Cup holders Vardar got the opponents they wanted, tough task for Sileks and Rabotnichki after today’s draw for the opening round of the UEFA Conference League qualifications that took place in Nyon, Switzerland.

photo by UEFA: the draw results

All three Macedonian clubs entered the draw as unseeded teams.

Sileks was drawn to face Montenegrin Cup winners Dečić from the town of Tuzi. They finished 4th in the top flight of Montenegro.

Rabotnichki followed by being drawn against Belarussian side Torpedo-BelAZ. It is a club from the city of Zhodzina that finished 3rd last season in the Belarusian Premier League and lost the Cup final.

Vardar was drawn last and the luck of its side. The Macedonian Cup winner was paired with the team of La Fiorita from San Marino, probably the easiest opponent in the entire draw. La Fiorita was runner-up in the Campionato Sammarinese for a second consecutive season, falling short 4 points to champions Virtus despite suffering only one defeat.

None of the three opponents have ever faced a Macedonian club in Europe.

The first legs will be played on 10 July, while the returns will be played on 17 July. UEFA will determine the exact date and time by 20 June.

Since all three Macedonian participants were drawn to host the return leg, UEFA will most probably switch some tie as In Skopje only the National Arena Todor Proeski and the Field 2 at the FFM Petar Miloshevski Training Center can host international matches.

The draw for the second qualifying round followed on Wednesday. if Vardar advances will play against Swiss side Lausanne-Sport, Austrian giants Rapid awaits Sileks, while Rabotnichki may face Israeli side Maccabi Haifa.