Preview: Saudi Arabia vs North Macedonia - prediction, team news, lineups

North Macedonia will hope to use their international friendly clash against hosts Saudi Arabia on Thursday at Stadion Seifertova ulice as preparation for their World Cup qualifying campaign.

The Green do not resume their World Cup quest until the October international break, whereas the visitors will face Liechtenstein in a qualification clash on Sunday.

Match preview

The hosts are in the fourth round of AFC World Cup qualifiers, with the nation in a three-team group with Iraq and Indonesia, and the side that finishes first will automatically be entered into the 2026 World Cup.

No game has yet been played in the group, but Saudi Arabia did lose 2-0 against Mexico on June 29 in their most recent match, and the defeat saw them exit the CONCACAF Gold Cup at the quarter-final stage.

Manager Herve Renard took over in October 2024 for a second spell as boss, and since his return his side have played six qualifiers, failing to score three times.

The Green Falcons are winless in three fixtures - losing twice - and they did not find the back of the net in two of those games, conceding on four occasions.

Saudi Arabia have been beaten in two of their past four home fixtures, but they did achieve two victories in that period.

North Macedonia are currently top of their World Cup group with eight points from four matches, and they must finish in the top two of their five-team group in order to have a chance of making it to the 2026 tournament.

Each of the visitors' last four outings have been qualifiers, but they have not experienced a loss in any competition since June 2024, with the nation winning seven and drawing three in that run.

Blagoja Milevski's side have kept seven clean sheets in their unbeaten streak, though they have netted one or fewer times in five of their past six in all competitions.

The Lions have never qualified for a World Cup as an independent nation in their history, and they have only once participated in a Euros competition.

Should North Macedonia avoid defeat on Thursday, they will extend their current unbeaten record on the road to six games, and a triumph would be their fifth consecutive victory away from home.

Saudi Arabia International Friendlies form:

Saudi Arabia form (all competitions):

North Macedonia form (all competitions):

Team News

Saudi Arabia could field centre-backs Saad Al Mosa and Hassan Al-Tombakti in front of goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi.

The hosts utilised a double pivot against Mexico, and perhaps Nasser Al-Dawsari and Ziyad Aljohani will be selected together in the middle on Thursday.

As for North Macedonia, strikers Bojan Miovski and Aleksandar Trajkovski may be stationed together considering they partnered each other against Kazakhstan on June 6.

The forwards could be supported by midfielders Tihomir Kostadinov and Enis Bardhi, who are likely to be flanked by Eljif Elmas and Darko Churlinov.

Visar Musliu is certain to start in the heart of defence, and he should be expected to play alongside Gjoko Zajkov.

Saudi Arabia possible starting lineup:

Al-Aqidi; Majrashi, Mosa, Al-Tombakti, Boushal; Yahya, Al-Dawsari, Aljohani, Al Nasser; Al-Saad, Al-Shehri

North Macedonia possible starting lineup:

Dimitrievski; Despotovski, Zajkov, Musliu, Alioski; Churlinov, Kostadinov, Bardhi, Elmas; Miovski, Trajkovski