Blagoja Milevski, the head coach of the Macedonian national football team, held a press conference today to announce the 27-player roster for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Belgium and Kazakhstan, scheduled for June. This list features one debutant, right back Stefan Despotovski, who has previously showcased his talent in the U21 national team and currently plays for the Serbian Super League club OFK Beograd.
Unfortunately, the squad has experienced some setbacks, as defenders Nikola Serafimov and Darko Velkovski, along with forward Lirim Qamili, will miss out due to injuries. Several other players, including Dimoski, Alimi, and Miovski, are currently recovering from their injuries. Notably, David Babunski was omitted from the lineup likely due to limited playing time at his club.
The Macedonian squad includes notable players such as Stole Dimitrievski, currently with Valencia, and Elif Elmas from Torino, indicating a blend of experience and emerging talents.
Macedonia’s first match will be against Belgium in Skopje on June 6, followed by a trip to Astana for the game against Kazakhstan on June 9. Tickets for the game against Belgium will go on sale today at 18:30 CET.
Players are scheduled to meet in Skopje on Thursday, with the first training session set to take place at 18:00 CET at the Petar Miloševski training center in Novo Lisiche.
Historically, Macedonia has struggled against Belgium, with four encounters resulting in no wins, while they enjoyed success against Kazakhstan with a decisive 4-0 victory in their only previous match. This upcoming series presents an opportunity for the Macedonian team to aim for impressive performances, as they look to build on their past victories and improve on their record against stronger opponents.