Bala Town in Europa Conference League qualifiers: Who they could face, draw details, and seeding
Oswestry, England 08 July 2021. UEFA Europa Conference League First qualifying round match between Bala Town and Larne. Credit: Will Cheshire / Clwb Peldroed.
Bala Town have returned to training this week ahead of next week’s UEFA Europa Conference League draw.
Colin Caton’s men will be making their second appearance in the UECL after last season’s meeting with Larne after finishing second in the JD Cymru Premier.
Here is everything that you need to know as the Lakesiders aim to make further history in their eighth European competition.
What round of Europa Conference League qualifying will Bala Town start in?
As runners up in the Cymru Premier, Bala enter the first qualifying round.
When is the draw for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League?
Officials from clubs across Europe will meet in Nyon, Switzerland on Tuesday, 14th June with the first and second qualifiying rounds taking place.
Who could Bala face in the UEFA Europa Conference League first qualifying round?
60 teams enter the first qualifying round with teams split into two sets of 30 as seeded and unseeded teams. Bala will enter as a seeded team with a coefficient of 3.250 meaning they face easier opponents than fellow Cymru Premier side Newtown will as an unseeded team. However as last season proved, there are no easy ties regardless of your seeding status.
All the teams will be divided into groups (normally regionalised) so that a seeded club will automatically face an unseeded side from their pot.
The highest ranked unseeded side is Ružomberok with a coefficient of 3.125 from Slovakia. Past opponents such as Tre Fiori from San Marino, FC Differdange 03 from Luxembourg and Larne from Northern Ireland are all possible opponents for the Lakesiders. Closer to home, Sligo Rovers and Derry City represent the Republic of Ireland with Cliftonville representing Northern Ireland alongside Larne.
Town’s ideal draw opponents would be Atletic d’Escaldes or UE Santa Coloma from Andorra who are both making their debuts in Europe or Bruno’s Magpies from Gibraltar who are also appearing for the first time.
Difficult draws would be Vikingur from the Faroe Islands who are currently mid-season.
Possible opponents: MFK Ružomberok, Saburtalo Tbilisi, Borac Banja Luka, K.R. Reykjavik, Tre Fiori, Inter Turku, Derry City, Sfintul Gheorghe, Vikingur, Floriana, FK Panevezys, Cliftonville, Larne, Paide Linnameeskond, Tuzla City, Akademija Pandev, Hamrun Spartans, Dila Gori, SJK Seinajoki, Differdange 03, SC Gjilani, Llapi, Sligo Rovers, Ararat-Yerevan, FCB Magpies, Decic Tuzi, Iskra Danilovgrad, U.E. Santa Coloma, Atletic d’Escaldes
When will the first qualifying round matches take place?
The first leg matches are due to take place on Thursday, 7th July with the return matches, played a week later on Thursday, 14th July.
Where will Bala Town play their matches?
It has not been announced where the Lakesiders are due to play their UEFA Europa Conference League fixtures but highly likely to be Park Hall, home of The New Saints.
What happens to Bala if they win or lose their first qualifying round match?
A win would send the Lakesiders through into the second round qualifying which takes place on 21st and 28th July.
40 teams are already in the Second Round with 30 joining them from the First Round. 16 teams will also drop from the Champions League into the Champions path.
A loss would see them drop out of the competition.
(Featured Image: Will Cheshire)
