The first qualification round of the Champions League 2025-2026 delivered its share of surprises and confirmations. Among the striking posters, ħamrun Spartans created the feat by eliminating žalgiris Vilnius on penalties (10-11) after two home and outside games won 2-0 each. Other teams like Malmö FF, FK RFS, Breiðacka or Hšk Zrinjski Mostar confirmed their status by winning with authority over the whole of the two rounds. Note also the solid performance of KF Drita, winner 4-2 on the whole against Diffeerdange.
Some meetings were more disputed, such as the one between FCSB and Inter d'Ettelles, where the Romanians had to fight despite an advance in the first leg. Kups qualified without collecting a goal, while FK Shkëndija dominated the Welshman of The New Saints thanks to an outside victory. The FC Noah of Armenia stood up to the Budućnost Montenegrin to snatch its qualification. This Wednesday, the Irish of Shelbourne FC won the fratricidal duel against the Northern Irish of the Linfield FC (1-0, 1-1). Finally, Ludogorets Razgrad and the Dinamo Minsk pushed the suspense at the end of the night (1-0, 2-2) with a qualification of the Bulgarians in extra time. This preliminary round has already shown that the competition promises to be open, with clubs from “small” nations determined to play their luck.
All the results of the 1st qualification round
- Žalgiris Vilnius (Lit) vs Hamrun Spartans (MLT) (2-0, 0-2, 10-11 tab)
- KuPS (FIN) vs FC Milsami (MDA) (1-0, 0-0)
- New Saints (WAL) vs FK Spark (MKD) (0-0, 1-2)
- FC Iberia 1999 (Geo) vs Malmö FF (Sue) (1-3, 1-3)
- Levadia Tallinn (EST) vs FK RFS (LVA) (0-1, 0-1)
- KF Drita (Kos) vs FC Differdange Differdange 03 (LUX) (1-0) 4-2)
- Vikings Street (FRO) vs Lincoln Red Imps (GIB) (2-3, 0-1)
- Kf Egnatia Rrogozhina (ALB) Vs Broadcasting (ISL) (1-0, 0-5)
- FCSB (Rou) vs Inter Club d'Addes (and) (3-1, 1-2)
- AC Virtus (SMR) vs HŠK Zrinjski Mostar (Bos) (0-2, 1-2)
- Olympia Ljubljana (SVN) VS Kaïrat Almaty (KAZ) (1-1, 0-2)
- FC Noah (poor) VS Future Podgorica (MNE) (1-0, 2-2)
- Shelbourne FC (IRL) vs Linfield FC (NIR) (1-0, 1-1)
- Ludogorets Razgrad (BGR) vs Dinamo Minsk (BLR) (1-0, 2-2 ap)
The 2nd qualification round program
Champions route
- FK RFS (LVA) – Malmö FF (SUE)
- Hamrun Spartans (MLT) – Dynamo Kiev (UKR)
- Paphos (CYP) – Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR)
- Lincoln Red Imps (GIB) – Belgrade red star (Ser)
- FC Noah (Arm) – Ferencvaros (female)
- Lech Poznan (POL) – Broadcast (ISL)
- FC Copenhagen (DEN) – KF DRIE (KOS)
- HNK Rijeka (Cro) – Ludogorets Degrad (BGR)
- FK Spark (MKD) – FCSB (Rou)
- Slovan Bratislava (SVK) – HŠK Zrinjski Mostar (Bos)
- Shelbourne FC (IRL) – Arabicğ FK (AZE)
- FIN (FIN) – I don't know if
League
- Sk Brann (NOR) – RB Salzbourg (from)
- Viktoria Plzen (CZE) – Servette FC (Swi)
- Rangers FC (SCO) – Panathinažkos (Gre)
Pub. the
– Maj the
