Valletta will be facing the winner of the clash between FC Shakhtyor Karagandy of Kazakhstan and KS Ruch Chorzów of Poland in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League. The draw was held at the House of Football in Nyon on Monday.
The first leg is to be held at Ta’ Qali on July 15 and the return leg will be played on July 22.
Shakhtyor Karagandy are currently fourth in the Premier League in Kazakhstan. Last season, they finished third on 57 points, eight points behind champions Aktobe.
This is only their third participation in European football. In 2008, they were eliminated from the first qualifying round of the UEFA Cup after losing 1-2 on aggregate to DVSC Debrecen of Hungary.
KS Ruch Chorzów, on the other hand, are better known in Europe, being one of the most successful football teams in Poland – 14-times national champion and 3-times winner of the Polish Cup.
Last season, they placed third in the Polish top division – the Ekstraklasa, twelve points behind champions Lech Poznan.
They first took part in European competitions in the early seventies, reaching the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in 1973/74 and the Champions Cup in 1974/75. Their last participation goes back to season 2000/01 when they eliminated Zalgiris Vilnius of Lithuania from the qualifying round of the UEFA Cup with a 7-2 aggregate score but then lost to Italian side Inter in the first round proper.
2010/11 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round draw
First leg: 1 July – Second leg: 8 July
1 UE Santa Coloma (AND) v FK Mogren (MNE)
2 NK Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN) v NK Široki Brijeg (BIH)
3 Anorthosis Famagusta FC (CYP) v FC Banants (ARM)
4 FK Khazar Lankaran (AZE) v FC Olimpia B?l?i (MDA)
5 HNK Šibenik (CRO) v Sliema Wanderers FC (MLT)
6 FC Tobol Kostanay (KAZ) v NK Zrinjski (BIH)
7 FC Ulisses (ARM) v Bnei Yehuda Tel-Aviv FC (ISR)
8 FC Lusitans (AND) v FK Rabotnicki (MKD)
9 KF Tirana (ALB) v Zalaegerszegi TE (HUN)
10 FC Zestafoni (GEO) v SC Faetano (SMR)
11 NSÍ Runavík (FRO) v Gefle IF (SWE)
12 FC Torpedo Zhodino (BLR) v Fylkir (ISL)
13 Randers FC (DEN) v F91 Dudelange (LUX)
14 Portadown FC (NIR) v Skonto FC (LVA)
15 FC TPS Turku (FIN) v Port Talbot Town FC (WAL)
16 KR Reykjavík (ISL) v Glentoran FC (NIR)
17 Dundalk FC (IRL) v CS Grevenmacher (LUX)
18 Kalmar FF (SWE) v EB/Streymur (FRO)
19 Llanelli AFC (WAL) v FK Tauras (LTU)
20 JK Trans Narva (EST) v Myllykosken Pallo-47 (FIN)
21 FC Dacia Chi?in?u (MDA) v FK Zeta (MNE)
22 KF Laçi (ALB) v FC Dnepr Mogilev (BLR)
23 FC Shakhtyor Karagandy (KAZ) v KS Ruch Chorzów (POL)
24 FC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v FC Flora (EST)
25 FC Nitra (SVK) v Gy?ri ETO FC (HUN)
26 FK Qaraba? (AZE) v FK Metalurg Skopje (MKD)
2010/11 UEFA Europa League second qualifying round draw
First leg: 15 July – Second leg: 22 July
1 Cercle Brugge KSV (BEL) v Winner Match 15
2 Motherwell FC (SCO) v Breidablik (ISL)
3 Winner Match 5 v Winner Match 3
4 FC Lausanne-Sport (SUI) v FK Borac Banja Luka (BIH)
5 KFK Šiauliai (LTU) v Wis?a Kraków (POL)
6 Winner Match 18 v Winner Match 21
7 Winner Match 26 v Winner Match 9
8 ND Gorica (SVN) v Winner Match 13
9 CS Marítimo (POR) v Sporting Fingal FC (IRL)
10 FK S?duva (LTU) v FK Teteks (MKD)
11 FK Ventspils (LVA) v Winner Match 12
12 OFK Beograd (SRB) v Winner Match 12
13 Winner Match 4 v FC Dinamo 1948 Bucure?ti (ROU)
14 Winner Match 20 v UE Sant Julià (AND)
15 FC Videoton (HUN) v NK Maribor (SVN)
16 Brøndby IF (DEN) v FC Vaduz (LIE)
17 Stabæk IF (NOR) v Winner Match 22
18 Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL) v Winner Match 7
19 IF Elfsborg (SWE) v FC Iskra-Stali (MDA)
20 Winner Match 16 v FC Karpaty Lviv (UKR)
21 Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC (ISR) v Winner Match 1
22 FK Austria Wien (AUT) v Winner Match 2
23 Winner Match 19 v APOEL FC (CYP)
24 Molde FK (NOR) v FK Jelgava (LVA)
25 Winner Match 10 v FK Dukla Banská Bystrica (SVK)
26 FC Honka Espoo (FIN) v Bangor City FC (WAL)
27 PFC Levski Sofia (BUL) v Winner Match 17
28 FC WIT Georgia (GEO) v FC Baník Ostrava (CZE)
29 Winner Match 8 v FC Mika (ARM)
30 FK Atyrau (KAZ) v Winner Match 25
31 Winner Match 26 v Winner Match 14
32 Be?ikta? JK (TUR) v Vikingur (FRO)
33 FC Differdange 03 (LUX) v FK Spartak Zlatibor Voda (SRB)
34 FC Dinamo Minsk (BLR) v JK Sillamäe Kalev (EST)
35 Valletta FC (MLT) v Winner Match 23
36 FK Bak? (AZE) v FK Budu?nost Podgorica (MNE)
37 Winner Match 6 v SP Tre Penne (SMR)
38 Winner Match 24 v Winner Match 11
39 HNK Cibalia (CRO) v Cliftonville FC (NIR)
40 KS Besa (ALB) v Olympiacos FC (GRE)