Poland vs Ukraine 31 May 2026 Prediction

Poland and Ukraine, two teams that fell short in the European World Cup 2026 playoffs, will meet in a friendly in Wroclaw. Poland lost to Sweden in the decisive playoff match, just as Ukraine had done one round earlier. Both teams missed out on the biggest stage. Which side will have more motivation to win this friendly?

Lewandowski Is Still With the National Team

Poland failed to qualify for the World Cup. In the playoffs, the team edged Albania 2-1 but then fell to Gyokeres and Sweden at the decisive stage, losing 3-2. Those matches once again showed Poland’s inconsistency. Against Albania, Poland scored twice from 0.89 xG, while against Sweden it allowed three goals from 1.65 xG conceded.

After missing out on World Cup 2026, Robert Lewandowski decided to end his international career. However, after changing his mind, the captain is expected to feature in the upcoming friendlies. Poland held its first training session only on May 28.

Ukraine Brings in Young Players

Ukraine also failed to qualify for World Cup 2026. After finishing second in a group with France, the team faced Sweden in the European playoff semifinal and lost 3-1, failing to contain Gyokeres’s hat trick while producing less than 1 xG itself. Ukraine did beat Albania 1-0 in a friendly, but the performance was modest.

Ukraine is expected to use an experimental squad for the upcoming friendlies. Several experienced players, including starting winger Oleksiy Hutsulyak, are injured. They have been replaced by debutants, including Oleksandr Romanchuk and Hennadiy Synchuk.

Poland vs Ukraine Predicted Lineup

Poland (3-4-2-1): Bulka – Wisniewski, Kiwior, Bednarek – Pirko, Slisz, Zielinski, Wojtuszek – Kaminski, Zalewski – Lewandowski

Will not play: Rozga (injury)

Manager: Jan Urban

Ukraine (4-3-3): Lunin – Romanchuk, Bondar, Matviyenko, Mykolenko – Shaparenko, Brazhko, Malinovskyi – Tsygankov, Yaremchuk, Nazarenko

Will not play: Riznyk, Hutsulyak, Yarmolyuk (all injury), Zabarnyi (with club)

Manager: Andrea Maldera

Head-to-Head Record

These teams have met twice with squads close to their current versions. In a 2020 friendly, Poland won 2-0. In another friendly in 2024, Poland also came out on top, winning 3-1.

Poland vs Ukraine Prediction: Poland to Win at 2.12

• Main prediction: Poland enters this matchup as the favorite, and there are enough reasons to believe it can justify that status. The hosts are expected to field a strong lineup with their key players available. Ukraine, meanwhile, is set to experiment, and the presence of several inexperienced newcomers confirms that. The visitors will also be without their most important defensive player, as Zabarnyi is with PSG. Recent head-to-head history and home support suggest that Andrea Maldera’s team could have a difficult match. Poland will also want to respond after missing out on World Cup 2026, while Lewandowski will be looking to make a statement. Taking all factors into account, the pick is Poland to win at 2.12.
• Goals prediction: Poland should have a good chance to score. The Red and Whites have found the net in five of the last six head-to-head meetings, and their overall scoring streak across all competitions has reached 16 matches. Ukraine, meanwhile, has scored in six of its last seven games, and an attacking line led by Malinovskyi, Yaremchuk and Yarmolenko points to an offensive approach. It makes sense to consider both teams to score — yes at 1.81.
• Correct score prediction: With lineups close to the current ones, Poland scored at least twice against Ukraine in both recent head-to-head games. The Poles have also scored two or more goals in four of their last five matches. If both teams score but the hosts are more active, a 2-1 correct score at 9.00 becomes an interesting option.