Just six weeks after Chelsea triumphed in Poland, the UEFA Conference League is back. The competition’s fifth campaign gets underway on Tuesday and Thursday with the first qualifying round. Forty-eight clubs are involved in this round, which is win-or-go-home. A further 61 sides will enter the second qualifying round or playoff round, while 39 more will partake following eliminations in the UEFA Champions League and/or UEFA Europa League.
Ahead of the first two weeks of action, The Deck previews the 24 ties taking place over the next two weeks. We will also predict which sides will continue their European journey into the second qualifying round.
UEFA Conference League: First Qualifying Round
Former Group Phase Participants Take First Step
The tie that will kick off the fifth edition of the UEFA Conference League is between Gibraltar’s St. Joseph’s and Cliftonville of Northern Ireland. One of St. Joseph’s two progressions in Europe came at the expense of a Northern Irish outfit, having beaten Larne in Q1 three years ago. For Cliftonville, it is a third go in the UECL, though they have lost all four previous contests in this competition. However, they did reach the Europa League third qualifying round in 2010/11 before losing to CSKA Sofia. Prediction: St. Joseph’s
Twenty-six-time Maltese champions Floriana will be the other side to kick off the UECL on Tuesday as they face Welsh club Haverfordwest County. Last summer was the second time Floriana, prevailed in a two-legged European tie. Haverfordwest’s only previous UECL showing saw them eliminate Sutjeska on penalties after two 1-0 wins. That came two years ago, where they went on to lose in extra time to B36 Tórshavn in Q2. Prediction: Floriana
HJK Helsinki faces Faroese opposition once more as they battle NSÍ Runavík. HJK reached the UECL proper last term by knocking out KÍ in the PO round. They are unbeaten in their last three qualifiers at home. It will be a second crack versus Finnish opposition for NSÍ, who lost at this exact stage a year ago to Honka 3-1 on aggregate. In what is their 15th participation in a UEFA club competition, they have never gotten past Q1. Prediction: HJK Helsinki
The other Finland versus Faroe Islands tie in this round sees KÍ Klaksvík and SJK square off. The former is in search of a second UECL group phase showing in three years after narrowly missing out in heartbreaking fashion last August. They are unbeaten in their last 11 qualifiers at home. It is the fourth time in six European ties that SJK will face a fellow Nordic team. They did advance from a tie in their last appearance three years ago, although they have scored in just three of their 10 continental games all-time. Prediction: KÍ Klaksvík
Pyunik takes their first step in trying to return to the UECL proper as they battle Tre Fiori. The side from Yerevan is one of four Armenian teams to have made the UECL proper. They have reached at least Q3 in each of their last five continental forays. Tre Fiori has advanced from two European ties all-time, including their only previous UECL Q1 showing back in 2022/23, knocking off Fola Esch. In doing so, they became the first Sammarinese team to win both legs of a tie. Prediction: Pyunik
Two clubs who had their best-ever European journeys in 2024/25, Larne and Auda will meet in what is our pick of tie of the round. It is the second year in a row where Larne’s opening opponent is Latvian. They were beaten 7-0 by RFS in UCL Q1 before winning three rounds of Conference League qualifying to make the league phase. It will be a third consecutive European journey for Auda, who made Q3 last summer before falling to Drita. They have never lost a home match in continental play (3-1-0). Prediction: Auda
Petrocub takes on Birkirkara in what is an important tie for both teams. The Hîncesti outfit became the second Molvodavn team to make a group phase. Now in Europe for the eighth year running, they are looking to win multiple ties in a season for just the third time. They also saw off Floriana in this round two years ago. Nine years on from their best performance, Birkirkara is on a winless run of five in UEFA club competition away games since stunning Hearts in 2016/17. Prediction: Birkirkara
For the second year in a row, F91 Dudelange and Atlètic Club d’Esclades face off in UECL Q1. It was the side from Luxembourg who prevailed 3-0 on aggregate last July. They have won all four European clashes versus Andorran teams, keeping clean four sheets in the process. For Atlètic, it is a fourth continental campaign, though they have lost all but one game (0-1-6). They have never scored at home in three previous attempts. Prediction: F91 Dudelange
League phase participants in 2021/22, Flora Tallinn, meets Icelandic opposition again in Valur Reykjavík. It was Valur’s rival Víkingur Reykjavík who took out Flora 3-2 across two legs in UECL Q3 last August. The Estonian side reached at least Q3 in four of their last five continental runs. Valur prevailed in UECL Q1 last year against Vllaznia, the away win being their first in Europe. Their best European performance saw them reach UEL Q3 seven years ago before losing to Sheriff. Prediction: Valur Reykjavík
Víkingur Reykjavík kicks off their Conference League campaign versus Kosovo’s
Malisheva. Vikingur
made the UECL knockout stage last February. However, to get anywhere near that round again, they will have to do what they failed to two years ago – get past UECL Q1. Malisheva lost to Budućnost in this round a year ago in what was their first-ever European clash. Their third place finish in 2024/25 was their highest ever.
Prediction: Víkingur Reykjavík
La Fiorita looks to follow up on their best-ever European campaign last term as they face North Macedonia’s Vardar Skopje. The six-time San Marino champion is in Europe for the 14th season running, but only progressed from a qualifying round last summer, getting past Isloch Minsk. Vardar is the only North Macedonian team to make a group phase, having done so back in 2017/18 in the UEL. This is their first European participation in seven years, when they fell 3-2 to Pyunik in UEL Q1. Prediction: Vardar Skopje
Borac Banja Luka, who made it to the last 16 of the Conference League last term, faces FC Santa Coloma. Borac’s run in the competition last term was their best ever European foray. Before last term, they had progressed from just three continental ties. FCSC enjoyed their best continental performance in their last showing 2 years ago, when they made it to Q3 before bowing out to AZ. First time ever that an Andorran team advanced from two rounds of qualifying in the same season. Prediction: Borac Banja Luka
Inexperienced Sides Looking to Make Their Mark
Ordabasy Shymkent takes on Torpedo Kutaisi in what looks to be an intriguing matchup. One of the three European ties Ordabasy has progressed from came against their Georgian opponents, back in 2019/20. They enjoyed their most successful continental run last term when they reached the third qualifying round before bowing out to Pyunik. For Torpedo, it is the third time in their last four European participations that Torpedo meets a Kazakh team. Overall, they are 1-1-4 in such games, losing all three ties. They have reached the second qualifying round in the last two seasons before being eliminated. Prediction: Ordabasy
Koper will look to build on Slovenia’s success from last year as they battle Bosnia’s Željezničar. Eighteen years on from losing to Široki Brijeg in the UEFA Cup, Koper faces Bosnian opposition once more. Their last contientnal showing was three years ago, when they lost to Vaduz. Željezničar lost to Maribor 13 years ago in the Champions League qualifiers. Željo reached the semifinals of the UEFA Cup 41 years ago in what is still the best-ever European performance from a Bosnian side. Prediction: Željezničar
Partizani Tirana meets Nõmme Kalju in what is the Albanian side’s maiden Baltic opponent. They reached the playoff round twice in their history, most recently in 2023/24. They prevailed in both of their previous UECL Q1 ties, winning all four games. For Nõmme, it is their first European journey since 2020/21. The club from Estonia made the Europa League playoff round 12 years ago, and Q3 twice. They have won at least one leg in each of their last seven Q1 ties,excluding one-off games. Prediction: Nõmme Kalju
St. Patrick’s Athletic will aim to do at least one better from last season, but will start off versus Hegelmann Litauen. St Pats’ only tie against Lithuanian opposition ended in defeat to Žalgiris 12 years ago in the UEL qualifiers. They are in the Conference League for the fourth year running. Two years on from their only continental tie, a 5-0 loss to Shkupi, Hegelmann is currently third in A Lyga, six points back of the leaders. They enjoyed their best ever domestic season last year by finishing second to Žalgiris. Prediction: St. Patrick’s Athletic
Dečić and Sileks meet in what has to be seen as a rather evenly-matched tie. Eight of Dečić’s 10 European games have come in the UECL. Overall, they’re 2-3-5 in Europe all-time, with both victories coming last summer en route to making UECL Q3. Sileks’ only progression from a two-legged European tie came in their maiden appearance three decades ago against Vác FC Samsung. They have not won any of their 10 continental games this millennium (0-2-8). Prediction: Sileks
One of Montenegro’s most successful teams, Sutjeska, takes on Dynamo Brest. Last term was the first time since 2012/13 that Sutjeska failed to qualify for Europe. They have only gotten past the second qualifying round once, back in 2019/20. As for Dynamo, it is their sixth two-legged European tie, though their only success came against Atromitos in the 2018/19 UEL. They reached the UEL playoff round in 2020/21 when the ties were played over one leg. Prediction: Sutjeska
Torpedo Zhodino and Rabotnički will do battle in what is a vital tie from a coefficient standpoint. While Torpedo enjoys their fourth UECL journey, they have never won a match in this competition (0-2-4). Both ties the Belarusian side won were in Europe League, with the last occasion coming nine years ago versus Debrecen. Rabotnički was eliminated by Dinamo Minsk in UEL Q2 eight years ago. They have made the final round of qualifying four times throughout their history, all coming in the UEFA Cup/Europa League. Prediction: Rabotnički
Both Paide Linnameeskond and Magpies made it past this round last July. This time, one of them will not do so. For the sixth year in a row, Paide gets to enjoy European football. They reached Q3 of the Conference League twice, including last summer, when they fell to Häcken. Magpies got past Crusaders last year to win their maiden continental tie at the third time of asking. However, they have lost all four road games, conceding 13 times in those fixtures. Prediction: Paide Linnameeskond
Georgia’s Dila Gori and Racing Union Luxembourg meet in what will have to be considered as a glorious chance for both clubs. Dila reached consecutive Europa League playoff rounds in 2012/13 and 2013/14, but has only gotten to Q3 once since. That came in their latest continental journey two summers ago. Seven of eight European games Racing has partaken in ended in defeat. Unsurprisingly, they have never successfully negotiated a qualifying round. Prediction: Dila Gori
Vllaznia Shkodër faces off against European debutant BFC Daugavpils. Since beating Široki Brijeg in the first edition of the UECL, Vllaznia has not won any advanced the four ties after that. They fell at this stage to Linfield and Valur Reykjavík over the last two years. A fifth place finish, coupled with Valmiera being stripped of their UEFA license, gave BFC Daugavpils their maiden appearance in a UEFA club competition, becoming the 19th different club from Latvia to play continental football. Prediction: Vllaznia Shkodër
Urartu and
Neman Grodno have a glorious chance ahead of them in their tie.
Due to DAC Dunajská Streda’s expulsion after the second qualifying round draw, the winner of this tie will advance directly to Q3. Urartu has gotten past this stage in each of their last two attempts. It is their third successive year in Europe, something they have not managed since doing so nine times in a row between 2003 and 2012. Outside of making UECL Q3 two years ago, Neman has always fallen at the first hurdle. They have also failed to score in six of their seven continental away games.
Prediction: Urartu
We conclude with a tie between Lithuanian outfit Kauno Žalgiris and Wales’ Penybont. Kauno conceded 10 of their 23 goals in continental play to Welsh opposition, all coming versus The New Saints four years ago. That same season saw them win their first and only European tie. Penybont was knocked out by FC Santa Coloma in their only other continental run two years ago, losing in extra time. They are coming off their best domestic campaign in club history, where they finished second behind the aforementioned TNS. Prediction: Kauno Žalgiris
