Baltic clubs have learned their potential opponents in UEFA’s third qualifying rounds, with Ajax, Gent, Rapid Wien, Hajduk Split and Partizan Belgrade among the possible visitors. RFS and Flora received relatively favourable routes, while Žalgiris, Panevėžys, Levadia and Nõmme Kalju could face significantly tougher tests if they advance.
Eleven clubs from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania remain involved in European qualifying, although all must first negotiate their second-round ties before the prospective matchups become reality.
RFS will face the winners of the tie between Croatia’s Varaždin and Czech side Jablonec if they overcome Icelandic club Vestri.
The Latvian vice-champions enter the second qualifying round after defeating Glentoran 4–1 on aggregate. Vestri began their campaign in the Europa League, where they lost both legs 3–0 against Qarabağ.
Riga FC must first negotiate a difficult meeting with North Macedonian club Vardar. The winners will face either Luxembourg’s Atert Bissen or Hungarian side ETO FC Győr in the Conference League third qualifying round.
Liepāja have been paired with the winners of AEK Larnaca against Beitar Jerusalem, provided they produce an upset against Austria Wien.
Auda would meanwhile face either Slovenia’s Aluminij or Albania’s Dinamo City if they eliminate Romanian side FCSB.
Flora received one of the simpler-looking potential pairings. Victory over Welsh champions The New Saints would send them into a third-round meeting with Andorran champions Inter Club d’Escaldes.
FCI Levadia face a significantly more demanding route. If they overcome IFK Göteborg, their next opponents will be either Ukraine’s LNZ Cherkasy or Belgian club Gent.
Nõmme Kalju could secure the most eye-catching matchup involving a Baltic club. Should Kalju defeat Shelbourne and Ajax overcome Serbian club Vojvodina, the Estonian side would meet the four-time European champions in the third qualifying round.
Paide Linnameeskond must eliminate Azerbaijan’s Zira to earn a meeting with either FC Santa Coloma of Andorra or Austria’s Rapid Wien.
Žalgiris Vilnius will face the winners of the tie between Hajduk Split and Pafos if they progress past Dinamo Tbilisi.
The Croatian and Cypriot clubs are themselves meeting in the second qualifying round, with the winner advancing to face either Žalgiris or Dinamo Tbilisi. The previously reported prospective tie against Rijeka or Derry City was incorrect: that pairing belongs to a separate section of the draw.
Panevėžys will meet either Partizan Belgrade or Luxembourg’s UNA Strassen if they eliminate Kazakhstan’s Tobol. The previous reference to Aris Limassol was also incorrect.
Kauno Žalgiris remain in Champions League qualifying and therefore were not part of the Conference League draw.
If the Lithuanian champions defeat KÍ Klaksvík, they will face the winners of the Champions League tie between Swiss side Thun and Dinamo Zagreb.
Should Kauno Žalgiris lose to KÍ, they will transfer into the Europa League third qualifying round and meet the defeated side from the tie between AGF Aarhus and Lech Poznań.
The Conference League and Europa League third qualifying round matches are scheduled for 6 and 13 August. Champions League third-round fixtures will be played on 4 or 5 August, with the return legs on 11 August.
