Conference League draw sets up possible Baltic duels in Second Round

Today’s UEFA Conference League second qualifying round draw revealed potential matchups for all participating Baltic clubs, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting summer in European football.

Yesterday, the first qualifying round draw determined the opponents for seven of the nine Baltic teams entering the tournament at this stage. From Lithuania, FK Kauno Žalgiris will host Penybont FC from Wales, while FC Hegelmann will travel to Ireland to face St. Patrick’s Athletic.

From Latvia, FK Auda drew Northern Ireland’s Larne FC, while European debutants BFC Daugavpils face a tough task against Albanian vice-champions KF Vllaznia.

Estonian Cup winners Nõmme Kalju were paired with FK Partizani of Albania, Paide Linnameeskond will host FCB Magpies from Gibraltar, and FC Flora Tallinn will travel to Iceland to take on Valur.

Second Round Awaits for Remaining Baltic Clubs

Two Baltic clubs — Lithuanian Cup winners FK Banga Gargždai and Latvian vice-champions Riga FC — join the competition in the second qualifying round and learned their potential opponents today.

UEFA revealed “mini groups” earlier in the day, dividing ten teams into five seeded and five unseeded sides. Among the seeded teams from the Baltics were FC Flora Tallinn, Paide Linnameeskond, and Riga FC, giving them a statistically easier draw.

Latvian Clubs: Path Forward

If FK Auda can overcome Larne FC, they will face the loser of Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova) vs FC Prishtina (Kosovo) in the second round. Riga FC, as a seeded team, were drawn against the winner of Racing Union (Luxembourg) vs FC Dila (Georgia). Meanwhile, if BFC Daugavpils can pull off an upset against KF Vllaznia, they will meet the winner of Malisheva (Kosovo) vs Víkingur Reykjavik (Iceland).

Lithuanian and Estonian Clubs: Mixed fortunes, possible Baltic duels

The draw was unfavorable for Lithuanian Cup holders FK Banga Gargždai, who will face Norwegian giants Rosenborg. However, two all-Baltic second-round matchups are also possible. If FC Hegelmann defeat St. Patrick’s Athletic, they will play the winner of Nõmme Kalju vs FK Partizani. If FK Kauno Žalgiris get past Penybont, they could face FC Flora Tallinn, assuming Flora beat Valur.

Paide Linnameeskond, though seeded, were not so lucky in round two draw — Swedish powerhouse AIK Stockholm is their potential opponents — if they first overcome FCB Magpies.

Champions League Sides Await Their Turn

Baltic champions FCI Levadia Tallinn, FC RFS, and FK Žalgiris also learned their potential fates. Levadia and RFS will face each other in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, with the loser dropping into the Conference League.

The loser of the RFS vs Levadia tie will meet the loser between Iberia 1999 (Georgia) and Malmö FF (Sweden) in the Conference League second qualifying round.

Meanwhile, if FK Žalgiris lose their Champions League clash against Hamrun Spartans (Malta), they will face the loser of Shelbourne (Ireland) vs Linfield (Northern Ireland).

Key Dates

The UEFA Conference League second qualifying round matches will take place on July 24 and 31, as Baltic clubs will aim to progress deeper into European competition.