Liam Duckstein
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Slovenia host North Macedonia in the UEFA Nations League on Tuesday 29 September 2026, and the predicted lineups for both sides point to unusually settled squads heading into kickoff. Each projection here is built from just one recent lineup, but that single match tells a clear story: both managers picked almost the same players who started last time out. With so little rotation on show, the two expected XIs below look about as close to a like-for-like repeat as a projection can offer.
Predicted Slovenia Line-up
Slovenia’s projection lines up in a 4-2-3-1, the shape preferred by coach Bostjan Cesar. It is a settled side – 10 of the projected XI started their last match, underlining how little change is expected from one game to the next. Jan Oblak anchors the back line having started that most recent match, while further forward Mark Zabukovnik is the one name in the midfield who did not feature last time out, making him the projection’s main uncertainty. Everyone else named here, from Žan Karničnik at the back to Andraž Šporar up front, started in the single match this projection is drawn from.
Slovenia predicted XI: Jan Oblak; Žan Karničnik, Jaka Bijol, Erik Janža, Vanja Drkusic; Timi Elsnik, Danijel Sturm, Aljosa Matko, Adam Gnezda Čerin, Mark Zabukovnik; Andraž Šporar
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 1 | Last 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Jan Oblak | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| D | 2 | Žan Karničnik | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| D | 6 | Jaka Bijol | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| D | 13 | Erik Janža | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| D | 21 | Vanja Drkusic | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| M | 10 | Timi Elsnik | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| M | 15 | Danijel Sturm | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| M | 20 | Aljosa Matko | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| M | 22 | Adam Gnezda Čerin | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| M | 4 | Mark Zabukovnik | 0/1 | 0/1 |
| F | 9 | Andraž Šporar | 1/1 | 1/1 |
North Macedonia Predicted XI
North Macedonia are also projected in a 4-2-3-1 under coach Goce Sedloski, mirroring the shape Slovenia are expected to use. Like their opponents, this is a settled side – 10 of the projected XI started their last match, so the expected XI reads almost as a straight repeat of the previous selection. Stole Dimitrievski is pencilled in between the posts after starting that game, while Agon Elezi stands out as the sole midfield inclusion who was not part of the last starting eleven. The remaining nine players, including Enis Bardhi and forward Bojan Miovski, all started that same match.
North Macedonia predicted XI: Stole Dimitrievski; Bojan Ilievski, Sebastian Herera, Gjoko Zajkov, Visar Musliu; Elif Elmas, Enis Bardhi, Matej Gashtarov, Tihomir Kostadinov, Agon Elezi; Bojan Miovski
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 1 | Last 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 23 | Stole Dimitrievski | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| D | 2 | Bojan Ilievski | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| D | 3 | Sebastian Herera | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| D | 5 | Gjoko Zajkov | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| D | 6 | Visar Musliu | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| M | 7 | Elif Elmas | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| M | 10 | Enis Bardhi | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| M | 16 | Matej Gashtarov | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| M | 18 | Tihomir Kostadinov | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| M | 15 | Agon Elezi | 0/1 | 0/1 |
| F | 9 | Bojan Miovski | 1/1 | 1/1 |
Injuries and Suspensions
For Slovenia, no absentees are recorded in the data, so the team news does not appear to be thinning any particular line ahead of this fixture. On the bench, David Brekalo is the player best placed to come in given he already has a start logged in the same sample used for this projection, while the rest of the substitutes have not featured.
North Macedonia’s team news shows no absentees are recorded in the data either, leaving Goce Sedloski’s options intact on paper. Elmin Rastoder looks the most likely bench option to step into the expected XI, since he is the only named substitute with a start already recorded in this projection’s sample.
How We Predict These XIs
Both predicted lineups here are built from each side’s most recent lineup – just one match for Slovenia and one for North Macedonia – with more recent appearances weighted more heavily than older ones. Any player confirmed injured or suspended is removed before the projection is finalised. Because only a single match feeds each side’s numbers, these projections should be read as tentative and are likely to shift once the official teams are announced.
Read Also: Slovenia vs North Macedonia Prediction: 29.09.2026 UEFA Nations League
FAQ
What formation are Slovenia and North Macedonia expected to use?
Both sides are projected in a 4-2-3-1, with Slovenia’s shape reflecting coach Bostjan Cesar’s preference and North Macedonia’s reflecting Goce Sedloski’s.
Who is predicted to start in goal for Slovenia and North Macedonia?
Jan Oblak is projected in goal for Slovenia, with Stole Dimitrievski expected to start between the posts for North Macedonia, both having started their respective sides’ last match.
Are there any injuries or suspensions for Slovenia vs North Macedonia?
According to the data used for this projection, no absentees are recorded for either Slovenia or North Macedonia ahead of this match.
When do Slovenia and North Macedonia kick off?
The UEFA Nations League fixture between Slovenia and North Macedonia kicks off on Tuesday 29 September 2026.