- The bookies make Denmark heavy favourites at 3/10 for Thursday’s World Cup 2026 play-off semi-final against North Macedonia, who are 17/2 with the draw at 41/10.
- Denmark finished second in their Euro 2026 qualifying group to secure a play-off spot, while North Macedonia snuck through the Nations League route after finishing third in a group featuring Belgium and Wales.
- The two nations have met three times at senior level (1 win each, 1 draw) with Denmark prevailing 1-0 in their most recent competitive clash in qualifying for Euro 1996.
Denmark can exploit home advantage
The stakes are high for both Denmark and North Macedonia in Thursday’s FIFA World Cup qualification playoff semi-final at Parken Stadium as a Denmark win would take them one step closer to a third successive World Cup finals appearance while their opponents would be on the brink of a historic first-ever appearance at the tournament.
The bookies have a similar view to us in that this is an obvious mismatch with the Danes heavy favourites to get the win they need, but we think this clash could be a bit closer than the odds indicate. The Lions will have to be at their best to avoid an upset from North Macedonia.
Brian Riemer has put a spring in the step of the Danish team since taking charge and has the talented group playing with belief and attacking intent.
North Macedonia to frustrate the Danes
The Lions play with a flexible, front-heavy system that tends to morph between a 4-3-3 and a 3-4-3 system in which they press high, play directly and try to overrun opponents with width and tempo. They have no real depth in forward areas, missing several depth forwards through injury, but they retain their core starters for Thursday’s game.
Rasmus Højlund, who was the top scorer in qualifying, is a pacey, powerful force in behind and on the shoulder of the last defender. He can be a handful in transition or on set pieces. Denmark’s midfield is where the engine is, with Morten Hjulmand and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg providing ball-winning and drive and Mikkel Damsgaard providing creativity and set-piece threat from wide areas.
Goce Sedloski has done an excellent job of getting North Macedonia organised since his December appointment. He is a pragmatic coach who sets his team up in a compact low-to-mid block to keep things simple and will look to get his best players on the ball in transition to spring counter-attacks.
Lions can lay low and pounce
Eljif Elmas is a good passer and makes late runs into the box, while captain Enis Bardhi will take most of the set-piece and penalty duties. Bojan Miovski is a reliable goal-getter on the counter, particularly when his side are out of possession for long periods, and goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski is sharp between the sticks.
North Macedonia’s form coming into this clash has been mixed, but they suffered a heavy 7-1 defeat to Wales and followed that up with resilient draws against Belgium, Kazakhstan and Latvia. They thrashed Liechtenstein 5-0 in their last outing. Denmark have won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five in all competitions, beating Belarus 6-0 away and Greece 3-1 at home.
Backing the home side to win to nil is the preferred play here as we see Denmark having more than enough quality to control the game and eventually find a way through even if it takes a while. The Both teams to score - No market can be backed at 73/100, which seems very appealing given Denmark’s attacking prowess and home advantage. We do think North Macedonia can keep this close, but they are likely to be outclassed over 90 minutes as Denmark are much the superior side on paper and have a solid defensive record.
The cool, rainy conditions in Copenhagen on Thursday could be an advantage to the visitors as they will not have to run as much in their low-block structure and it will make it harder for the hosts to play their fast-paced, passing game.
