Belgium vs North Macedonia

The match between Belgium and North Macedonia will be played at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, on Friday, 10 October 2025, as part of the European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kick-off is set for 19:45 CET. This Group J fixture is expected to draw a strong home crowd, with Belgium seeking to maintain their dominance in qualifying, while North Macedonia look to challenge one of Europe’s top teams. The King Baudouin Stadium, known for its excellent surface and capacity of over 50,000, provides an ideal stage for an international fixture of this magnitude.

In terms of squad news, Belgium enter the match with a few injury concerns. Youri Tielemans is reportedly unavailable after picking up a knock during club duty, while Thibaut Courtois continues to recover from a long-term back injury. There is also speculation that some regular starters may be rested to manage workload, with Koen Casteels or Matz Sels possibly starting in goal. North Macedonia, under coach Blagoja Milevski, have a full-strength squad, with no major injuries or suspensions reported. This allows them to rely on experienced players like Enis Bardhi, Eljif Elmas, and Aleksandar Trajkovski, while keeping options such as Bojan Miovski and Darko Churlinov ready on the bench.

Tactically, Belgium’s coach Rudi Garcia is expected to favor a possession-based system, likely a 4-2-3-1 formation that allows Kevin De Bruyne to control play through central areas. The wide positions will be used to stretch North Macedonia’s defensive block, while Romelu Lukaku or Lois Openda is likely to spearhead the attack. Garcia’s side will look to dominate the ball and press aggressively after losing possession. North Macedonia, meanwhile, will adopt a more defensive approach, possibly a 5-4-1 setup, focusing on compact defending and quick counterattacks. Their transitions will depend heavily on Bardhi’s creativity and Elmas’ ability to carry the ball forward during rare attacking phases.

In the press build-up, much of the attention has been on Belgium’s form and their ability to convert dominance into goals. Media outlets across Europe highlight Belgium’s strong results in recent qualifiers, including a 6-0 win over Kazakhstan, but also point out occasional defensive lapses that could be exploited. North Macedonia have earned praise for their recent consistency, managing to stay competitive against stronger teams. Analysts note that their organization and discipline make them a difficult side to break down, even away from home.

In studio discussions ahead of the match, pundits have focused on Belgium’s midfield creativity without Tielemans and how Rudi Garcia will manage rotations given the team’s busy schedule. There is also debate over whether Belgium can maintain intensity throughout the full 90 minutes or if North Macedonia can capitalize on counterattacks and set pieces. Analysts agree that Belgium will dominate possession but must avoid complacency, while North Macedonia’s main challenge will be surviving the opening stages and taking advantage of any defensive mistakes. Substitution strategies are expected to play a major role, with Belgium likely to introduce attacking reinforcements if the score remains tight.

Watch and Download Belgium vs North Macedonia full match replay and highlights, At Friday, October 10, 2025. The match played at Planet Group Arena, in World Cup Qualifying, UEFA.

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