UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round draw to be held today

The 2022/23 UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round draw will be held on Monday 18 July with Gzira United, Hamrun Spartans and champions Hibernians knowing their possible opponents should they emerge as winners in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League which will be played on July 19/21 and 28.

In the second qualifying round champions path, Hibernians will be playing FCI Levadia Tallinn of Estonia while in the main path, Gzira United will be facing FK Radnicki Nis of Serbia and Hamrun Spartans take on FK Velez Mostar of Bosnia Herzegovina.

On Sunday, UEFA released the groupings with Hibernians/Levadia Tallinn placed in Group 1 of the champions path and therefore their possible opponents are RFS (LVA); La Fiorita (SMR) / Ballkani (KOS); Víkingur Reykjavík (ISL) / The New Saints FC (WAL); Sutjeska (MNE) / KÍ (FRO) and Lech Poznań (POL) / Dinamo Batumi (GEO).

Gzira United (MLT) / Radnicki Niš (SRB) are unseeded in Group 4 of the main path and would therefore be draws against one of PFC Zire (AZE) / Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR); Botev Plovdiv (BUL) / APOEL (CYP); Saburtalo (GEO) / FCSB (ROU); Gil Vicente (POR) and Wolfsberger (AUT)

Velež (BIH) / Hamrun Spartans (MLT) are also unseeded in Group 5 of the main path and would therefore meet one among Twente (NED); Molde (NOR) / Elfsborg (SWE); Rapid Wien (AUT) / Lechia Gdańsk (POL); Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR) / Dinamo Minsk (BLR) and
Levski Sofia (BUL) / PAOK (GRE).

To reach the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League, the Maroons eliminated Atletic Escaldes of Andorra with a 1-0 win after extra-time away from home following the 1-1 draw at the Centenary Stadium while the Spartans came from behind to beat Alashkert of Armenia 4-1 in the second leg after a narrow defeat in Yerevan. On the other hand, Hibernians enter the competition after being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League by Shamrock Rovers of Ireland with a 0-3 aggregate score.

Champions path

• 8 second qualifying round winners (Champions path)
• 2 teams eliminated from UEFA Champions League first qualifying round

Group 1
RFS (LVA)
La Fiorita (SMR) / Ballkani (KOS)
Víkingur Reykjavík (ISL) / The New Saints FC (WAL)
Sutjeska (MNE) / KÍ (FRO)
Hibernians (MLT) / Levadia Tallinn (EST)
Lech Poznań (POL) / Dinamo Batumi (GEO)

Group 2
Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR)
Tirana (ALB) / Zrinjski (BIH)
CFR Cluj (ROU) / Inter Club d’Escaldes (AND)
Tobol Kostanay (KAZ) / Lincoln Red Imps (GIB)

Main path

• 9 new entrants
• 45 second qualifying round (Main path) winners

Group 1
Seeded
Raków Czestochowa (POL) / Astana (KAZ)
İstanbul Başakşehir (TUR) / Maccabi Netanya (ISR)
Valmiera (LVA) / Shkëndija (MKD)
Sparta Praha (CZE) / Viking (NOR)
Unseeded
Spartak Trnava (SVK) / Newtown (WAL)
Breidablik (ISL) / FK Budućnost Podgorica (MNE)
Motherwell (SCO) / Sligo Rovers (IRL)
AIK (SWE) / Vorskla Poltava (UKR)

Group 2
Seeded
Liepāja (LVA) / Young Boys (SUI)
Vitória SC (POR) / Puskás Akadémia (HUN)
Anderlecht (BEL)
Sūduva (LTU) / Viborg (DEN)
Unseeded
KuPS Kuopio (FIN) / Milsami Orhei (MDA)
Hajduk Split (CRO)
B36 Tórshavn (FRO) / Tre Fiori (SMR)
Ararat-Armenia (ARM) / Paide Linnameeskond (EST)

Group 3
Seeded
Basel (SUI) / Crusaders (NIR)
Tuzla City (BIH) / AZ (NED)
Royal Antwerp (BEL) / Drita (KOS)
CSKA-Sofia (BUL) / Makedonija (MKD)
Unseeded
Pogoń Szczecin (POL) / Brøndby (DEN)
Dundee United (SCO)
Saint Patrick’s Athletic (IRL) / Mura (SVN)
Seinäjoki (FIN) / Lillestrøm (NOR)

Group 4
Seeded
PFC Zire (AZE) / Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
Botev Plovdiv (BUL) / APOEL (CYP)
Saburtalo (GEO) / FCSB (ROU)
Gil Vicente (POR)
Wolfsberger (AUT)
Unseeded
Ružomberok (SVK) / Riga (LVA)
Kyzylzhar Petropavlovsk (KAZ) / Osijek (CRO)
Víkingur (FRO) / Dunajská Streda (SVK)
Gzira United (MLT) / Radnicki Niš (SRB)
Gomel (BLR) / Aris Thessaloniki (GRE)

Group 5
Seeded
Twente (NED)
Molde (NOR) / Elfsborg (SWE)
Rapid Wien (AUT) / Lechia Gdańsk (POL)
Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR) / Dinamo Minsk (BLR)
Levski Sofia (BUL) / PAOK (GRE)
Unseeded
Lugano (SUI)
Kairat Almaty (KAZ) / Kisvarda (HUN)
Aris Limassol (CYP) / Neftçi (AZE)
Velež (BIH) / Hamrun Spartans (MLT)
Racing FC Union Luxembourg (LUX) / Čukarički (SRB)

Group 6
Seeded
St Joseph’s (GIB) / Slavia Praha (CZE)
Zorya Luhansk (UKR)
BATE Borisov (BLR) / Konyaspor (TUR)
Rijeka (CRO) / Djurgården (SWE)
Fehérvár (HUN) / Gabala (AZE)
Unseeded
Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe (ROU) / Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN)
Vllaznia (ALB) / Universitatea Craiova (ROU)
Koper (SVN) / Vaduz (LIE)
Petrocub-Hincesti (MDA) / Laçi (ALB)
Panathinaikos (GRE)

Story: Malta Football