3 · 2 October 2026, 18:45 UTC

Ukraine vs Northern Ireland UEFA Nations League prediction

Our model says: Ukraine 1–0 Northern Ireland

The model makes it 42% Ukraine, 31% draw, 27% Northern Ireland — fair odds of 2.38, 3.23 and 3.70. Fair odds are simply 100 ÷ the probability; they are the model's own number, not a bookmaker's price.

Most likely scoreline: 1-0 (14%).

Expected goals: Ukraine 1.36, Northern Ireland 0.90.

Both teams to score: 45%. Over 2.5 goals: 39%, under 2.5: 61%.

Model confidence: Medium.

Published

Live win probability

From kick-off
Ukraine42%2.38
Draw31%3.23
Northern Ireland27%3.70

These update every few seconds once the match kicks off, as the model re-reads the score, the clock and any red cards. The second figure is fair odds — 100 ÷ probability, the price with no margin in it.

Model insights: Ukraine vs Northern Ireland

45%
Both teams to score
39%
Over 2.5 goals
61%
Under 2.5 goals
Most likely scorelines1-0 14%1-1 13%0-0 11%

Every scoreline the model considered

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011941
1141362
210941
3442
411
5
Ukraine goals ↓ Northern Ireland goals →

Each cell is one exact result, shaded against the likeliest one; figures below 1% are left blank rather than rounded to zero. Blue cells are Ukraine wins, grey are draws, red are Northern Ireland wins — the three shaded areas ARE the 1/X/2 split above, which is the sum of the cells in each. The most likely scoreline is simply the darkest cell inside whichever area the model favours.

Has the model earned this number?

It puts Ukraine at 42% here. Across 2496 settled matches, 1127 forecasts have landed in the 40–50% band; those outcomes actually happened 44.4% of the time, against an average forecast of 43.8%. In this range the two line up, so the figure above can be read literally.

Every settled prediction on this site is scored against an uninformed baseline, band by band, and published whether or not it flatters the model — see the full record.

The two sides

Ukraine carry a model rating of 6.91 against 6.75 for Northern Ireland. The scale is anchored so that an average side in one of Europe's big five leagues sits at 6.85, and it is adjusted for the strength of each team's league, so the two numbers are comparable even across borders.

What the model expects

Under the hood the model expects 1.36 goals for Ukraine and 0.90 for Northern Ireland. Those two numbers, not the scoreline, are what the model actually estimates; everything else is derived from them.

Ukraine rate 1.05 in attack and 0.93 in defence, where 1 is league average and a lower defensive number is better; Northern Ireland rate 0.77 and 0.96.

How this was produced

Publicly tracked record so far: 1178 correct results out of 2496 settled predictions (47%), with 236 exact scorelines (9%). That log is updated automatically after every match and is never edited.

Full method: how the model works.

From the first whistle this page keeps going: the win probabilities at the top are recalculated as the match plays out, reading the score, the clock and any sendings-off. The same model, asked how many goals are left rather than how many there will be.

Statistical estimate, not betting advice This prediction is generated from a statistical model for entertainment and informational purposes only. It does not guarantee any outcome and should not be used as the basis for placing a bet.

Team comparison

Bars show each side's share of the two-team total, based on the model's attack/defence ratings and expected goals for this fixture.

Why the model favours this side

The model gives Ukraine the highest probability at 42%, based on each side's rolling attack and defence ratings estimated from recent match data. The model projects 1.36 expected goals for Ukraine against 0.9 for Northern Ireland. Ukraine's attack/defence rating is 1.05/0.93 versus the league average (1.00 = average), compared with 0.77/0.96 for Northern Ireland.