Wales vs Kazakhstan predictions, odds and betting tips

Wales begin their World Cup qualification campaign against Kazakhstan this weekend.

Wales vs Kazakhstan best bets

• Wales to win to nil – 4/6 with SBK
• Wales to score in both halves – 4/5 with Betfred
• Brennan Johnson to score any time – 6/4 with bet365

Wales vs Kazakhstan odds

Find the latest match odds for Wales vs Kazakhstan. All odds are provided by our best football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.

Wales vs Kazakhstan predictions

Wales ended their decades-long wait for a second World Cup appearance last time out, as Gareth Bale and co. qualified for Qatar.

Rob Page’s side did not pull up any trees at the tournament, finishing bottom of a group containing England, the USA and Iran. But even being there was an achievement for a country of just over three million.

With World Cup 2026 set to feature 48 teams rather than 32, there will be more opportunities for smaller nations to take part.

However, Europe does not stand to benefit as much as other confederations. Africa will go from five teams to a minimum of nine and Asia’s representation will increase from four or five to at least eight. 

The increase in European sides is more modest, from 13 in 2022 to 16 in 2026. Wales, then, still have a fight on their hands to qualify for the USA, Mexico and Canada.

Finishing top of their qualification group would send the Dragons directly through, but Belgium are the favourites to finish first. Wales have faced the Red Devils regularly in recent years.

With Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein likely to finish fourth and fifth, Wales could be in a direct fight with North Macedonia for second spot and a place in the play-offs.

The golden generation is no more, with Bale having hung up his boots and Aaron Ramsey (who is currently injured) a shadow of his former self. But in Brennan Johnson, Jordan James, Neco Williams and David Brooks, Wales still have quality to call upon, while Ben Davies and Joe Allen provide some much-needed experience.

There were plenty of positives for Welsh fans to take from their performance in the group stage of the Nations League under Craig Bellamy. 

The former Liverpool and Manchester City forward guided his team to promotion to League A, as Wales finished above Turkey, Iceland and Montenegro. Amassing more points than Turkey was particularly impressive given Vincenzo Montella’s men were quarter-finalists at Euro 2024.

Bellamy is an ambitious coach and he will not accept that Wales are incapable of challenging Belgium for top spot. It is crucial, though, that they pick up all three points against Kazakhstan on matchday one ahead of a trickier assignment in North Macedonia on Tuesday.

Wales vs Kazakhstan betting tips

Can Wales get their World Cup qualification campaign off to a winning start on Saturday?

Wales to win to nil

Immediately after taking charge of the national team he represented 78 times as a player, Bellamy set about changing Wales’ approach. 

They are more concerned with possession these days and there has been a notable increase in the team’s intensity compared to Page’s tenure.

Bellamy’s front-footed game plan actually made Wales more defensively secure. Because they had more of the ball, they were able to keep opponents away from their goal for longer periods.

Free Bet Offers

See all the best free bets and betting offers available over at our dedicated page

See all free bets

18+ gambleaware.org. T&Cs apply

Wales only conceded four times in six Nations League matches last year. Of the 15 other teams in League B, only England had a better defensive record.

Bellamy is obsessed with the idea of controlling games and he would be disappointed to see his team concede here. A home game against Kazakhstan should bring Wales a clean sheet.

Back Wales to win to nil at 4/6 with SBK

Wales to score in both halves

The next step for Wales is to be more productive in the final third.

Bellamy’s team found the back of the net nine times in the Nations League, a relatively modest tally considering they won their group.

Wales produced an xG per game of 1.23, so there is room for improvement when it comes to chance creation as well as conversion.

The Dragons should nevertheless have plenty of joy against Kazakhstan, who are currently 110th in the FIFA Rankings – behind Guatemala, Tanzania and Mauritania among others.

We like the hosts’ chances of scoring either side of half-time on Saturday.

Tip Wales to score in both halves at 4/5 with Betfred

Brennan Johnson to score any time

Fulham forward Harry Wilson is out injured at present, so Wales will be without one of their key attackers in this international break.

Kieffer Moore will lead the line against Kazakhstan and his penalty-box presence will be useful against opponents that will spend much of the match defending in a low block.

Moore would also be a good pick in the anytime scorer market, but Wales will look to Johnson for inspiration in advanced areas.

The Tottenham Hotspur man had a strong start to the season domestically, although his output has tailed off more recently.

Still, Johnson has become a more reliable finisher over the last 12 months and he has a respective tally of 14 goals at club level this term. The 23-year-old can make the difference at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Choose Brennan Johnson to score any time at 6/4 with bet365

Read More