Europa FC host KF Shkëndija at the Victoria Stadium on 9 July for the first leg of their UEFA Conference League 2026/27 first qualifying round tie, with the return in North Macedonia on 16 July. Europa are here on the back of a third place finish in the 2025/26 Gibraltar Football League Championship Group, marking their first return to European football in three years, whereas Shkëndija arrive as runners up in the Macedonian First League, having finished nine points behind champions Vardar on 74 points from 33 matches. The visitors carry a deeper squad, stronger domestic competition and a European CV that includes multiple Champions League and Europa League qualifiers plus a 2025/26 upset over FCSB. Europa, by contrast, lost all three of their previous Conference League first round ties without advancing and haven't won a European home qualifier in four tries.
Michele Di Piedi is in charge of Europa FC and has spoken publicly about organising defensively and leaning on home support, while Artim Pollozhani - recently appointed alongside assistant Bekim Osmani - takes charge for Shkëndija. Di Piedi has not revealed his formation publicly whereas Pollozhani prefers an attacking 4-3-3 and the two haven't crossed paths as managers before.
Both clubs are in pre season shape, the data is thin and not much should be read into it. Shkëndija beat Koper 2-1 in a friendly but didn't win any of their next three, while Europa's preparation has been light on published detail. No injury or suspension information has come out ahead of kick off and Shkëndija are expected to rotate heavily given their squad depth from a full Macedonian First League season, whereas Europa will look to organise from a defensive base and protect what's behind them.
Shkëndija should control possession through their 4-3-3, with their wide forwards and attacking midfielder looking to get in behind Europa's shape through combination play in tight spaces. The midfield battle will decide the tempo and if Shkëndija can keep the ball moving quickly their superior depth should tell by the hour mark but Europa will try to stop them from settling into their rhythm rather than simply winning the ball high. Whether Shkëndija's attacking quality is sharp enough in July to dismantle a Europa side defending in a deep, narrow shape is probably the most important question in this tie.
These clubs have never met in official competition, which makes this genuinely hard to call on anything other than squad quality. Corners and free kicks near the box are probably Europa's only reliable moments of danger and they will plan around that. Shkëndija will need to stay disciplined at dead ball situations, particularly given that the Victoria Stadium can be an awkward venue for visiting sides dealing with travel logistics and unfamiliar pitch dimensions. The early July timing doesn't help either side and this probably means fewer goals than the scoreline this preview predicts.
Europa FC 3-0 KF Shkëndija, which most bookmakers will find hilarious. Shkëndija are the class act in this tie but Europa know this venue better than anyone and if they can frustrate the visitors through the first hour and conjure something from a set piece or two, Shkëndija could start pressing in ways that open up gaps. The 3-0 scoreline accounts for a Shkëndija side that hasn't fully found their rhythm and a Europa team playing with desperation in their own backyard.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
