At the "House of Football", the FFM leadership, President Masar Omeragić and Secretary General Leonid Jandreoski hosted Elkan Mammadov, Director of Associations and Development at FIFA and one of President Gianni Infantino's closest associates.
In the exclusive interview, he talks about the significance of the cooperation between FIFA and FFM, development projects in Macedonian football, the partnership with the FFM leadership, investments in infrastructure and future plans for the national teams.
What is the primary purpose of your visit to FFM and what are the key aspects that you wanted to personally observe?
"First of all, it is a great pleasure for me to be back in Skopje. As you know, in the past ten months we have had a series of meetings with the new leadership and President Masar Omeragic. I would also like to highlight the meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FFM President Omeragic. It was an extremely productive meeting where the two presidents discussed the future cooperation and strategic development of Macedonian football, as well as the mechanisms through which FIFA can provide its support. My stay here is a direct result of that meeting, in order to elaborate in detail the plans for further development."
How important is it for FIFA that such visits are not just of a protocol nature, but represent a real work agenda?
"The fact that today is Saturday, and we have already been working for several hours in the premises of the Federation, clearly confirms that this is not just a formal protocol visit. This is a substantive working visit. With the President and the Secretary General, we have already reviewed the details of the development projects and investments in football in your country. We have already started with the implementation of a specific investment - the project for mini-fields "FIFA Arena". We hope that within three months we will be here again for the ceremonial opening of these facilities together with the leadership of the Federation."
What kind of support does FIFA currently provide to the FFM in terms of development, administrative management and financial assistance?
"We are extremely pleased that the Football Federation of Macedonia is an active participant in the various development programs of FIFA. The mainstay of our support is the "FIFA Forward" program, through which financial resources are provided to all member countries. Your federation makes maximum use of these resources, investing in infrastructure, which represents lasting value. In addition, great attention is paid to building administrative capacities, with your staff regularly participating in trainings and sessions organized by FIFA."
When it comes to infrastructure, is that the primary focus of the president and the Federation itself?
"Yes, that was confirmed in today's talks, as well as in the previous meeting between Presidents Infantino and Omeragic. The focus is on the modernization of the infrastructure and the construction of stadiums in Macedonia, with an emphasis on Skopje. Today we continued the consultations to define the modalities through which FIFA can assist in this process. Our goal is to see modern infrastructure in every part of the country. The FFM leadership clearly emphasized the need for a new stadium in Skopje. We discussed how to formalize that idea and how to use the funds from the "FIFA Forward" program for the realization of this capital project."
How would you assess the cooperation and communication between FIFA and the current leadership of the FFM?
"Communication is at an extraordinary level. I would like to express my gratitude to President Omeragić and the entire administration for the excellent cooperation. There is continuous contact between our two institutions, which is of vital importance. We share a common vision and mutual understanding for the development of football and its globalization."
Where do you see the Football Federation of Macedonia in the next 5 to 10 years?
"Our goal is to see the Macedonian national teams in all categories of the final tournaments of major competitions, as well as for Macedonia to host international events. The potential is evident, and FIFA will be a partner in the realization of those goals. The initiatives presented by the President and the work done in the past year are truly impressive. If this pace continues, the results in the next decade will be visible through more frequent appearances at major championships."
Finally, what is your message to the football public in Macedonia?
"It is important for the football community to recognize and value the achievements so far. The performances of the national team are a source of pride for every country. Fans should provide unreserved support to the team, regardless of the current outcomes, because the path to success requires patience. The national team is in a crucial process of preparing for the challenges that lie ahead in March 2026."
