Scotland vs North Macedonia: Prediction, Tips and Odds | Nations League

Sebastien Pocognoli is still waiting for his first home win as Scotland boss, and North Macedonia's visit to Hampden Park on Friday (kick-off 7:45pm) is the best chance he will get to end that wait.

Scotland sit third in Nations League Group B1 on four points, three behind Slovenia, and a defeat would raise the threat of relegation to League C before they travel to Switzerland on Monday.

Scotland vs North Macedonia preview and form guide

Hampden has been unkind to Pocognoli so far, with Switzerland winning 3-0 after Jack Hendry was sent off and Slovenia coming from behind to win 2-1 on 6 October.

The home crowd booed after that second defeat and captain Andy Robertson admitted Scotland had been outfought, so Friday is about winning back supporters as much as collecting points.

Away from home the picture is brighter, since all four of Scotland's points have come on the road, through a 0-0 draw in Ljubljana and the 2-0 win in Skopje that ended a four-match goal drought.

Scotland had 17 shots in that goalless draw in Ljubljana, which shows the chances are arriving, and Ryan Christie's goal against Slovenia was their only reply in the return.

John McGinn, on 22 Scotland goals, converted a penalty in Skopje and remains the player most likely to decide a tight game.

North Macedonia sit bottom of Group B1 with no points and a goal difference of minus 10, having lost 0-3 to Switzerland, 0-2 at Slovenia, 0-2 to Scotland and 0-3 in Switzerland.

Their last goal came from Bojan Miovski when Wales beat them 7-1 in November 2025, and Miovski has now been left out of the squad.

Sedloski's side have gone eight consecutive games without scoring and have conceded at least twice in five in a row, so Scotland's main danger is complacency rather than the visitors' attack.

The defence has been breached heavily, conceding three goals in each of the two Swiss games and four against Turkey in a June friendly, so Scotland should find space despite their own finishing problems.

Atalanta's Elmas and captain Bardhi, who were both in the XI against Switzerland on 6 October, carry most of the visitors' creative hopes.

Team news and predicted XIs for Scotland vs North Macedonia

Scotland team news

The headline return is Scott McTominay, who is back in the squad after a minor heart procedure, with Pocognoli saying the team must make him shine rather than the reverse.

Che Adams is also available again after a muscle strain, and James Penrice, on loan at Rangers from AEK Athens, has earned a first call-up.

The back line needs rebuilding because Welsh withdrew with a knee knock and McKenna is injured, which brings Ryan Porteous in as a replacement and leaves Hendry free to return after serving his ban.

Robertson has 101 caps against Kenny Dalglish's record of 102, so a start on Friday would level it and another in St Gallen on Monday would break it.

Scotland predicted lineup vs North Macedonia

Gunn; Porteous, Hendry, Binks; Gannon-Doak, McGinn, Gilmour, Robertson; McTominay, Christie; McBurnie.

North Macedonia team news

Goce Sedloski has named 26 players for the games against Scotland and Slovenia, and Miovski is not among them after 72 minutes across eight appearances.

Sedloski has explained that he has always chosen those who are playing, which makes Miovski's omission a selection decision rather than a fitness issue.

Stojchevski and Zajkov both started in Switzerland on 6 October but are not in the squad, so the back four needs reshuffling around Alioski, who recovered from a calf problem to start that game.

North Macedonia predicted lineup vs Scotland

Dimitrievski; Ilievski, Musliu, Mladenovski, Alioski; Elmas, Elezi; Mitrovski, Bardhi, Doriev; Rastoder.

Head-to-head: Scotland vs North Macedonia

Scotland won the most recent meeting 2-0 in Skopje on 3 October, with Kieron Bowie scoring his first international goal from outside the box and McGinn adding a second-half penalty after Miovski handled.

That was the first meeting since 2013, when Scotland won 2-1 in Skopje, and North Macedonia's only victory in the series was a 1-0 home win in 2008.

Scotland also won 2-0 at Hampden in 2009, and the 2012 meeting there ended 1-1 after Kenny Miller cancelled out Noveski's early opener.

Those older games featured very different squads, so the more useful guide is October's, when Scotland scored after seven minutes and only lost a man late on, when McKenna was sent off.

Our Scotland vs North Macedonia prediction and tips

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Odds correct as of Wednesday, 11 November 2026, 11:35 GMT.