Road to Glory: UEFA Futsal Champions League Draws Revealed

Countdown to UEFA Champions League Draws

The excitement is palpable as the UEFA Futsal Champions League preliminary and main round draws are set to unfold. Streaming live from 14:00 CET, Thursday, 4 July, these draws will determine the group compositions for the preliminary round in August and the main round in October.

(Main picture source: UEFA.com)

Structure and Entrants

This year, 56 teams will embark on the journey towards futsal glory. Based on the UEFA futsal national team coefficient rankings as of April 2023, the top-ranked eligible associations—Portugal, Spain, Kazakhstan, and Croatia—are allowed two representatives each. Notably, Spain’s Illes Balears Palma Futsal enters as the defending champions. The other nations each contribute one club. However, due to geopolitical circumstances, Russia is excluded from this year’s competition.

The format sees the 24 teams with the highest coefficients, including Palma, receiving byes to the main round. The remaining 32 teams will battle it out in the preliminary round from 20 to 25 August, vying for the remaining main round spots.

Preliminary Round Draw

The preliminary round will feature eight groups of four teams each, based on their coefficients, split into four seeding positions. Eight teams have been pre-selected as mini-tournament hosts and will be drawn separately before being allocated to their respective groups. Following this, the remaining teams will be drawn to complete the groups.

Preliminary Round Hosts and Seeding Positions:
Hosts:

• FC Diamant Linz (AUT)
• Tirana Futsal (ALB)
• Amigo Northwest (BUL)
• Hjørring Futsal Klub (DEN)
• Uddevalla Futsal Club (SWE)
• FC Clic Chişinău (MDA)
• Futsal Club FORCA (MKD)
• Manchester Futsal Club (ENG)

Pot Seeding 4: Position 4:

• Ranger’s FC (AND)
• Aberdeen Futsal Academy (SCO)
• Pro Futsal Cymru (WAL)
• Sparta Belfast (NIR)
• Istanbul Şişli SK (TUR)
• Ísbjörninn (ISL)
• Europa FC (GIB)
• Maccabi Netanya Futsal (ISR)

Pot Seeding 3: Position 3:

• TSV Weilimdorf (GER)
• AEK Futsal Club (GRE)
• Utleira Idrettslag (NOR)
• Sillamäe Silla FC (EST)
• FC Fiorentino (SMR)

Pot Seeding 2: Position 2:

• Yerevan Futsal Club (ARM)
• NV Georgians (GEO)
• Blue Magic FC Dublin (IRL)
• AEK Limassol (CYP)

Pot Seeding 1: Position 1:

• Catania C/5 (ITA)
• Araz Naxçivan (AZE)
• MKF Titograd (MNE)
• MKN Široki Brijeg (BIH)
• Futsal Minerva (SUI)
• Akaa Futsal (FIN)
• Tigers Roermond (NED)

The winners of each preliminary group will progress to the main round, Path B.

Main Round Draw

The main round draw includes the 24 highest-ranked teams and the eight preliminary round winners. The main round, scheduled for 22 to 27 October, is divided into Path A and Path B.

Path A:
Path A Hosts:

• AE Illes Balears Palma Futsal (ESP, holders)
• Sporting Anderlecht Futsal (BEL)
• Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
• FC Prishtina 01 (KOS)

Seeding Positions:

• Position 4: Record Bielsko-Biała (POL), Futsal Club Semey (KAZ), United Galati (ROU)
• Position 3: Haladás VSE (HUN), SK Plzeň (CZE), FC Hit Kyiv (UKR), MNK Futsal Dinamo (CRO)
• Position 2: MNK Olmissum (CRO), Futsal Klub Dobovec (SVN)
• Position 1: Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR), Cartagena Costa Cálida (ESP), Sporting Clube de Braga (POR)

The top three teams from each group in Path A will move on to the elite round.

Path B:
Path B Hosts:

• Etoile Lavalloise (FRA)
• Futsal Klub Lučenec (SVK)
• KMF FON Banjica (SRB)

Seeding Positions:

• Preliminary round winners (positions 3 and 4)
• Position 2: FC Stalitsa Minsk (BLR), FC Differdange 03 (LUX)
• Position 1: Riga Futsal Club (LVA), Luxol St. Andrews Futsal (MLT), Kauno Žalgiris (LTU)

The winners from each Path B group will also advance to the elite round.

Historical Context and Team Facts

Holders Palma have set a precedent by winning the European title in their first two seasons, a feat unmatched since Castellón in the early 2000s. Two-time winners Kairat Almaty and Sporting CP also join the fray, bringing rich histories and experience. This season also marks the debut for several teams, including Aberdeen Futsal Academy, Cartagena, and Manchester Futsal Club, highlighting the growing diversity and reach of the competition.

Looking Ahead

As the draw unfolds, fans and teams alike will be keenly observing the group formations, eager to predict potential match-ups and outcomes. The UEFA Futsal Champions League continues to be a beacon of competitive futsal, with each round bringing clubs one step closer to the elite round and the coveted knockout finals in May.

Organ Donation

Futsal Focus is a supporter of Dáithí Mac Gabhann and his family’s campaign to raise awareness of Organ Donation. We encourage our readers to learn more about Organ Donation: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/

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