Wales dream of playing in back-to-back World Cups for the first time in the national team's history and the team has not looked this strong in years. The first step is to crush Kazakhstan on home turf.
Since Craig Bellamy took over, the Dragons have played their best football in years and secured a direct promotion to League A in the Nations League. The team topped its group without a single defeat in six rounds, accumulating a 9:4 goal difference in the process. Now, after their poor performance in Qatar, the nation dreams of returning to the World Cup in 2026.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan enter this contest after securing their first win in over a year. The Hawks bested Curacao 2-0 in a recent friendly match, ending an 11-match streak without a win. Kazakhstan's miserable UNL showing had them lose five out of the six games, without scoring a single goal in the process. Meanwhile, they conceded 15.
How the bookies view it: Bookmakers expect Wales' unbeaten run to continue
Bookmakers give Wales an almost overwhelming advantage. This was expected, as the two teams are separated by 80 places in the world rankings. You can pick Wales at 1/5, the draw at 21/4, and Kazakhstan at 16/1.
Recent head to head: One side could end the week with a 100% win rate
Wales and Kazakhstan have never crossed paths in an official setting before, so this clash will mark the start of this rivalry.
Players to watch: Cullen must be hungry for more
With several key figures out of Wales' squad for this international cycle, we can put our trust in Swansea's Liam Cullen. The 25-year-old is having his best season yet, with 11 goals for his club so far. His stellar performance against Iceland, which featured a brace and an assist, will guarantee him 90 minutes on the pitch against Kazakhstan.
Probable line-ups
Wales: Ward, Williams, Mepham, Davies, Cabango, J. James, Sheehan, D. James, Cullen, Johnson, Harris
Kazakhstan: Pokatilov, Astanov, Marochkin, Kasym, Bystrov, Vorogovskiy, Tagybergen, Orazov, Tapalov, Aymbetov, Samorodov
Anything else catch the eye?
Wales' early exit in Qatar and the team's sudden improvement under Craig Bellamy have made them hungry for success. Every statistical point of view suggests a Wales triumph on Saturday. The Dragons have not lost a home match in the regular 90 minutes since mid-2023. Their most recent performances include a 4-1 win over Iceland and a 1-0 over Montenegro.
On the other end, Kazakhstan are experiencing their biggest drought in a decade, and interim coach Ali Aliyev has his hands full ahead of this clash. The Hawks have not won a World Cup qualifier match since 2013 – a total of 21 matches in a row.
Wales will have to manage without their top goalscorer in the Nations League, Harry Wilson. Additionally, captain Aaron Ramsey was also confirmed out for this match. But on paper, even these absences shouldn't make a resounding impact in this clash. The Dragons must win the three points ahead of the tougher clashes with North Macedonia and Belgium. As for Kazakhstan, they have not scored in seven consecutive competitive fixtures. Their last official goal dates back to late 2023 when the Hawks lost 2-1 to Slovenia.
This World Cup match between Wales and Kazakhstan will be played on and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Wales vs Kazakhstan prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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