Shkendija to face Hibernian in Conference League first leg in Edinburgh

North Macedonian side Shkendija will travel to Easter Road in Edinburgh for the first leg of the UEFA Conference League third‑qualifying‑round tie against Scottish club Hibernian on Thursday, 6 August. Coach Artim Polozani and his staff, including assistant Voka, stressed the need for a positive result before the return leg in Skopje, noting Hibernian’s physical British style of play.

Hibernian manager David Gray called Shkendija a “very good team” and warned of a tough test, while also highlighting the home‑crowd advantage at Easter Road, where around 15,000 supporters are expected. The Scottish side entered the competition after Celtic’s Scottish FA Cup win and have already recorded a 4‑1 aggregate win over FC Malisheva in the previous round.

Hibernian forward Owen Elding hopes his performance against Shkendija will secure a place in the Republic of Ireland Nations League squad, after waiting for his Irish passport. The match is seen as a key step for both clubs to reach the group stage of the Conference League for the first time in their histories.