Switzerland can move a significant step closer to an immediate return to League A when they welcome North Macedonia to the Thermoplan Arena on Tuesday evening.

Murat Yakin’s side have made a perfect start to their UEFA Nations League campaign, taking nine points from three matches and opening a five-point advantage over both Slovenia and Scotland in Group B1. North Macedonia find themselves at the opposite end of the table after losing all three games without scoring.

Switzerland cruised to a 3-0 victory when these countries met in Skopje less than two weeks ago, and another win could secure promotion with two matches still to play, depending on the result between Scotland and Slovenia.

Switzerland have responded impressively to World Cup disappointment

Switzerland could hardly have asked for a better reaction to their World Cup exit. Yakin’s team opened their Nations League campaign with an authoritative performance in North Macedonia, where Remo Freuler and Zeki Amdouni established a two-goal advantage before half time. Amdouni struck again after the break to complete a convincing 3-0 victory.

Any suggestion that the result primarily reflected North Macedonia’s problems disappeared three days later. Switzerland travelled to Hampden Park and defeated Scotland by the same scoreline, putting themselves firmly in control of the group after only two matches.

Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Slovenia presented a different challenge. Switzerland fell behind after only two minutes when Zan Vipotnik punished them on the counterattack, meaning Yakin’s side had to chase a game for the first time in this campaign. Their response was impressive. Dan Ndoye played a decisive role as Switzerland completed the turnaround before the interval and then protected their advantage through the second half.

Three different types of victories have therefore produced the same outcome: maximum points. Switzerland have also demonstrated a healthy spread of attacking options. Amdouni remains an important presence through the middle, while Ndoye offers pace and direct running from wider areas. Johan Manzambi gives Yakin another option between midfield and attack, and Michel Aebischer can provide balance on the opposite flank.

Further back, Freuler continues to offer experience and control in midfield, with Ardon Jashari available alongside him. Nico Elvedi and Manuel Akanji provide an experienced central-defensive partnership that should expect to spend significant periods of Tuesday’s match dealing with counterattacks rather than sustained North Macedonian pressure.

The circumstances also give Switzerland every reason to maintain their intensity. Promotion is already within reach, and securing it early would represent an emphatic response to their relegation from League A in the previous Nations League campaign.

North Macedonia’s problems extend far beyond three defeats

For North Macedonia, the concern is not simply that they have started this campaign with three consecutive losses. It is how little attacking threat they have offered along the way.

They have lost 3-0 to Switzerland and 2-0 to both Slovenia and Scotland, leaving them without a point or a goal after three rounds. Their difficulties stretch beyond the Nations League, with Goce Sedloski’s side still waiting for their first goal of 2026.

Seven matches have now passed without North Macedonia scoring. Saturday’s defeat to Scotland was particularly damaging. Their opponents arrived in Skopje having failed to score in four consecutive matches, but still emerged with a comfortable 2-0 victory. The result increased the pressure on Sedloski, whose position had already been publicly questioned following the opening two Nations League defeats.

There remains recognisable individual talent in the squad. Enis Bardhi has long been one of North Macedonia’s most influential players, Eljif Elmas possesses the technical quality to create chances between the lines and Bojan Miovski provides a recognised centre-forward option.

The problem is that those players have rarely been able to combine effectively enough to create sustained pressure. North Macedonia have too often found themselves defending for extended periods before struggling to retain possession when opportunities to counterattack arise.

Tuesday’s task is made harder by the suspension of Jani Atanasov following his booking against Scotland. His absence reduces Sedloski’s midfield options, with Matej Gashtarov and Luka Stankovski among those available centrally.

North Macedonia must also decide how ambitious they can afford to be. Sitting deep may restrict Switzerland initially, but their first meeting showed how difficult it is to withstand sustained Swiss pressure. Playing further forward, however, would leave space for Ndoye and Switzerland’s other attacking players to exploit.

Their away form provides little additional encouragement, and confidence is understandably low after a sequence of results that has left North Macedonia facing the prospect of relegation.

Verdict

Everything points towards Switzerland. Yakin’s team have won all three group matches, scored eight goals and already demonstrated their superiority over North Macedonia with a 3-0 victory in Skopje. Saturday’s comeback against Slovenia also showed that they can respond when a match does not immediately follow the expected pattern.

North Macedonia still possess players capable of producing an isolated moment of quality, but seven consecutive matches without scoring represents a fundamental attacking problem rather than a short-term fluctuation.

Switzerland have promotion within reach and should have too much quality throughout the pitch for opponents who have lost all three Nations League fixtures without finding the net.

The hosts may need some patience if North Macedonia defend deep, but another comfortable Swiss victory looks the most likely outcome.

Tip: Switzerland to win