Germany head into Monday night looking to punch their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Slovakia standing in their way in what feels like an early do-or-die playoff in UEFA qualifying.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side are still struggling to find their rhythm, even after a laboured 2-0 win over Luxembourg in which Newcastle United forward Nick Woltemade bailed them out with both goals. It was far from a statement performance for a team of Germany’s pedigree.

Slovakia, led by Francesco Calzona, once Maurizio Sarri’s right-hand man, scraped past Northern Ireland thanks to a dramatic stoppage-time strike from Tomas Bebcko. They sit level on points with Germany but trail only on goal difference, something that will sting given UEFA’s return to goal difference as the primary tiebreaker instead of head-to-head meetings. After all, Slovakia already proved they can take down Die Mannschaft, having beaten them 2-0 in Bratislava earlier in the campaign.

Over the last year and a half, Slovakia have shown they relish facing heavyweight opponents, especially when they’re afforded space to play. Even so, Germany will still enter the matchup as slight favourites to take a crucial step toward securing their place in North America next summer.

Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.

How to watch Germany vs Slovakia online – TV channels & live streams

In the United States (US), the match between Germany and Slovakia will be available to watch and stream online live through Fubo, FS2, DirecTV Stream and ViX.

Check out GOAL’s Live Match Centre for updates.

How to watch anywhere with VPN

If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL‘s guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.

Germany vs Slovakia kick-off time

The match between Germany and Slovakia will be played at Red Bull Arena Leipzig in Leipzig, Germany.

It will kick off at 11:45 am PT / 2:45 pm ET on Monday, November 17, 2025, in the US.

Team news & squadsGermany vs Slovakia Probable lineupsInjuries and Suspended playersGermany team news

It’s been a stop-start spell for Julian Nagelsmann, but Germany will still feel upbeat after stringing together three victories before the November international window. Even so, last month’s narrow 1-0 win over Northern Ireland did little to convince. Die Mannschaft looked disjointed for long stretches and were let off the hook more than once on Belfast counterattacks.

Nagelsmann is expected to stick with Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlovic as his double pivot, while Karim Adeyemi and Florian Wirtz should once again be tasked with injecting invention behind Nick Woltemade. Germany’s possession-heavy approach will naturally see them hog the ball, but their biggest challenge will be tightening up in defensive transition, ensuring they aren’t caught flat-footed when they lose it.

Slovakia team news

On the other side, Francesco Calzona and Slovakia face an uphill battle on the final matchday of World Cup qualifying. A positive result in Leipzig is essential if they’re to guarantee at least a playoff berth and keep their dream of reaching the World Cup for only the second time. Fortunately for them, this matchup may play right into their tactical strengths. Calzona’s squad are well-drilled and perfectly comfortable operating without the lion’s share of possession.

Their 4-3-3 shape collapses into a compact 4-5-1 when they’re out of possession, with Michal Duris and Lukáš Haraslín dropping deeper to reinforce the midfield trio of TomášRigo, Ondrej Duda, and MatúšBero. Up front, David Strelec will shoulder a crucial role as the lone striker, tasked with holding the ball up and linking play for the onrushing wide men and midfield runners.

Form

Goal Scored (Conceded)
10/3
Games over 2.5 goals
2/5
Both teams scored
1/5
Goal Scored (Conceded)
6/2
Games over 2.5 goals
0/5
Both teams scored
0/5

Head-to-Head Record

Games over 2.5 goals
4/5
Both teams scored
3/5

StandingsUseful links