KuPS start UCL in North Macedonia as Finnish sides discover European opponents

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kups/nLBbqJDS/"]KuPS[/a] will be looking to at least match their performance last season when they reached the Second Qualifying Round before eventually reaching the knockout stage of the UEFA Conference League (UECL).[/p][p]To do so, they will have to beat a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vardar/4IQgZaVs/"]Vardar[/a] side who won the Macedonian title in 2026, their first league win since 2020. The club from the capital, Skopje, are former UEFA Europa League (UEL) Group Stage participants and were eliminated in UECL qualifying last season.[/p][p][b]The away leg is scheduled to take place on 7th or 8th July, before the sides meet in Kuopio on 14th or 15th July.[/b] The winner of the tie will meet either Sabah of Azerbaijan or The New Saints of Wales in the Second Qualifying Round, while the losing side drops into UEL qualification.[/p][embed guid="d1017ca3-56fd-4b11-b468-f85dd66188db" url="https://x.com/KuPS1923/status/2066890163234435225" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Three sides discover Conference League ties[/h2][p]The other three Finnish clubs participating in European competition this year have discovered their opponents in UECL qualification.[/p][p]In the First Qualifying Round, [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ilves/pYGmWmwa/"]Ilves[/a] are heading to Luxembourg to face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/differdange/pSWVqtMr/"]Differdange[/a], while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter-turku/QwkNUoNH/"]Inter Turku[/a] travel to Bosnia & Herzegovina for a meeting with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fk-sarajevo/MNOCxFD0/"]Sarajevo[/a][/b]. Both Veikkausliiga sides play the first legs away on 9th July, before hosting the return fixtures on 16th July.[/p][p]If the Tampere club progress, they will take on either [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dila-gori/2kvaMIqb/"]Dila Gori[/a] of Georgia or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/virtus/hARcOLbq/"]Virtus[/a] of San Marino in the Second Qualifying Round, while the tough test of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/basaksehir/YqP5NmC1/"]Istanbul Basaksehir[/a] awaits FC Inter or Sarajevo.[/p][p]Beginning their journey in the Second Qualifying Round are[b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hjk/nmjJVR7B/"]HJK[/a], who will be at home in the first leg against Northern Irish side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/coleraine/2B9zTTrh/"]Coleraine[/a][/b]. The Second Qualifying Round ties are set for 23rd and 30th July.[/p][p]The draw for the Third Qualifying Round will be made on 20th July.[/p]