# 2020–21 Macedonian First Football League

The 2020–21 Macedonian First League was the 29th season of the Macedonian First Football League, the highest football league of North Macedonia. It began on 8 August 2020 and ended on 16 May 2021. Vardar were the defending champions, having won their eleventh title in 2019–20 after was season abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were the third defending champions to be relegated as defending champions.

## Promotion and relegation

| At the end of the 2019–20 season Promoted from 2019–20 Second League Belasica (First placed; East) Pelister (First placed; West) Relegated to 2020–21 Second League None relegated | At the end of the 2020–21 season Promoted from 2020–21 Second League Bregalnica Shtip (First placed; East) Skopje (First placed; West) Tikvesh (Second placed; East; won play-off) Relegated to 2021–22 Second League Sileks (9th; lost play-off) Vardar (11th) Belasica (12th) |

## Participating teams

| Akademija Pandev Belasica | Borec | Makedonija G.P. | Pelister | Rabotnički Vardar |
| Blagoj Istatov Stadium UEFA | Zoran Paunov Stadium | Gjorče Petrov Stadium | Tumbe Kafe Stadium | Toše Proeski Arena UEFA |
| Capacity: 9,200 | Capacity: 2,000 | Capacity: 3,000 | Capacity: 9,100 | Capacity: 36,460 |
| Renova Shkëndija | Shkupi | Sileks | Struga |
| Tetovo Stadium | Park Stadium | City Stadium Kratovo | Gradska Plaža Stadium |
| Capacity: 15,000 | Capacity: 6,000 | Capacity: 4,800 | Capacity: 2,500 |

### Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| Akademija Pandev | Aleksandar Vasoski | Sashko Pandev | Sportika SA | Strumka, JOXX, Elenica |
| Belasica | Gjore Jovanovski | Aleksandar Milushev | Sportika SA | Pinda Shop |
| Borec | Borche Hristov | Trajche Trajkov | Legea | Brako |
| Makedonija G.P. | Zhikica Tasevski | Bobi Bozhinovski | Givova | betinasia, Tesla |
| Pelister | Dimitar Kapinkovski | Hristijan Dragarski | Legea | SN Broker |
| Rabotnički | Aleksandar Vlaho | Goran Siljanovski | Joma | Seavus |
| Renova | Qatip Osmani | Argjent Gafuri | Jako | Renova |
| Shkëndija | Ernest Gjoka | Egzon Bejtulai | Macron | Ecolog |
| Shkupi | Goce Sedloski | Besar Iseni | Sunrise | - |
| Sileks | Goran Simov | Angelche Timovski | Sunrise | - |
| Struga | Srgjan Zaharievski | Flamur Tairi | Adidas | Trim & Lum |
| Vardar | Nikola Ilievski | Dejan Blazhevski | Hummel | Komiti Skopje |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Shkëndija (C) | 33 | 22 | 9 | 2 | 69 | 26 | +43 | 75 | Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | Shkupi | 33 | 16 | 11 | 6 | 41 | 24 | +17 | 59 | Qualification for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Struga | 33 | 15 | 12 | 6 | 39 | 24 | +15 | 57 | Qualification for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Makedonija G.P. | 33 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 53 | 43 | +10 | 55 | |
| 5 | Rabotnički | 33 | 11 | 15 | 7 | 45 | 39 | +6 | 48 | |
| 6 | Pelister | 33 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 34 | 38 | −4 | 45 | |
| 7 | Akademija Pandev | 33 | 12 | 5 | 16 | 32 | 36 | −4 | 41 | |
| 8 | Borec | 33 | 11 | 7 | 15 | 32 | 36 | −4 | 40 | |
| 9 | Sileks (R) | 33 | 10 | 6 | 17 | 49 | 45 | +4 | 36 | Qualification for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round and relegation play-off |
| 10 | Renova (O) | 33 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 36 | 46 | −10 | 36 | Qualification for the relegation play-off |
| 11 | Vardar (R) | 33 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 32 | 60 | −28 | 31 | Relegation to the Macedonian Second League |
| 12 | Belasica (R) | 33 | 4 | 5 | 24 | 23 | 68 | −45 | 17 | Relegation to the Macedonian Second League |
* ↑ Sileks qualified for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round by winning the 2020–21 Macedonian Football Cup.

## Results

Every team will play three times against each other team for a total of 33 matches. The first 22 matchdays will consist of a regular double round-robin schedule. The league standings at this point will then be used to determine the games for the last 11 matchdays.
| Home \ Away | AKP | BEL | BOR | MGP | PEL | RAB | REN | SKË | SKU | SIL | STR | VAR | AKP | BEL | BOR | MGP | PEL | RAB | REN | SKË | SKU | SIL | STR | VAR |
| Akademija Pandev | — | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | — | — | 3–1 | — | — | — | 1–1 | — | 0–1 | — | 1–0 | 3–0 |
| Belasica | 0–0 | — | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–2 | — | — | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | — | 0–3 | — | 1–3 | — | — |
| Borec | 2–0 | 2–1 | — | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | — | 1–0 | — | — | 0–0 | — | 2–0 | — | 0–1 | — | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Makedonija G.P. | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | — | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | — | 2–1 | — | 3–0 | — | — | 3–4 | — | 0–3 | 2–3 | — |
| Pelister | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | — | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | 3–2 | — | 2–0 |
| Rabotnički | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | — | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | — | — | 3–5 | — | 3–1 | — | — |
| Renova | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–1 | — | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | — | 3–1 | — | 1–2 | — | 1–1 | — | 0–3 | — | 2–1 | — | — |
| Shkëndija | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | — | 3–1 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | — |
| Shkupi | 0–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 4–3 | 2–2 | — | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | — | 0–1 | — | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | — | — | — | — | 2–0 |
| Sileks | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | — | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | — | 1–1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1–3 | — | 0–1 | 6–0 |
| Struga | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | — | — | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | — | 0–0 | — | — | 1–0 |
| Vardar | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 1–0 | 0–4 | 1–1 | — | — | 1–0 | — | 0–2 | — | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–6 | — | — | — | — |

### Positions by round

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards.
| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 |
| Shkëndija | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Shkupi | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Struga | 8 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Makedonija G.P. | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Rabotnički | 9 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Pelister | 4 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Akademija Pandev | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Borec | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Sileks | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Renova | 7 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
| Vardar | 10 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Belasica | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
* Leader and qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
* Qualification for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round
* Qualification for the Relegation play-off
* Relegation to the Macedonian Second League

## Season statistics
### Top scorers

    As of 16 May 2021
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Besart Ibraimi | Shkëndija | 24 |
| 2 | Dembo Darboe | Shkupi | 16 |
| 3 | Pepi Gorgiev | Sileks | 13 |
| 4 | Fahrudin Gjurgjevikj | Rabotnichki | 12 |
| 5 | Denis Ristov | Sileks | 9 |
| 6 | Basit Abdul Khalid | Makedonija G.P. | 8 |
| 6 | Bobi Bozhinovski | Makedonija G.P. | 8 |
| 6 | Matej Cvetanoski | Vardar & Shkupi | 8 |
| 6 | Ivan Ivanovski | Sileks | 8 |
| 6 | Alen Jasharoski | Renova | 8 |
| 6 | Antonio Kalanoski | Belasica | 8 |
| 6 | Martin Mirčevski | Belasica & Vardar | 8 |
| 6 | Remzifaik Selmani | Renova | 8 |
| 6 | Shefit Shefiti | Renova | 8 |
| 6 | Luka Stankovski | Rabotnichki | 8 |