Germany suffered a historic setback in their bid to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, falling 2–0 to Slovakia in their Group A opener at Tehelné Pole Stadium. The result marked Germany’s first-ever away defeat in World Cup qualifying history, ending an unbeaten run of 52 away matches in the competition.
Slovakia, playing in front of a raucous home crowd, struck first in the 42nd minute when defender Dávid Hancko powered home a header. Their advantage was doubled just after the restart, with David Strelec finding the net in the 55th minute to seal a famous victory.
The defeat compounds Germany’s struggles under coach Julian Nagelsmann, who has now overseen three straight competitive losses, following Nations League defeats to Portugal and France in June. Speaking after the match, Nagelsmann criticized his players’ performance, citing a lack of “emotional intensity” and commitment.
With only five matches left in the qualifying round, Germany must now win all remaining fixtures to avoid the risk of a playoff spot. Slovakia, buoyed by their historic win, will next face Luxembourg, while Germany travel to Belfast to take on Northern Ireland.
