What time are the Champions League and Europa League draws?

It’s been a long time since a Welsh domestic club has kicked a competitive ball in anger…

The last Cymru Premier game to take place was Airbus UK Broughton’s 3-1 win over Carmarthen Town on March 7.

No start date has been revealed by the FAW but with European football beginning, we move closer to a return to some kind of normality.

The new campaign is upon us, albeit a European campaign and not a domestic one. 

Four Welsh clubs will enter multiple draws over the next few days which will help us plan for our football fix.

In a change to the format of qualifying, Welsh clubs will compete in a one-legged affair, rather than competing over two-legs.

Away goals have been scrapped and instead, games will go to extra time and penalties, should they draw in the allotted ninety minutes.

So to help you further get to grips with the European draws, we provide you the information you’ll need to know.

Champions League

The first qualifying round draw of the Champions League is to begin at 11:00 on Sunday, 9 October in Nyon, Switzerland, at UEFA HQ.

A day later and at the same time of 11:00, the second qualifying round will take place, with Connah’s Quay knowing what awaits them should they progress in the first round.

Competing in Europe’s top division for the first time, the Nomads will be unseeded for this draw.

UEFA announced the groups for the first qualifying round earlier today.

The Nomads will play one of FK Sarajevo (Bosnia), Red Star Belgrade (Serbia) or Sherriff Tiraspol (Moldova)

Europa League 

The preliminary round draw of the Europa League is set to take place at 12:00 on Sunday, 9 October in Nyon, Switzerland.

This draw will involve Barry Town United, who have four possibilities after the teams were assorted into groups.

Three options are from the Faroe Islands, B36 Tórshavn, Havnar Bóltfelag and NSÍ Runavík all come from the Faroe Islands Premier League.

All three sides are are currently in competitive action, with 16 games currently played in the Faroese top flight. 

Havnar are top of the division whilst B36 are third and NSÍ are fourth. 

Barry’s fourth and final option is La Fiorita, who were awarded a place in the Europa League after Folgore were ruled ineligible.

They finished fourth in the Campionato Sammarinese di Calcio last season.

Barry’s potential opponents: B36 Tórshavn CC: 3.750, La Fiorita CC: 3.000, HB Tórshavn CC: 2.000, NSÍ Runavík CC: 2.250

On Monday, August 11, at the same time of 12:00, the first qualifying round for the Europa League will take place, this will include Barry, Bala Town, The New Saints and potentially Connah’s Quay.

Barry will know the prize that awaits them if they get through their one-legged qualifier whilst Bala and TNS begin their European campaign at this stage.

Connah’s Quay will also feature in this draw should they fail to get past the first qualifying round of the Champions League.

Bala’s possible opponents:

• 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

•  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: 5.800

•  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: 5.240

•  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

New Saints’ possible opponents: 

•  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

•  Dinamo Batumi CC: 1.150

•  Sirens CC: 1.150

•  Locomotive Tbilisi CC: 1.150

•  Víkingur Reykjavík CC: 1.075

•  Paide Linnameeskond CC: 0.875

When and where are the games?

Connah’s Quay will begin their European campaign on either August 18 or 19. 

Barry Town United have been pencilled in to play on August 20, however, this could change.

Both teams have announced the Cardiff City Stadium as their home venue for the upcoming qualifying campaign.

In a similar situation to Wales, there are a number of cases where European clubs all from the same country are using the same stadium. 

This means that fixture dates could be altered to accommodate all teams in the draw.

Bala Town and The New Saints are scheduled to play on Thursday, 27 August.

Cyprus, Hungary, Greece and Poland have offered grounds as neutral venues, should travel restrictions affect the draw. 

(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell)