Venezuela vs Trinidad and Tobago – News and Probable Lineups

Venezuela is set to clash with Trinidad e Tobago at the Pakhtakor Markaziy Stadium in an international friendly as part of the 2026 FIFA Series this Friday.

This friendly tournament marks its inaugural edition, and with both teams having missed out on qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, they will be eager for a morale-boosting result.

Match overview

Venezuela and Trinidad e Tobago are part of a four-team group that also includes Uzbequistão and Gabão, with each team scheduled to play two matches on March 27 and March 30.

As a prelude to the World Cup, the FIFA Series is designed to enable national teams to play cross-confederation matches leading up to major tournaments.

This two-day event features separate groups, with winners reported on the final day. Venezuela aims to secure only their second win in seven matches and start the year positively.

La Vinotinto has faced five defeats in their past six matches across all competitions, suffering consecutive losses to Uruguai, Argentina, and Colômbia in their last three World Cup qualifying encounters.

In their last match, they needed a victory against Colômbia to secure seventh place in the CONMEBOL standings and a spot in the inter-confederation playoffs, but were overwhelmed 6-3 at the Estadio Monumental de Maturin.

Following a 2-0 defeat to Canadá in a friendly last November, Venezuela is hoping to clinch a much-needed win against an opponent that they have not beaten in their last six encounters, having lost three and drawn three since November 1971.

On the other hand, Trinidad e Tobago’s aspirations for the 2026 World Cup ended during the third round of the CONCACAF qualifiers, where they finished third in Group B, accumulating seven points out of a possible 18.

Under the guidance of Derek King, they lost just one match in the group but dropped points in four others, resulting in four draws, with their sole victory occurring on October 10, a dominant 3-0 win over Bermuda at the Bermuda National Stadium.

Trinidad will approach Friday’s match following a frustrating start to the year, having been defeated 3-0 by Bolívia in their first friendly on March 15.

Having scored in each of their previous four fixtures, the Soca Warriors struggled against Bolívia, who saw Luis Haquin, Juan Godoy, and Fernando Nava scoring in a commanding team effort.

Team News

Salomon Rondon, aged 36 and with 120 caps, continues to be a key player for Venezuela, leading a squad of 27 listed for the FIFA Series.

Rondon, who found the net once and assisted another in the 6-3 defeat against Colômbia, has scored nine times in 12 matches for Pachuca in the Mexican Liga MX this season and is expected to spearhead La Vinotinto’s attack again.

Jon Aramburu, a defender from Real Sociedad, is also included in the squad and is likely to start at the back, while Inter Miami’s Telasco Segovia will likely command midfield.

Trinidad has assembled a 24-man squad for the friendly tournament, with experienced players like Justin Garcia, Reon Moore, who is based in China, and 28-year-old Levi Garcia leading the way.

The Soca Warriors are also welcoming fresh talent, including goalkeeper Teshorne Ragoo, defender Jaylen Yearwood, 18-year-old Adam Pierre, and striker Jaheim Faustin from San Juan Jabloteh, who may all be set for their senior debuts.

Nathaniel James, a forward from North Texas, was a standout player during the World Cup qualifiers, scoring three goals and providing one assist, and the 21-year-old will aim to continue that trend.

Venezuela probable starting XI:

Contreras; Aramburu, Ferrarresi, Quintero, Vivas; Segovia, Casseres, D Martinez, Mendoza; Marques, Rondon

Trinidad e Tobago probable starting XI:

Smith; Powder, J Garcia, Cardines, Payne; Rampersad, Muckette, Gill; James, L Garcia, Telfer

Even though Venezuela has been struggling in recent matches, their record against Trinidad should bring some optimism ahead of the opening fixture. La Vinotinto has a more experienced squad on paper, and we anticipate they will secure all three points at the Pakhtakor Markaziy Stadium.