Eternal derby (North Macedonia)


Eternal derby, also known as the Macedonia derby, is the name given to matches between the two most popular clubs from North Macedonia, the Skopje-based FK Vardar and Bitola-based FK Pelister, supported by Komiti and Čkembari respectively, with fans at times infamously engaging in hooliganism during the derby.
The rivalry can be traced back to the 1989–90 season and a match in Skopje, between FK Vardar and Red Star Belgrade. A conflict occurred between the "Skopje fans" and a few Bitola fans who went to cheer for Vardar, who at that time was the most popular Macedonian football club in the former Yugoslavia. On 5 August 1990 in Bitola, Pelister and Vardar met in the Yugoslav second league and the first incident occurred. From that day forward, started the big rivalry between Komiti and Chkembari along with the Vardar-Pelister match becoming the Eternal derby of Macedonia.
However, the rivalry is playing at the stands but not much at the ground because Vardar there are many more honours than a rival from Bitola. In a present time there is a small number of attendance and Pelister were many times and Vardar once relegated to the Macedonian Second League so the rivalry has lost its formerly importance., there have been 68 derbies played in total since the establishment of the Macedonian championship in 1992, with Vardar winning 38 and Pelister 14 games, while 16 matches ended in a draw.

Statistics

''The records does not include the awarded matches and a matches decided by a one goal difference.''

Head-to-head

Last updated on 5 November 2025.

Records

  • Record League win
  • * Vardar
  • ** Home: Vardar – Pelister 7–0, Gradski stadion, 8 May 1996


and Pelister – Vardar 0–2, Stadion Tumbe Kafe, 13 April 2003



  • Record Cup win
  • * Vardar
  • ** Home: Vardar – Pelister 4–1, Philip II Arena, 30 September 2015

and Vardar – Pelister 3–0, Gradski stadion, 17 April 1996


  • Longest sequence of League wins
  • *Vardar: 7, 17 August 2002 – 11 October 2007
  • **Home: 4, 23 August 2008 – 30 September 2012
  • **Away: 6, 1 April 2001 – 29 April 2007
  • *Pelister: 2, 16 March 2008 – 26 April 2008
  • **Home: 3, 29 October 1995 – 14 March 1998
  • **Away: 1
  • Longest sequence of Cup wins
  • *Vardar: 4, 7 November 2012 – 21 October 2015
  • **Home: 4, 11 April 2007–present
  • **Away: 2, 7 November 2012 – 21 October 2015
  • *Pelister: 3, 15 March 2000 – 25 February 2001
  • **Home: 2, 15 March 2000 – 25 February 2001
  • **Away: 1
  • Longest sequence of unbeaten League matches
  • *Vardar: 15, 3 October 1998 – 11 October 2007
  • **Home: 15, 24 February 1991 – 11 October 2007
  • **Away: 8, 3 October 1998 – 29 April 2007 and 6 March 2013 – 4 October 2020
  • *Pelister: 7, 1 April 2018 – 9 May 2023
  • **Home: 5, 7 November 1993 – 14 March 1998 and 16 March 2008 – 28 March 2010
  • **Away: 3, 13 April 2013 – 23 April 2014 and 13 May 2018 – 9 May 2023
  • Longest sequence of unbeaten Cup matches
  • *Vardar: 7, 4 April 2001–present
  • **Home: 4, 4 April 2001–present
  • **Away: 3, 2 May 2007–present
  • *Pelister: 4, 1 May 1996 – 25 February 2001
  • **Home: 4, 1 May 1996 – 2 May 2007
  • **Away: 1
  • Bigger grade difference
  • * Vardar
  • ** Point system 3–1–0: +44, 2002–03
  • * Pelister
  • ** Point system 3–1–0: +18, 1999–2000

Official match results

Key

; Colors




; Competitions
  • SF = Semi-finals
  • QF = Quarter-finals
  • R16 = Round of 16

Results

1 Vardar won 4–2 on penalties and won the one point.

2 Match suspended at half-time due to the crowd trouble. Later the match was replayed on 1 April, but was another match suspended after 45 minutes because of attack on referee. Vardar were awarded a 0–3 win.

3 Match suspended before the kick-off due to the crowd trouble when Čkembari burned seats, collapsed the protective fence and clashed with the police. Vardar were awarded a 0–3 win.

4 The 2000–01 Macedonian Cup quarter-final tie was won by Pelister on away goals rule.

5 Pelister was played in the Second League in that season.

6 Vardar was played in the Second League in that season.

7 Pelister won 3–2 on penalties.

Players who have played for both clubs (senior career)

Players who have scored for both clubs in the derby

Managers who have worked at both clubs

Honours

These are the major football honours of Vardar and Pelister.
CompetitionVardarPelister
Yugoslav Championship 00
Macedonian Championship 110
Yugoslav Cup 10
Macedonian Cup 62
Macedonian Supercup 20
Total202

Head-to-head league ranking

The table lists the place each team took in each of the seasons.
P.9192939495969798990001020307080910111314151718212325
1st11111111
2nd222
3rd333
4th44444444444
5th55555
6th66666666
7th
8th8
9th99
10th101010101010
11th111111
12th12
13th
14th
15th15

Key
First League
Second League

Vardar
Pelister

Source: