Martin Tomovski: North Macedonia favourites but Luxembourg must not be underestimated
Full squad joins coach Kiril Lazarov in Skopje as North Macedonia prepare to face Luxembourg in the Euro 2028 qualifying play-off.
North Macedonia's handball team will arrive at a full squad ahead of the opening match in the 2028 European Championship qualification play-off, with coaches and players using the next two days to finalise preparations.
Preparations and squad
Players from Vardar and Pelister, who faced each other in last night's derby, will join the selection led by coach Kiril Lazarov. The team will concentrate its work in Skopje before hosting Luxembourg on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at the Boris Trajkovski Sports Center; the game kicks off at 19:00.
The national side is drawn in a group that also includes Greece and Sweden. Goalkeeper Martin Tomovski is expected, together with Vasil Gogov and Ivan Galevski, to bring consistency between the posts.
Tomovski underlined the team's mindset ahead of the first match at home: "To gather, to have the derby players join us with their medical reports in order and to begin. First match at home, we are the favorites, but Luxembourg is not a team to be underestimated. We will prepare to the maximum for them, all the focus is on that game. I hope everything goes well and that on Wednesday we will celebrate the first victory in the qualifiers.
At this gathering we must give our best, and we also have a new player. Dimitro Goriga should fit into the squad and we should not have problems," Tomovski said.
Widely recognised for his performances in Germany, Tomovski is listed among the top three goalkeepers in the Bundesliga. He commented on his form and what he wants to bring to the national team: "I'm happy with my current form. I work hard and I dedicate myself. I hope to carry that form into the national team as well. That's the most important thing, so it's easier for us to function and to win, to improve and to move forward," Martin Tomovski said.
With a home opener on November 4 and immediate focus on Luxembourg, the Macedonian squad aims to start the qualification series with a win and build momentum for the matches that follow.
Photo: press material from the event
