North Macedonia

World Cup 2026 Analysis

North Macedonia's pursuit of a spot in the FIFA World Cup 2026 is ongoing, with the team having secured a place in the play-offs via their UEFA Nations League ranking after finishing third in their qualification group. Their journey so far has been marked by a mix of resilient performances and a challenging path ahead.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Prospects and Analysis

North Macedonia will participate in the European play-offs, where they have been drawn into Path D. Their first play-off match is against Denmark on March 26, 2026. Should they overcome Denmark, they will face the winner of the match between Czechia and Ireland in the play-off final. Both of these potential matches will be away games. If North Macedonia successfully navigates these play-offs, it would mark their first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance as an independent nation.

Their prospects are challenging, as they are considered underdogs in their play-off path. Denmark is ranked significantly higher (21st) than North Macedonia (66th) in FIFA rankings, with Czechia (44th) and Ireland (59th) also holding higher positions.

Team Overview

North Macedonia competed in UEFA Group J for the 2026 World Cup qualification. The group also included Belgium, Wales, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein. North Macedonia finished third in this group with 13 points from eight matches, recording three wins, four draws, and one loss, with a goal difference of +3 (13 goals for, 10 against).

Key players in the squad include Napoli's Eljif Elmas and captain Enis Bardhi, who plays for Konyaspor in Turkey. Bojan Miovski is noted as one of their top goal scorers in the 2026 World Cup Qualification campaign with 3 goals, while Aleksandar Trajkovski and Enis Bardhi each have 2 goals. Ezgjan Alioski has been prominent in duels won and chances created, alongside Enis Bardhi. Stole Dimitrievski of Valencia is a key goalkeeper. The team is currently managed by Blagoja Milevski.

The national team's roster is primarily composed of players who compete for smaller teams across Europe. Recent news indicates that American-born forward Danny Musovski, coming off a prolific 2025 season, could be called up for the upcoming qualifiers, potentially bolstering their attacking options.

Latest News

In the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification, North Macedonia secured a 1-0 victory over Kazakhstan, with Aleksandar Trajkovski scoring, maintaining an unbeaten record of two wins and two draws at that point in the qualifiers. They also notably held Belgium to a 1-1 draw and secured a 5-0 win against Liechtenstein. However, they suffered a significant 7-1 defeat to Wales in November 2025. In a previous World Cup qualification cycle (for 2022), North Macedonia famously defeated reigning European champions Italy in the play-off semi-final before losing to Portugal in the final.

Off the field, North Macedonian football experienced a match-fixing scandal in its second-tier league in May 2025, which led to an official statement from the Football Federation of North Macedonia threatening sanctions against the involved clubs.

The upcoming schedule for North Macedonia includes the crucial World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final against Denmark on March 26, 2026.