orri Oskarsson and Andri Gudjohnsen up top.

As for Bulgaria, they could enactment up with Elversberg prima Lukas Petkov starring the attack, aided by wingers Zdravko Dimitrov and Marin Petkov.

At the other extremity of the pitch, Daniel Naumov volition commencement betwixt the sticks, shielded by a centre-back pairing of Kristian Dimitrov and Stefan Velkov.

Iceland imaginable starting lineup:

Valdimarsson; Palsson, Magnusson, Gretarsson, Tomasson; Ellertsson, Johannesson, Sigurdsson, Haraldsson; Gudjohnsen, Oskarsson

Bulgaria imaginable starting lineup:

Naumov; Turitsov, K Dimitrov, Velkov, Velkovski; Tsonev, Gruev, Stoyanov; M Petkov, L Petkov, Z Dimitrov

We say: Iceland 2-1 Bulgaria

Iceland volition beryllium assured aft enjoying a palmy opening to their Nations League campaign, and should beryllium capable to get the amended of a struggling Bulgaria connected location turf.

That being said, the visitors volition beryllium hopeless to present a beardown showing after Dimitrov's resignation, truthful expect to spot a close-fought clash careless of the result.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.