North Macedonia vs Slovenia: Match Preview, Predictions and Betting Tips
Published on Saturday, 14 November 2026 by Steve
North Macedonia vs Slovenia
Europe - UEFA Nations League Prediction & Betting Tips
Match Overview
Slovenia edge North Macedonia to stay unbeaten in Nations League - TribalFootball.com
Matchday 6 of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League League B Group 1 campaign brings North Macedonia and Slovenia together at the Nacionalna Arena Toše Proeski in Skopje on Monday, 16 November 2026, with the visitors chasing a promotion play-off place and the hosts simply chasing a goal. It has been a painful autumn for Goce Sedloski's side, who have lost all four of their group games – 0-3 at home to Switzerland, 0-2 away in Ljubljana, 0-2 at home to Scotland and 0-3 away in Lucerne – and arrive at this fixture having failed to score in eight consecutive matches, a staggering drought for a nation that reached Euro 2020 and pushed Italy to the brink in the World Cup play-offs just a few years ago. With zero points from four games and a 0-10 goal difference, the Lynxes are already certain to finish bottom of Group 1, but pride, professionalism and the chance to end a miserable scoreless run are very much on the line in front of their own supporters.
Slovenia, by contrast, travel to Skopje with something tangible to fight for. Under new head coach Boštjan Cesar, who took over in early 2026 after Matjaž Kek's seven-year reign ended following a winless World Cup qualifying campaign, the Slovenians sit second in the group behind Switzerland with seven points from four games – a 0-0 home draw with Scotland, a 2-0 win over this same North Macedonia side, a narrow 2-1 defeat in Lucerne and a superb 2-1 victory at Hampden Park. Slovenia know that the section's runner-up spot – and with it a place in the March 2027 promotion play-offs – is theirs to secure, and a draw in Skopje may well be enough depending on the outcome of their Friday night meeting with the Swiss in Maribor. With Jan Oblak anchoring a disciplined defensive unit and Aljoša Matko emerging as an unlikely goal hero this autumn, Cesar's men are the clear favourites, though they will be without their biggest attacking name in Benjamin Šeško.
For all the disparity in form and FIFA ranking – Slovenia 52nd, North Macedonia 71st – this fixture has historically been extremely tight. The two nations have met six times in total and the record is perfectly balanced at two wins apiece with two draws, including a goalless stalemate in the Nations League play-offs back in 2024 and Slovenia's 2-0 win in Ljubljana eight weeks ago. The hosts' desperation to end their scoring drought against a side that will likely sit deep and manage the game with promotion-play-off calculations in mind points strongly towards a low-tempo, low-scoring evening in the Macedonian capital. Everything about the context – North Macedonia's eight-match scoreless streak, Slovenia's methodical approach, Skopje's cold November evenings – screams caution, and that is exactly where our 0-0 prediction comes from. Check our draw prediction and daily football predictions pages for more value angles on this fixture.
Tactical Preview
Slovenia edge North Macedonia to stay unbeaten in Nations League - TribalFootball.com
Formation & Key Matchups
North Macedonia 3-5-2
Goce Sedloski has persisted with a three-at-the-back system throughout this campaign, but the balance has been all wrong: too many bodies behind the ball, not enough quality between the lines. The wing-back roles – likely filled by veteran Ezgjan Alioski on the left and Bojan Ilievski on the right – are critical, because they are the only genuine width in the side. The midfield trio of captain Enis Bardhi, Eljif Elmas and Boban Nikolov has enormous pedigree on paper – over 220 caps between them – yet none of the three has found the net in this campaign. Elmas dropping between the lines to collect from Stole Dimitrievski will be North Macedonia's main mechanism for progressing the ball, with Bojan Miovski asked to attack crosses with Ljupcho Doriev alongside him.
Slovenia 4-4-2
Boštjan Cesar, a former centre-back with over 100 caps for his country, has instilled exactly the defensive identity you would expect. Slovenia defend in a compact 4-4-2, with Jaka Bijol and Vanja Drkušić forming a strong central pairing in front of Jan Oblak, who conceded only three goals in the entire September-October block. Sandi Lovrić and Adam Gnezda Čerin provide control in midfield, while Aljoša Matko and Danijel Šturm – scorers of the decisive goals at Hampden – offer direct running in behind. Without Benjamin Šeško, Slovenia lack a focal point, which naturally pulls their block slightly deeper and makes them even harder to break down but somewhat less fluent in attack – a trade-off that matters greatly for the goal markets in this game.
Critical Vulnerability
North Macedonia's critical vulnerability is psychological as much as tactical: having gone 720-plus minutes without a goal, players are snatching at chances and over-hitting final balls, which only deepens the anxiety in front of goal. Slovenia's vulnerability is the opposite – with Šeško absent and Elšnik ruled out, their creativity between the lines drops sharply, and against a five-man North Macedonian defence they may simply not generate enough volume of chances to win this game. The tactical styles cancel each other out almost perfectly, which is the strongest single argument for the goalless draw. Our guide to controlling matches tactically explains why teams in Slovenia's position so often settle for a point away from home.
Team News & Squad Status
North Macedonia 📉
- Goce Sedloski named a 26-man squad on 3 November 2026 for the Scotland and Slovenia double-header.
- The Lynxes have lost their last five matches in all competitions and are winless in twelve.
- Remarkably, North Macedonia have not scored a single goal in their last eight matches – a run stretching back to before the September camp.
- All four group games so far have ended in defeat: 0-3, 0-2, 0-2 and 0-3, a combined 0-10 goal difference.
- Captain Enis Bardhi (86 caps, 20 goals, Konyaspor) leads the camp, with Eljif Elmas (83 caps, Atalanta) the creative hub.
- Bojan Miovski (9 goals in 45 caps) starts up front; the 34-year-old Ezgjan Alioski brings experience at wing-back.
- Stole Dimitrievski remains first choice in goal, with Damjan Siskovski and Davor Taleski as back-up.
- Dejan Iliev (unattached) withdrew injured, while Andrej Stojchevski is also out of the picture through injury.
- Gjoko Zajkov and Darko Velkovski are among the experienced defenders not in this selection.
- Sporting director Goran Pandev – the nation's record cap holder and scorer – continues to oversee the rebuild.
Slovenia 📈
- Boštjan Cesar's squad for the Switzerland and North Macedonia fixtures was announced at the start of November.
- Major blow: Benjamin Šeško is injured and misses the entire November window.
- Timi Max Elšnik (Red Star Belgrade) has also withdrawn through injury.
- Atalanta centre-back Relja Obrić, 20, is the exciting new call-up for this camp.
- Adrian Željković (MTK Budapest) returns to the squad for the first time since June.
- Captain Jan Oblak conceded just three goals in the September-October Nations League block and remains one of Europe's elite shot-stoppers.
- Aljoša Matko scored twice in the group – including the winner at Hampden – and Danijel Šturm also netted at Scotland.
- Sandi Lovrić scored in the 2-0 win over North Macedonia in Ljubljana on 29 September.
- Žan Vipotnik opened the scoring in Lucerne; Andraž Šporar and Žan Celar provide veteran cover in attack.
- The Switzerland match on 13 November takes place in Maribor at Ljudski vrt rather than Stožice.
Predicted Lineups
| North Macedonia 3-5-2 | Slovenia 4-4-2 |
|---|---|
| Stole Dimitrievski (GK) | Jan Oblak (GK, c) |
| Visar Musliu | Žan Karničnik |
| Nikola Serafimov | Jaka Bijol |
| Mario Mladenovski | Vanja Drkušić |
| Bojan Ilievski (RWB) | Erik Janža |
| Ezgjan Alioski (LWB) | Adam Gnezda Čerin |
| Boban Nikolov | Sandi Lovrić |
| Enis Bardhi (c) | Aljoša Matko |
| Eljif Elmas | Danijel Šturm |
| Bojan Miovski | Žan Vipotnik |
| Ljupcho Doriev | Andraž Šporar |
Head-to-Head Record
North Macedonia and Slovenia share one of international football's most perfectly balanced modern rivalries. The very first official match in Macedonian football history came against these opponents – a remarkable 4-1 Macedonian victory in Kranj in October 1993 – and the six competitive and friendly meetings since have produced a symmetrical ledger: two wins for each side and two draws. The rivalry's defining chapters came in the 2024 Nations League play-offs, where the teams drew 1-1 in Ljubljana and 0-0 in Skopje before Slovenia prevailed on penalties – a painful memory for the home crowd that will fill the Toše Proeski Arena again here. Most recently, Slovenia won 2-0 in Ljubljana on 29 September 2026 through second-half goals from Sandi Lovrić and Aljoša Matko, meaning Slovenia have kept clean sheets in both of the last two meetings between the sides.
What stands out in the recent data is the declining goal expectancy of this fixture: the last two encounters have produced just two goals in 180 minutes, and both teams now arrive with their attacking units either out of form or depleted by injury. With Slovenia unbeaten in their last three against North Macedonia (one win in 90 minutes, two draws) and the hosts unable to buy a goal, another tight, tactical affair is the most probable outcome. Punters who enjoy this kind of tight European fixture should also explore our GG/NG (both teams to score) and over/under prediction hubs for companion markets.
Key Players Comparison
North Macedonia
- Eljif Elmas – The Atalanta playmaker is the one player capable of magic between the lines; North Macedonia's entire build-up runs through him.
- Enis Bardhi – Captain and set-piece specialist with 20 international goals; from open play he has struggled to influence this campaign.
- Bojan Miovski – Nine goals in 45 caps make him the most reliable finisher in the squad, though starved of service in this winless run.
- Stole Dimitrievski – Has faced a barrage in this campaign (10 goals conceded) yet remains a shot-stopper capable of keeping his side in any game.
Slovenia
- Jan Oblak – Captain, leader and arguably the best goalkeeper on the planet on his day; three goals conceded in four Nations League games tells the story.
- Aljoša Matko – The surprise hero of the autumn with crucial goals against North Macedonia and at Hampden; direct, quick and clinical.
- Jaka Bijol – Udinese's commanding centre-back anchors Cesar's compact 4-4-2 and wins almost everything in the air.
- Sandi Lovrić – The metronome who scored the opener in September's 2-0 win in this very fixture.
The individual comparison is stark in one area above all: goalkeeping and defensive structure. Jan Oblak marshals a Slovenian back four that conceded just three times in four group games, while North Macedonia's attack has mustered zero goals in eight matches despite fielding Serie A-level talents like Elmas and Bardhi. Individual quality in midfield may actually favour the hosts – Elmas is the single most gifted player on the pitch – but football matches between these sides are decided by structure, and Slovenia's structure under a former international centre-back in Cesar is measurably superior. Our clean sheet guide is worth a read before backing any defensive markets here, and the strongest formations analysis shows why 4-4-2 travels so well in November internationals.
The Managers
Goce Sedloski (North Macedonia)
A Macedonian football institution as a player, Sedloski is now fighting the toughest battle of his coaching career. Handed the national team job with the brief of stabilising a squad in transition after the veteran era of Goran Pandev, he has instead overseen a perfect storm: four straight defeats, ten goals conceded, zero scored, and a supporter base growing restless. The 26-man squad named on 3 November mixes the fading core of the Euro 2020 generation with teenagers like Matej Gashtarov, a clear sign that the rebuild is being accelerated.
Sedloski's task in Skopje is less about tactics than about psychology – restoring belief in front of goal for a group that has forgotten how to celebrate. With sporting director Pandev watching from the stands, a competitive, energetic performance against Slovenia would buy the project time even in defeat.
Boštjan Cesar (Slovenia)
Cesar inherited a bruised dressing room in early 2026 after Matjaž Kek's departure following a winless World Cup qualifying campaign, but the former defender – capped 101 times and a 2010 World Cup veteran – has quietly restored order. Seven points from four Nations League games, including a landmark win at Hampden Park, have Slovenia second in the group and within touching distance of the promotion play-offs.
Cesar's philosophy is pragmatic and unmistakably his own: defend with discipline, concede nothing cheaply, and pick moments to strike through Matko, Šturm and Vipotnik. Managing this final-week double-header without Šeško and Elšnik will test his squad depth, but the play-off carrot – and the draw on 20 November that follows – gives his November mission crystal clarity: do not lose in Skopje.
Betting Predictions & Tips
Odds: 1.65
Nothing in the data supports a goal-fest. North Macedonia have gone eight straight matches without scoring and have mustered zero goals in four Nations League games, while Slovenia play a Cesar-era brand of risk-averse football that conceded just three times in the entire group phase and has kept clean sheets in each of the last two meetings between these teams. The reverse fixture produced two goals, the 2024 play-off second leg in this very stadium produced none. Under 2.5 at 1.65 is the safest angle on the card and anchors our entire 0-0 thesis. See our over/under hub for more totals plays.
Odds: 8.50
The correct score market is where this game pays. North Macedonia's eight-game scoreless streak meets a Slovenian side missing Šeško and Elšnik that may arrive content with a point if results elsewhere go their way – and the sides already drew 0-0 in Skopje in the 2024 play-offs. A repeat of that scoreline at 8.50 is outstanding value for a fixture this sterile. Our dedicated correct score tips page tracks exactly these kinds of low-variance spots.
Odds: 1.72
One team in this fixture literally cannot score right now – North Macedonia have failed to find the net in eight consecutive internationals, while Slovenia have conceded only three goals in four group games behind Oblak, Bijol and Drkušić. Even if the hosts' drought ends on home soil, expecting both defences to be breached in the same evening contradicts everything this rivalry has produced recently. Pair this with the under for a strong combo on our GG/NG page.
Odds: 3.10
There is a live scenario in which Slovenia, having played Switzerland in Maribon on the Friday, arrives in Skopje knowing a point secures the runner-up spot – in which case expect heavy rotation and a deeply conservative game plan. Even without that scenario, North Macedonia at home in a nothing-to-lose fixture against a blunt attack is a classic stalemate setup. The draw has landed in two of the last three meetings between these nations. For a safer derivative, the draw no bet market protects against late heartbreak, and our double chance guide covers the hedged alternatives.
Odds: 2.10
If you expect the 0-0 but want shorter odds, the half-time version at just over evens is the sharpest speculative play on the board. Cagey November internationals between Balkan neighbours rarely ignite before the break – the 2024 play-off leg here was goalless at half-time, as was September's meeting in Ljubljana. Alternatively, Slovenia win to nil at 2.90 rewards belief that the visitors' superior structure eventually tells without their absent stars needing to fire twice. Build your slip around our banker of the day methodology and stake sensibly via the sure-win framework.
📊 Final Score Prediction
Match Analysis
Our prediction is a 0-0 draw – and it is one of the most evidence-backed scorelines we have posted all season. North Macedonia have not scored in eight consecutive internationals, a drought that spans the entire autumn and includes home games against weaker attacks than this. Even with Eljif Elmas pulling the strings and Bojan Miovski leading the line, the hosts' shot quality has collapsed: they are creating half-chances and snatching at them, the classic symptom of a team that has forgotten how to win. Against a Slovenian defence marshalled by Jan Oblak that has conceded three goals in four group games, the realistic ceiling for the hosts is a handful of long-range efforts and set-piece scraps.
Slovenia, meanwhile, travel without Benjamin Šeško – their talisman and focal point – and without Timi Max Elšnik, one of their most progressive midfielders. Boštjan Cesar's side already plays the most conservative brand of football in League B1, and with a promotion play-off place potentially secured by a point, there is every incentive to manage this game rather than dominate it. The last meeting in Skopje between these two nations finished 0-0; the last two meetings overall have produced two goals in 180 minutes. Cold November night, dead-rubber hosts, rotation-risk visitors, elite goalkeeper at one end, scoring crisis at the other – all roads lead to 0-0. Readers building accumulators should anchor this game through our draw picks and must-win teams today pages rather than chasing a winner in either direction.
Key Insights & Statistics
- North Macedonia have failed to score in their last eight international matches – the longest active drought in European international football.
- The hosts have lost all four group games (0-3, 0-2, 0-2, 0-3) and are certain to finish bottom of League B1.
- Slovenia have conceded just three goals in four Nations League games; Jan Oblak kept three clean sheets in that span.
- Slovenia sit second in Group 1 with seven points, chasing the runner-up promotion play-off spot ahead of the 20 November draw.
- Benjamin Šeško (injured) and Timi Max Elšnik (injured) both miss the November window for Slovenia; Relja Obrić is the debutant call-up.
- The H2H record is perfectly balanced: two wins each and two draws from six meetings, including a 0-0 in Skopje in the 2024 play-offs.
- Slovenia won the reverse fixture 2-0 on 29 September 2026 through Sandi Lovrić and Aljoša Matko.
- Both of the last two H2H meetings have ended in Slovenia clean sheets; Under 2.5 goals has landed in four of the last five encounters.
- North Macedonia's 26-man squad was named on 3 November 2026; veterans Bardhi (captain), Elmas, Alioski and Nikolov anchor a transitional group.
- Slovenia play Switzerland at Ljudski vrt in Maribor on Friday 13 November – three days before this trip – making rotation a live possibility.
- Boštjan Cesar replaced Matjaž Kek (2018–2025) as Slovenia coach in early 2026 after the winless World Cup qualifying campaign.
- The first official match in Macedonian football history was a 4-1 win over Slovenia in Kranj in October 1993.
Conclusion
North Macedonia vs Slovenia on Monday, 16 November 2026 is a fixture defined by contrasting emotions: desperation at one end of the Toše Proeski pitch, cautious ambition at the other. The hosts are playing for pride and for the simple dignity of ending an eight-match scoreless streak in front of their own fans, while the visitors are calculating pathways to a March 2027 promotion play-off and will not take a single unnecessary risk in pursuit of it. When a team that cannot score meets a team that does not want to concede, the market's favourite scoreline is almost always 0-0 – and this rivalry's recent history, including a goalless draw in this very stadium two years ago, backs that up emphatically.
From a betting perspective, the angles stack beautifully: Under 2.5 goals at 1.65 as the anchor, both teams to score – No at 1.72, the draw at 3.10, and the 8.50 on offer for the exact 0-0 scoreline as the standout value play of the international break. Even the speculative half-time 0-0 at 2.10 has strong supporting logic given how slowly both of these teams start matches. Everything about the tactical matchup – Sedloski's blunt 3-5-2 against Cesar's disciplined 4-4-2, Oblak's wall against a misfiring forward line – points to the lowest of low-scoring encounters. Our sure draws and win either half pages carry complementary picks for your slip.
Expect a tense, tactical, largely chance-free evening in Skopje, illuminated only by the duel between Eljif Elmas's creativity and Jan Oblak's goalkeeping, and settled – if at all – by a single moment of quality that, on current evidence, neither depleted attack is likely to produce. North Macedonia 0-0 Slovenia is our official prediction, and it is the result both the form book and the occasion demand. For the final word on all of this week's internationals, keep our bet of the day and hot predictions pages bookmarked throughout the November window.
