Ireland vs Hungary Lineups, Predictions & Betting Tips

Ireland vs Hungary Lineups, Predictions & Betting Tips Predictions, Lineups & Betting Tips

Match Details: Sep 6, 2025 | Aviva Stadium | FIFA Club World Cup Qualifier | 19:45 GMT

It’s been 23 years since Ireland last featured at a World Cup, but the road to 2026 offers cautious optimism. A group of just four teams means two qualification spots are on the table, and the Boys in Green arrive unbeaten in 2025 (W2, D2). Their Nations League play-off win over Bulgaria also kept them in League B, a small but important step in maintaining momentum under Heimir Hallgrímsson.

Hungary’s absence is even more glaring, 40 years and counting since their last World Cup appearance in 1986. They showed promise in the 2022 campaign but could only finish fourth behind England, Poland, and Albania. Recent results have been mixed: relegation to Nations League B, a friendly defeat to Sweden, but also a gritty 2-1 win away in Azerbaijan.

Ireland are missing Troy Parrott, who’s been in hot form for AZ Alkmaar but is sidelined through injury, while veteran Seamus Coleman is overlooked due to limited minutes at club level. That leaves Evan Ferguson as the focal point of the attack. The 19-year-old has made an impressive start on loan at Roma, winning man-of-the-match honours in their Serie A opener and setting up a goal against Pisa last weekend.

Hungary have included three uncapped players in their squad, among them 30-year-old Barna Tóth. Their biggest threats are far more familiar: Barnabás Varga remains the main source of goals, having struck in the recent win over Azerbaijan and posting 12 goal contributions in just 11 club games this season. Dominik Szoboszlai is the other obvious danger, fresh from scoring a spectacular goal for Liverpool at the weekend. While he has been used at full-back for his club, he is expected to dictate the game from midfield for his country.

Ireland will hope their combative midfield duo of Josh Cullen and Jason Knight can disrupt Szoboszlai’s influence, but there’s no doubt the Liverpool star will arrive in Dublin as the standout player on either side. Ferguson, meanwhile, offers Ireland versatility in attack, equally capable of dropping deeper into a creative role or playing as a traditional target man. Varga also has fond memories of facing Irish opposition, having been directly involved in three goals against Shamrock Rovers in European competition last year.

Ireland’s recent home record is another source of encouragement, as even defeats to France and the Netherlands in Dublin during Euro 2024 qualifying were narrow. Their manager has spoken confidently about what this side can achieve, and with Hungary having dipped since their peak of recent Euros campaigns, the momentum may just be with the hosts. Still, with both sides often short of goals and Portugal looming large in the group, this could be a tense and cagey affair where one moment of quality from Szoboszlai, Ferguson or Varga makes the difference.

Key Betting Tip: Ireland Draw No Bet @ 1.8 odds (Ladbrokes) represents excellent value based on the tip provided by our team of in-house tipsters.

Ireland vs Hungary Predicted Lineups

Ireland Predicted XI: Kelleher, O'Brien, Collins, O'Shea, Manning, Cullen, Knight, Taylor, Szmodics, Ferguson, Ogbene.

Hungary Predicted XI: Gulácsi, Szalai, Orbán, Botka, Négo, Nagy, Styles, Szoboszlai, Sallai, Ádám, Varga

Last 5 H2H Results

04/06/24 Ireland 2-1 Hungary (FRI) 08/06/21 Hungary 0-0 Ireland (FRI) 04/06/12 Hungary 0-0 Ireland (FRI) 03/06/89 Ireland 2-0 Hungary (WCQ) 07/03/89 Hungary 0-0 Ireland (WCQ)

Recent Ireland vs Hungary Matches Analysis

These two sides met just last year at the Aviva Stadium as Hungary prepared for their latest apperance at the finals of the European Championships. Ireland won the friendly thanks to a late Troy Parrott breakaway goal but there shouldn't bee too much stock put into that result with Hungary looking disinterested for much of the contest with the Euros fast approaching.

Both of these teams will be in League B of the next Nations League cycle and with two scoreless draws from the last three meetings, this appeals as being a very tight contest in Dublin.

Ireland Last 5 Matches:

Luxembourg 0-0 Ireland (FRI)Ireland 1-1 Senegal (FRI)Ireland 2-1 Bulgaria (UNL)Bulgaria 1-2 Ireland (UNL)England 5-0 Ireland (UNL)

Recent results have been encouraging with Ireland easily sweeping aside a poor Bulgaria side across two legs of a Nations League play-off before holding Senegal to a draw in Dublin. However, Senegal rested many key players days before their subsequent win away to England and Ireland failed to build on that with a lacklustre display away to Luxembourg.

Hungary Last 5 Matches:

Azerbijan 1-2 Hungary (FRI)Hungary 0-2 Sweden (FRI)Hungary 0-3 Turkey (UNL)Turkey 3-1 Hungary (UNL)Hungary 1-1 Germany (UNL)

While the Turkish team appear to be enjoying a good time of things at the moment, you still would have expected Hungary to be a lot more competitive in that two legged Nations League play-off. However, a draw against Germany, albeit not a vintage crop, does show the quality Hungary contain but that win came at home. On the road, Hungary have lost three of their last five matches.

Ireland vs Hungary Predictions

With Ireland unbeaten in their last three home matches and pushing the likes of France and Holland close in Dublin in recent years, the Boys in Green should pick up some sort of points return ahead of a crucial trip to Armenia on Tuesday.

Ireland aren't blessed with goal scorers at present but do have a gritty defence and midfield so expect a low scoring affair.

Ireland vs Hungary Betting Tips

Football Park’s Best Bet: Under 3.5 goals @ 1.22 odss (Betfred)

Key Players to Watch: Ireland vs Hungary

Evan Ferguson (Ireland): Fergie has had a good start to his life in Italy on loan at Roma. Voted Man of the Match in week one, he set up the winner in week two and should be starting to feel fitter having played so few minutes for Brighton/West Ham last season.

Chiedozie Ogbene (Ireland): A menance for opposition defences given his pace, Ogbenne missed many of the recent internations through injury but will have a big part to play in this window with games against Hungary and Armenia. Versatile having played as a wing back and attacker during his career, Ogbene's pace could be a game changer for Ireland once again.

Dominik Szoboszlai (Hungary): Fresh from scoring a screamer against Arsenal on Sunday, Dominik Szoboszlai is likely to slip back into a midfield position for his country having played at full-back for Liverpool in recent weeks.

Barnabás Varga (Hungary): Currently managed by Irish legend Robbie Keane at Ferencváros, Varaga has hit the ground running under the Tallaght native this season with four goals in five league matches. He also scored a goal and made two across two legs against Irish side Shamrock Rovers in 2023.

Ireland vs Hungary Match Facts

Referee: Harm Osmers (Germany): A 40-year-old from Bremen, Osmers has been a FIFA listed referee since 2020 and has a diploma in business administration. Having made his league debut in 2016, fifteen years after he first picked up the whistle, Osmers took charge of this years German Super Cup between Stuttgart and Bayern Munich. Currently, he is averaging over four cards per game this season and is yet to award a penalty or send a player off.

Broadcast Details:

Ireland: RTE 2

Stadium Information: Aviva Stadium (Dublin): Aviva Stadium, formerly Lansdowne Road, is a sports stadium located in Dublin, Ireland. It has a capacity of 51,711. Owned by the IRFU, Ireland's rugby team play here as well as the national football team. The venue staged the 2023/24 Europa League final and the 2011 final as well.