Europa League First Qualifying Round Preview

The Europa League first qualifying round will take place on Thursday, 27th August, with three Welsh clubs in the draw, currently scheduled for 10th August.

Based on UEFA club co-efficients, The New Saints will be amongst the seeds for the one-legged ties, whilst Bala Town will be unseeded. 

Barry Town, meanwhile, will be in the draw in the name of their seeded preliminary round opponents – meaning that they could play practically any club.

TNS have the eleventh highest ranking of the forty-seven seeded clubs, based on their recent European successes in regularly getting through at least one round a season in either the Champions League or Europa League qualifiers in each of the past five years.

That puts them below top seeds such as Apoel Nicosia, Malmo FF and Partizan Belgrade, but ahead of Dinamo Minsk and CSKA Sofia.

In the unseeded side of the draw, Bala will, of course, faceseeded opposition, but amongst those seeded clubs lies a huge range of European experience and quality.

Away from the glamour ties, lower seeded clubs include teams from Israel and Azerbaijan, as well as Progres Niederkorn, the Luxembourg club who beat Cardiff Met on away goals last season.

TNS themselves will fancy their chances against many of the unseeded clubs, who often have limited European experience.

Sirens FC of Malta will be playing their first ever European tie, as will lowest seeded club, Paide Linnameeskond of Estonia, while Polish and Slovakian opposition are amongst the best sides in the unseeded half. Derry City and Bohemians are also amongst potential unseeded opponents.

Barry Town fans will spy the chance of once again meeting up with teams from the club’s 1990s glory days. Former opponents Aberdeen, Zalgiris Vilnius of Lithuania and Valletta of Malta are all amongst the seeded clubs.

However, Barry’s position in the draw depends on the seeded club opposition in the preliminary round. If Barry are drawn against Lincoln Red Imps, FC Santa Coloma or B36 Torshavn then they will join TNS in the seeded side of the draw, whilst other clubs would put them in the unseeded half.

Seeded teams:

•  APOEL CC: 27.500

•  Malmö FF CC: 22.000

•  Partizan CC: 22.000

•  FCSB CC: 20.500

•  Maribor CC: 14.000

•  Hapoel Be’er Sheva CC: 14.000

•  Rosenborg CC: 13.500

•  Apollon Limassol CC: 12.500

•  Fehérvár CC: 10.500

•  Shkëndija CC: 7.250

•  The New Saints CC: 7.000

•  Dinamo Minsk CC: 7.000

•  Lech Poznań CC: 7.000

•  Aberdeen CC: 6.500

•  Zrinjski Mostar CC: 6.250

•  Alashkert CC: 6.000

•  Kairat CC: 6.000

•  Žalgiris CC: 6.000

•  AGF CC: ≥5.650

•  Motherwell CC: ≥5.575

•  Vaduz CC: 5.500

•  Kukësi CC: 5.500

•  Valletta CC: 5.250

•  Ventspils CC: 5.250

•  Olimpija CC: 5.250
  
• Winners of match involving Lincoln Red Imps CC: 5.250

•  Servette CC: ≥5.120

•  TSC Bačka Topola CC: 5.100

•  Universitatea Craiova CC: 5.000

•  Nõmme Kalju CC: 5.000

•  Shakhtyor Soligorsk CC: 4.750

•  Hammarby IF CC: 4.550
  
• Winners of match involving FC Santa Coloma CC: 4.500

•  FH CC: 4.500

•  Bodø/Glimt CC: 4.350

•  Progrès Niederkorn CC: 4.250

•  Riteriai CC: 4.250

•  CSKA Sofia CC: 4.000

•  Sutjeska Nikšić CC: 4.000

•  Honvéd CC: 4.000

•  Maccabi Haifa CC: 3.925

•  Beitar Jerusalem CC: 3.925

•  Ordabasy CC: 3.850

•  Neftçi CC: 3.750

•  Shamrock Rovers CC: 3.750
• Winners of match involving 

•  B36 Tórshavn CC: 3.750

•  Keşla CC: 3.750

Unseeded teams:

•  Sumgayit CC: 3.750

•  Lokomotiv Plovdiv CC: 3.475

•  Slavia Sofia CC: 3.475

•  Botoșani CC: 3.340

•  Piast Gliwice CC: 3.325

•  Cracovia CC: 3.325

•  FCI Levadia CC: 3.250

•  Hibernians CC: 3.250

•  DAC Dunajská Streda CC: 3.175

•  Ružomberok CC: 3.175

•  Žilina CC: 3.175
  
• Winners of match involving La Fiorita CC: 3.000

•  Željezničar CC: 3.000

•  Laçi CC: 2.750

•  Mura CC: 2.600

•  Puskás Akadémia CC: 2.575
  
• Winners of match involving Tre Penne CC: 2.250
  
• Winners of match involving NSÍ Runavík CC: 2.250

•  Saburtalo Tbilisi CC: 2.000
  
• Winners of match involving HB Tórshavn CC: 2.000

•  Shkupi CC: 2.000

•  Petrocub Hîncești CC: 2.000
  
• Winners of match involving Engordany CC: 2.000

•  Differdange 03 CC: 1.600

•  Union Titus Pétange CC: 1.600

•  Kauno Žalgiris CC: 1.575

•  RFS CC: 1.525

•  Shirak CC: 1.525

•  Valmiera CC: 1.525

•  Noah CC: 1.525

•  Teuta CC: 1.475

•  Renova CC: 1.475

•  Borac Banja Luka CC: 1.375

•  Sfântul Gheorghe CC: 1.350

•  Dinamo-Auto CC: 1.350

•  Derry City CC: 1.340

•  Bohemians CC: 1.340

•  Inter Turku CC: 1.300

•  Ilves CC: 1.300

•  Honka CC: 1.300

•  Breiðablik CC: 1.250

•  Bala Town CC: 1.250

•  Dinamo Batumi CC: 1.150

•  Sirens CC: 1.150

•  Locomotive Tbilisi CC: 1.150

•  Víkingur Reykjavík CC: 1.075

•  Paide Linnameeskond CC: 0.875

(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell)