
Belgium vs North Macedonia, 2026 World Cup Qualifying - UEFA, Group Stage
· FIFA World Cup Qualifying - UEFAAbout
Belgium are hosting North Macedonia
at Planet Group Arena, Ghent, Belgium, starting on
. The match is a part of the FIFA World Cup Qualifying - UEFA.
Match Commentary
- 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
- 0': First Half begins.
- 4': Attempt missed. Jani Atanasov (North Macedonia) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
- 5': Foul by Stefan Ashkovski (North Macedonia).
- 5': Jérémy Doku (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 6': Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium) has gone down, but the referee deems it simulation.
- 6': Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium) is shown the yellow card.
- 8': Ezgjan Alioski (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 8': Foul by Timothy Castagne (Belgium).
- 9': Attempt blocked. Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Timothy Castagne.
- 10': Dangerous play by Jérémy Doku (Belgium).
- 10': Tihomir Kostadinov (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 11': Foul by Andrej Stojchevski (North Macedonia).
- 11': Jérémy Doku (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 13': Attempt blocked. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
- 13': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Andrej Stojchevski.
- 15': Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium).
- 15': Gjoko Zajkov (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 17': Offside, Belgium. Kevin De Bruyne is caught offside.
- 19': Offside, Belgium. Jérémy Doku is caught offside.
- 20': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Stefan Ashkovski.
- 20': Attempt missed. Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne following a corner.
- 21': Enis Bardhi (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 21': Foul by Nicolas Raskin (Belgium).
- 22': Corner, North Macedonia. Conceded by Alexis Saelemaekers.
- 23': Attempt blocked. Jani Atanasov (North Macedonia) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
- 25': Foul by Bojan Miovski (North Macedonia).
- 25': Nicolas Raskin (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 26': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Stefan Ashkovski.
- 26': Attempt blocked. Leandro Trossard (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jérémy Doku.
- 26': Attempt blocked. Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
- 27': Attempt blocked. Jérémy Doku (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Hans Vanaken.
- 27': Bojan Miovski (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 27': Foul by Maxim De Cuyper (Belgium).
- 28': Bojan Miovski (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 28': Foul by Zeno Debast (Belgium).
- 30': Foul by Stefan Ashkovski (North Macedonia).
- 30': Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 30': Stefan Ashkovski (North Macedonia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 31': Attempt missed. Leandro Trossard (Belgium) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Maxim De Cuyper with a cross following a set piece situation.
- 32': Ezgjan Alioski (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 32': Foul by Leandro Trossard (Belgium).
- 33': Attempt blocked. Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jérémy Doku.
- 34': Attempt blocked. Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Maxim De Cuyper.
- 38': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Stefan Ashkovski.
- 40': Attempt missed. Timothy Castagne (Belgium) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
- 42': Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 42': Foul by Jani Atanasov (North Macedonia).
- 43': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Tihomir Kostadinov.
- 43': Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium).
- 43': Stefan Ashkovski (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 45': Attempt missed. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Jérémy Doku.
- 45'+1': Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.
- 45'+1': First Half ends, Belgium 0, North Macedonia 0.
- 45': Second Half begins Belgium 0, North Macedonia 0.
- 45': Substitution, North Macedonia. Darko Churlinov replaces Stefan Ashkovski.
- 46': Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 46': Foul by Ezgjan Alioski (North Macedonia).
- 47': Attempt saved. Jérémy Doku (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Stole Dimitrievski (North Macedonia). Assisted by Alexis Saelemaekers.
- 52': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Darko Churlinov.
- 52': Foul by Hans Vanaken (Belgium).
- 52': Gjoko Zajkov (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 54': Attempt saved. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Stole Dimitrievski (North Macedonia). Assisted by Leandro Trossard.
- 54': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Stole Dimitrievski.
- 55': Attempt missed. Hans Vanaken (Belgium) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Maxim De Cuyper with a cross following a corner.
- 56': Attempt missed. Leandro Trossard (Belgium) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left misses to the right. Assisted by Jérémy Doku with a cross.
- 57': Substitution, North Macedonia. Milan Ristovski replaces Bojan Miovski.
- 58': Attempt blocked. Jérémy Doku (Belgium) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
- 58': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Gjoko Zajkov.
- 59': Substitution, Belgium. Loïs Openda replaces Alexis Saelemaekers.
- 61': Attempt saved. Jérémy Doku (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Stole Dimitrievski (North Macedonia). Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
- 61': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Visar Musliu.
- 62': Attempt saved. Loïs Openda (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Stole Dimitrievski (North Macedonia). Assisted by Hans Vanaken with a through ball.
- 62': Delay in match because of an injury Stole Dimitrievski (North Macedonia).
- 64': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
- 66': Attempt blocked. Leandro Trossard (Belgium) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
- 66': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Jani Atanasov.
- 68': Foul by Arthur Theate (Belgium).
- 68': Milan Ristovski (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 68': Arthur Theate (Belgium) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 68': Foul by Eljif Elmas (North Macedonia).
- 68': Nicolas Raskin (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 71': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Ezgjan Alioski.
- 71': Attempt blocked. Hans Vanaken (Belgium) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a cross.
- 73': Attempt blocked. Jérémy Doku (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
- 74': Foul by Hans Vanaken (Belgium).
- 74': Tihomir Kostadinov (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 74': Substitution, North Macedonia. Isnik Alimi replaces Jani Atanasov.
- 74': Substitution, Belgium. Malick Fofana replaces Leandro Trossard.
- 74': Substitution, Belgium. Amadou Onana replaces Hans Vanaken.
- 75': Substitution, North Macedonia. Stefan Despotovski replaces Andrej Stojchevski.
- 76': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Stefan Despotovski.
- 76': Attempt missed. Timothy Castagne (Belgium) right footed shot from very close range is just a bit too high.
- 79': Darko Churlinov (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 79': Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium).
- 79': Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 82': Attempt missed. Malick Fofana (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jérémy Doku with a cross.
- 83': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Visar Musliu.
- 83': Delay in match because of an injury Visar Musliu (North Macedonia).
- 84': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
- 84': Substitution, North Macedonia. Darko Velkovski replaces Visar Musliu because of an injury.
- 86': Attempt blocked. Milan Ristovski (North Macedonia) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Eljif Elmas.
- 87': Corner, North Macedonia. Conceded by Timothy Castagne.
- 87': Tihomir Kostadinov (North Macedonia) is shown the yellow card.
- 88': Attempt saved. Malick Fofana (Belgium) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Stole Dimitrievski (North Macedonia).
- 88': Darko Churlinov (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 88': Foul by Amadou Onana (Belgium).
- 89': Substitution, Belgium. Thomas Meunier replaces Timothy Castagne.
- 89': Substitution, Belgium. Joaquin Seys replaces Maxim De Cuyper.
- 90': Fourth official has announced 6 minutes of added time.
- 90'+2': Ezgjan Alioski (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 90'+2': Foul by Thomas Meunier (Belgium).
- 90'+3': Attempt blocked. Jérémy Doku (Belgium) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
- 90'+4': Foul by Tihomir Kostadinov (North Macedonia).
- 90'+4': Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 90'+7': Second Half ends, Belgium 0, North Macedonia 0.
- 0': Match ends, Belgium 0, North Macedonia 0.
Statistics
![]() |
BEL![]() |
|
---|---|---|
8 | Fouls | 15 |
2 | Yellow Cards | 3 |
0 | Red Cards | 0 |
0 | Offsides | 2 |
2 | Corner Kicks | 13 |
5 | Saves | 0 |
21.9 | Possession | 78.1 |
3 | SHOTS | 25 |
0 | ON GOAL | 5 |
0.0 | On Target % | 0.2 |
0 | Penalty Goals | 0 |
0 | Penalty Kicks Taken | 0 |
128 | Accurate Passes | 608 |
203 | Passes | 690 |
0.6 | Pass Completion % | 0.9 |
0 | Accurate Crosses | 9 |
3 | Crosses | 41 |
0.0 | Cross % | 0.2 |
56 | Long Balls | 50 |
14 | Accurate Long Balls | 35 |
0.3 | Long Balls % | 0.7 |
2 | Blocked Shots | 12 |
12 | Effective Tackles | 12 |
16 | Tackles | 17 |
0.8 | Tackle % | 0.7 |
12 | Interceptions | 3 |
60 | Effective Clearances | 15 |
60 | Clearances | 15 |
Game Information
Competition: FIFA World Cup Qualifying - UEFA
Venue: Planet Group Arena
Location: Ghent, Belgium
Attendance: 18,583
Venue: Planet Group Arena
Location: Ghent, Belgium
Attendance: 18,583
WCQ - UEFA Standings
# | TEAM | GP | GD | PTS |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Belgium | 6 | +15 | 14 |
2 | North Macedonia | 7 | +9 | 13 |
3 | Wales | 6 | +3 | 10 |
4 | Kazakhstan | 7 | -4 | 7 |
Line-Ups
Belgium (4-1-4-1)
No. | Name |
---|---|
1 | Thibaut Courtois (GK) |
3 | Arthur Theate ![]() |
2 | Zeno Debast |
8 | Nicolas Raskin |
5 | Maxim De Cuyper |
21 | Timothy Castagne |
7 | Kevin De Bruyne ![]() |
20 | Hans Vanaken |
11 | Jérémy Doku |
22 | Alexis Saelemaekers ![]() |
10 | Leandro Trossard |
North Macedonia (5-3-2)
No. | Name |
---|---|
23 | Stole Dimitrievski (GK) |
5 | Gjoko Zajkov |
6 | Visar Musliu |
2 | Andrej Stojchevski |
8 | Ezgjan Alioski |
3 | Stefan Askovski ![]() |
21 | Jani Atanasov |
7 | Eljif Elmas |
18 | Tihomir Kostadinov ![]() |
20 | Bojan Miovski |
10 | Enis Bardhi |
WCQ - UEFA News

Isak vs. Ekitike: The ultimate striker
Who comes out on top between Liverpool's Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike in ESPN's "Build the Ultimate" series.

'Your ears are going to bleed!' - Potter speaks Swedish at unveiling
Graham Potter speaks for the first time as the head coach of Sweden.

Graham Potter takes Sweden job weeks after West Ham sacking
Sweden have appointed former West Ham and Chelsea boss Graham Potter as head coach.

Germany get World Cup draw seeding boost in FIFA rankings
Spain still topped the FIFA men's world rankings, with Germany back on track to be a top-seeded team in the World Cup finals draw on Dec. 5.

Lionel Messi is still the best in the world according to Joško Gvardiol
Ralph Karumazondo finds out what makes Manchester City and Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol tick.