Preview: FK Vardar vs KuPS - prediction, team news, lineups

Back in UEFA Champions League qualifying for the first time since 2017/18, FK Vardar begin their European campaign with the confidence of a side that lost just twice all season when they host KuPS at the Tose Proeski Arena in Skopje on Tuesday evening in the first leg of the first qualifying round.

The Finnish visitors arrive full of confidence, currently top of the Veikkausliiga and carrying their own momentum from an impressive recent run that included a 4-0 away win over HJK Helsinki.

Match preview

Vardar head into Tuesday’s first leg on the back of a dominant domestic campaign, winning the 2025/26 Macedonian First League with 83 points from 25 wins and five draws - losing only twice across the entire season.

Cristian Fabbiani’s side have won each of their last seven matches, scoring 23 goals in that sequence and conceding just once across their last eight games.

Tuesday’s fixture marks Vardar’s return to the Champions League qualifying phase for the first time since 2017/18, when they reached the third qualifying round before losing 4-1 away to their opponents in the second leg, having won the first leg 1-0 at home.

That exit is a painful memory, and the current squad will be driven by the desire to go further this time around.

Cristian Fabbiani was appointed in late May as the new head coach following the club’s decision to part ways with Goce Sedloski, and Tuesday’s first leg will be his first match in charge.

Home form has been the cornerstone of their success, with Vardar unbeaten in 19 of their last 21 home matches across all competitions, keeping clean sheets in 40% of their last 30 home fixtures.

Across their last 15 matches in all competitions, Vardar have averaged 2.13 goals scored per game while conceding just 0.4, numbers that paint the picture of a side in formidable shape.

KuPS arrive in Skopje as leaders of the Veikkausliiga after 15 games, having accumulated 30 points from eight wins, six draws and one defeat.

Miika Nuutinen’s side have won three, drawn one and lost one of their last five matches, with the defeat coming on penalties following a goalless draw in the Suomen Cup quarter-final.

Their most recent league outing produced a commanding 4-0 away win over HJK Helsinki, which demonstrated KuPS’s ability to travel and get points on the road, and they carry 11 goals from their last five matches into Tuesday’s clash - an attacking output that gives Vardar’s defence a genuine test to navigate.

The tie does carry a cautionary note for KuPS, however. In the 2025/26 Champions League qualifying campaign, Nuutinen’s side won their first leg 2-0 against FK Kairat before suffering a 3-0 defeat in the return fixture.

FK Vardar form (all competitions):

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KuPS form (all competitions):

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Team News

Fabbiani is expected to name a strong side given the significance of the occasion, with Vardar looking to establish a commanding advantage on home soil before the second leg in Finland.

Davor Taleski is set to start in goal, with Mislav Matic and Darko Velkovski expected to provide the defensive foundation in central defence behind him.

Azer Omeragic is expected to lead the attacking line, with Goran Zakaric providing width from the wing and Dimitar Danev set to feature in a midfield role as Vardar look to control the tempo of the first leg.

KuPS head into the tie without any significant injury concerns, and Nuutinen is expected to field a strong and competitive lineup as the Finnish side look to return home with a favourable result.

The back four of Clinton Antwi, Brahima Magassa, Arttu Lotjonen and Akseli Puukko is expected to provide the defensive structure behind a midfield trio of Petteri Pennanen, Valentin Gasc and Gustav Engvall.

Pennanen arrives in fine form, having scored a brace in his most recent outing and will be looking to carry that goalscoring momentum into Tuesday’s European fixture.

In attack, Jaime Moreno - who has scored eight goals this season is expected to lead the line, with Bob Nii Armah providing a threat from the wing as KuPS look to make the most of their attacking quality.

FK Vardar possible starting lineup:

Taleski; Jankulov, Matic, Velkovski, Najdovski; Babunski, Nikolov; Todorovski, Danev, Zakaric; Omeragic

KuPS possible starting lineup:

Kreidl; Antwi, Magassa, Lotjonen, Puukko; Pennanen, Engvall, Gasc; Armah, Moreno, Heiskanen

We say: FK Vardar 3-1 KuPS

Vardar’s seven-match winning run, formidable home record and the emotional weight of their first Champions League qualifying appearance in eight years should combine to produce a dominant first-leg display at the Tose Proeski Arena on Tuesday.

KuPS have the attacking quality to test their defence, but with Vardar conceding just once in their last eight matches, the hosts are backed to keep it tight at the back and take a commanding lead into the second leg in Finland.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.