Germany take on Finland in a first pre-World Cup friendly to shake off the cobwebs before the real competition gets under way next month.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side skulks around the second tier of favorites for this year’s tournament. After consecutive group-stage exits at the previous two World Cups, Germany can no longer be considered in the same bracket as the likes of Argentina, Spain, France or England, nations that boast multiple runs to competition finals in recent years.
In an attempt to rediscover that winning mentality which saw Germany perennially billed as a Turniermannschaft—a tournament team—Nagelsmann has recalled one of the veterans from the 2014 World Cup triumph, Manuel Neuer. Bayern Munich’s 40-year-old goalkeeper promptly picked up a calf strain which will keep him out of Sunday’s friendly in Mainz.
Oliver Baumann shouldn’t be too busy up against a Finland side which has failed to make it to the World Cup, finishing behind the Netherlands and Poland in its qualification group.
Nevertheless, it will be intriguing to see how Nagelsmann sets his outfielders up in his penultimate game before Germany’s World Cup begins with a tricky slate of group-stage fixtures against Curaçao, Côte d’Ivoire and Ecuador.
What Time Does Germany vs. Finland Kick Off?
- Location: Mainz, Germany
- Stadium: MWEA ARENA
- Date: Sunday, May 31
- Kickoff Time: 7:45 p.m. BST / 2:45 p.m. ET / 11:45 a.m. PT
- Referee: Matheus Candancan (BRA)
How to Watch Germany vs. Finland on TV, Live Stream
Germany has disappointed at back-to-back World Cups. | Marvin Ibo Guengoer/GES Sportfoto/Getty Images
For those who simply can’t wait for the World Cup to kick off, there are ample options to tune in for Germany’s friendly. Viewers in the U.S. can catch the action on Fox Sports and fuboTV, while Mexico’s coverage is carried chiefly by Sky Sports.
Canadian viewers can get their fix of international friendlies on DAZN but U.K. spectators will have to put their hand in their pocket for a preview of Germany’s World Cup credentials. Amazon Prime are covering the fixture but it will cost a small fee.
Country
TV/Live Stream
United Kingdom
Amazon Prime PPV
United States
Fox Sports 2, fuboTV, Foxsports.com, ViXFOX Sports App, FOX One
Canada
DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada
Mexico
Sky Sports Mexico, Sky+, izzi
- MORE: Full list of international friendly broadcasters around the world
What Next for Germany?
Julian Nagelsmann will hope to get Germany past the group stage for the first time since 2014. | Ralf Ibing/firo sportphoto/Getty Images
Germany still has one more friendly to navigate before the real fun can begin—but there will be plenty of interest in a clash with co-hosts USMNT on Saturday, June 6. Mauricio Pochettino’s Stars and Stripes have hand-picked a high-profile roll-call of pre-tournament clashes to tune up for a tournament on home turf.
The thinking behind playing the likes of Belgium, Portugal, Senegal and Germany is sound—after years with limited competitive action given a lack of World Cup qualifiers, Pochettino wants to stress test his players before the World Cup gets underway. Unfortunately, the advent of the UEFA Nations League and this year’s scheduling of the Africa Cup of Nations ensured that the USMNT were only able to play opponents of this lofty caliber in the three months immediately before crunch time.
It remains to be seen if Germany will add to the existential dread creeping into the U.S. camp ahead of a potentially embarrassing home tournament.
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