Group J leaders North Macedonia are set to travel to face Belgium at the Planet Group Arena on Friday in a crucial 2026 World Cup qualifier. The visitors are sitting narrowly ahead with 11 points. Whereas, Belgium are trailing by just one point, making this a potential decider for top spot.
With only a handful of matches left in the group, both sides will be desperate to strengthen their qualification hopes. Belgium are unbeaten in five games so far. However, North Macedonia’s recent away form makes this encounter an intriguing battle between two in-form teams.
| Bets | Status | Moneyline |
| Total Goals | Under 2.5 | -190 |
| Total Shots | Over 27.5 | Evens |
| Total Shots on Target | Over 8.5 | -118 |
| Total Corners | Under 8.5 | -130 |
| Belgium Goalkeeper Total Saves | Over 1.5 | -118 |
| North Macedonia Goalkeeper Total Saves | Over 4.5 | +155 |
| Total Cards | Under 3.5 | +105 |
Belgium are entering this fixture on the back of dominant displays. This includes consecutive 6-0 wins. They’ve also scored 17 goals in four group games so far. Rudi Garcia’s side will rely on their strong attack. Kevin De Bruyne will lead the play between Jeremy Doku and Leandro Trossard.
However, midfielder Youri Tielemans remains sidelined through injury. Thus, paving the way for Amadou Onana and Nicolas Raskin to feature. Thibaut Courtois is expected to start in goal, protected by central defenders Zeno Debast and Arthur Theate as Belgium look to maintain their unbeaten run.
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Blagoja Milevski’s men are in fine form after a convincing 5-0 win against Liechtenstein. They maintained their push for a first-ever World Cup qualification. The team has been resilient away from home, winning four consecutive competitive away games. Forwards Bojan Miovski and Aleksandar Trajkovski will spearhead the attack.
The duo up front will be supported by creative midfielders Enis Bardhi and Isnik Alimi. At the back, Gjoko Zajkov and Andrej Stojchevski are likely to line up and guard ahead of goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski. The North Macedonia team will aim to extend their unbeaten streak against strong opposition.
With Belgium viewed as the favorites, bookmakers are leaning toward a tighter affair rather than a goal-fest. Hence the under 3.5 goals line at -190 looks justified. The hosts are capable of high-scoring results. They’ve already notched 17 goals in four group games. However, their past two 6-0 wins came against weaker opposition. There are also defensive vulnerabilities. Five of their last nine matches have seen them concede multiple times. This suggests North Macedonia could stick around and force a narrower scoreline.
Kevin De Bruyne has been a driving force in Belgium’s attack in this qualification cycle. In the recent 6-0 rout of Kazakhstan, he opened the scoring and later added a second goal. His consistent influence in and around the penalty area, coupled with his creative freedom between the wide attackers, justifies a decent anytime-goal price like +165.
Leandro Trossard plays in a supporting attacking role, flanking De Bruyne and capable of both scoring and creating chances. In recent qualifiers, he’s been a key contributor in buildup plays. Additionally, Belgium’s offensive output suggests multiple goal involvements per game. Betting markets reflect this scoring claim: Trossard is already priced among goal scorers for this matchup. The +135 odds to score captures that value.
| Picks | Moneyline |
| Kevin De Bruyne to score first | +550 |
| Lois Lopenda to score anytime | +105 |
| Kevin De Bruyne to assist anytime | +108 |
| Leandro Trossard to either score or assist | -133 |
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Belgium have scored at least three in each of their last three home games. Yet they’ve previously dropped points at home under pressure. North Macedonia, meanwhile, have been strong on the road. They’ve won their last four competitive away fixtures and are capable of scoring against superior teams.
Belgium are entering this match riding momentum from successive big wins. However, their defensive lapses and the threat posed by North Macedonia make a close scoreline plausible. Taking everything into account, a 2-1 win to Belgium seems like the most balanced projection. It is enough for the hosts to edge ahead in Group J without a runaway result.
The Belgium vs North Macedonia World Cup qualifiers clash is on October 10, 2025, at the Planet Group Area Stadium, Ghent, Belgium.
Belgium are favorites to win with a moneyline at -650, to draw at +675 and for North Macedonia to win at +1850.
Lois Lopenda to score: +105
Kevin De Bruyne to assist: +108
Leandro Trossard to either score or assist: -133
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