# 2021–22 Macedonian First Football League

The 2021–22 Macedonian First League was the 30th season of the Macedonian First Football League, the highest football league of North Macedonia. It began on 8 August 2021 and ended on 15 May 2022. Shkëndija are the defending champions, having won their fourth title in 2020–21.

## Promotion and relegation

| 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) | At the end of the 2021–22 season Promoted from 2021–22 Second League Pobeda (First placed; East) Sileks (First placed; West) Relegated to 2022–23 Second League Borec (11th) Pelister (12th) Renova (5th)$^1$ |
1 Renova withdrew from the First League due to financial reasons.

## Participating teams

| Akademija Pandev | Borec | Bregalnica | Makedonija G.P. | Pelister | Rabotnički |
| Blagoj Istatov Stadium UEFA | Zoran Paunov Stadium | City Stadium Štip | Gjorče Petrov Stadium | Petar Miloševski Stadium | Toše Proeski Arena UEFA |
| Capacity: 9,200 | Capacity: 2,000 | Capacity: 4,000 | Capacity: 3,000 | Capacity: 9,100 | Capacity: 36,460 |
| Renova Shkëndija | Shkupi | Skopje | Struga | Tikvesh |
| Tetovo Stadium | Čair Stadium Skopje | Železarnica Stadium | Gradska Plaža Stadium | City Stadium Kavadarci |
| Capacity: 15,000 | Capacity: 6,000 | Capacity: 3,000 | Capacity: 2,500 | Capacity: 7,500 |

### 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 | Vacant | Tomislav Iliev | Sportika SA | Strumka, JOXX, Elenica |
| Borec | Borche Hristov | Gjorgji Gjorgjiev | Legea | Brako |
| Bregalnica | Ilčo Gjorgioski | Daniel Mojsov | Puma | Gogov Hotel |
| Makedonija G.P. | Aleksandar Tanevski | Bobi Bozhinovski | Givova | betinasia, Tesla |
| Pelister | Marjan Sekulovski | Borche Manevski | Legea | SN Broker |
| Rabotnički | Aleksandar Vlaho | Kristijan Stojkoski | Joma | Seavus |
| Renova | Qatip Osmani | Argjent Gafuri | Jako | Renova |
| Shkëndija | Bruno Akrapović | Egzon Bejtulai | Macron | Ecolog |
| Shkupi | Goce Sedloski | Fati Ismaili | Sunrise | – |
| Skopje | Ljupcho Markovski | Hristijan Kirovski | Givova | bet2day |
| Struga | Srgjan Zaharievski | Bunjamin Shabani | Macron | Trim & Lum |
| Tikvesh | Vlatko Kostov | Aleksandar Varelovski | Joma | Klimi.mk, Sinalco |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Shkupi (C) | 33 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 66 | 21 | +45 | 76 | Qualification to Champions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | Akademija Pandev | 33 | 19 | 7 | 7 | 55 | 32 | +23 | 64 | Qualification to Europa Conference League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Shkëndija | 33 | 16 | 13 | 4 | 49 | 25 | +24 | 61 | Qualification to Europa Conference League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Makedonija G.P. | 33 | 17 | 6 | 10 | 46 | 44 | +2 | 57 | Qualification to Europa Conference League second qualifying round |
| 5 | Renova | 33 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 42 | 29 | +13 | 48 | |
| 6 | Struga | 33 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 47 | |
| 7 | Bregalnica | 33 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 45 | 47 | −2 | 45 | |
| 8 | Rabotnički | 33 | 13 | 4 | 16 | 29 | 35 | −6 | 43 | |
| 9 | Skopje (O) | 33 | 9 | 8 | 16 | 27 | 45 | −18 | 35 | Qualification to Relegation play-off |
| 10 | Tikvesh (O) | 33 | 9 | 7 | 17 | 36 | 38 | −2 | 34 | Qualification to Relegation play-off |
| 11 | Borec (R) | 33 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 25 | 66 | −41 | 21 | Relegation to Macedonian Second League |
| 12 | Pelister (R) | 33 | 2 | 8 | 23 | 16 | 54 | −38 | 14 | Relegation to Macedonian Second League |
* ↑ Makedonija G.P. qualified for the Europa Conference League second qualifying round by winning the 2021–22 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 | AKA | BOR | BRE | MGP | PEL | RAB | REN | SKE | SKU | SKO | STR | TIK | AKA | BOR | BRE | MGP | PEL | RAB | REN | SKE | SKU | SKO | STR | TIK |
| Akademija Pandev | — | 5–0 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | — | — | 2–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–1 | — | 4–2 | — | 1–2 | 1–0 | — |
| Borec | 1–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | — | — | 0–1 | — | — | 1–5 | — | — | 1–0 | 2–0 | — |
| Bregalnica | 3–2 | 2–1 | — | 4–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | — | 3–0 | — | — | — | 0–3 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 4–1 | — | — | 1–0 |
| Makedonija G.P. | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | — | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–0 | — | — | — | 1–1 | 1–3 | — |
| Pelister | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 0–2 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | — | 2–1 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | 0–2 | 0–1 | — | — | 1–1 |
| Rabotnički | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | — | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | — | 2–1 | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 |
| Renova | 1–2 | 2–0 | 5–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | — | — | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | — | — | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | — |
| Shkëndija | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | — | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | — | 0–0 | — | 3–1 | — | 1–0 | 1–1 | — | 0–0 | — | — | 2–1 |
| Shkupi | 2–1 | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | — | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | — | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | 1–0 |
| Skopje | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | — | 1–0 | 2–1 | — | — | 4–1 | — | 4–2 | — | — | 0–2 | 0–0 | — | — | 1–2 |
| Struga | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | — | 0–0 | — | — | 1–0 | — | 4–0 | — | — | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | — | — |
| Tikvesh | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–2 | 5–0 | — | 2–1 | — | — | 0–1 | — | — | — | 2–0 | — |

### 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 |
| Shkupi | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 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 |
| Akademija Pandev | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Shkëndija | 8 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Makedonija G.P. | 1 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Renova | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Struga | 6 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Bregalnica | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Rabotnički | 2 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Skopje | 5 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Tikvesh | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Borec | 11 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Pelister | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 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 21 May 2022
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Sunday Adetunji | Shkupi | 20 |
| 2 | Martin Mirčevski | Akademija Pandev | 16 |
| 3 | Remzifaik Selmani | Renova | 15 |
| 4 | Ermedin Adem | Makedonija G.P. | 11 |
| 5 | Marjan Altiparmakovski | Bregalnica | 10 |
| 5 | Sindrit Guri | Shkëndija | 10 |
| 5 | Ljupcho Doriev | Shkëndija | 10 |
| 8 | Milan Đokić | Bregalnica | 9 |
| 8 | Martin Stojanov | Bregalnica | 9 |
| 10 | Freddy Álvarez | Shkupi | 8 |
| 10 | Anael Barga | Tikvesh | 8 |
| 10 | Nemanja Bosančić | Struga | 8 |
| 10 | Sefer Emini | Makedonija G.P. | 8 |
| 10 | Arbi Vosha | Makedonija G.P. | 8 |