Pairings for Maltese clubs in UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round revealed

The opponents for Hibernians, Floriana, Gzira United and Hamrun Spartans in the second qualifying round of the 2022/23 UEFA Europa Conference League were revealed as the draws for the champions path and the main path were held on Wednesday at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.

Hibernians would enter the champions path of the UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round if they are eliminated by Shamrock Rovers from the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round.

On the other hand, Floriana, Gzira United and Hamrun Spartans enter the UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round main path should they eliminate FC Petrocub-Hincesti, Atletic Club D’Escaldes and Alashkert FC respectively.

Champions Path

There were sixteen teams in the Champions Path – 13 teams transferring from UEFA Champions League first qualifying round and 3 teams transferring from UEFA Champions League preliminary round.

In the Champions Path, the loser of Hibernians vs Shamrock Rovers was paired with the loser of the UEFA Champions League preliminary round semi-final between Levadia Tallinn of Estonia and Víkingur Reykjavík of Iceland. Hibs or Shamrock would host the first leg.

Group 1

La Fiorita (SMR) / Inter Club d’Escaldes (AND) vs Ballkani (KOS) / Žalgiris (LTU)
Malmö FF (SWE) / Preliminary round winners vs The New Saints FC (WAL) / Linfield (NIR)
Ludogorets (BUL) / Sutjeska (MNE) vs Bodø/Glimt (NOR) / KÍ (FRO)

Group 2

Shamrock Rovers (IRL) / Hibernians (MLT) vs Levadia Tallinn (EST) / Víkingur Reykjavík (ISL)
Diddeleng (LUX) / Tirana (ALB) vs Zrinjski (BIH) / Sheriff (MDA)
Lech Poznań (POL) / Qarabağ (AZE) vs Slovan Bratislava (SVK) / Dinamo Batumi (GEO)

Group 3

Pyunik (ARM) / CFR Cluj (ROU) vs Preliminary round runners-up
Tobol Kostanay (KAZ) / Ferencváros (HUN) vs Shkupi (MKD) / Lincoln Red Imps (GIB)

Main Path

Sixty teams entered this stage along with 30 UEFA Europa Conference League first qualifying round winners.

In the Main path, should Gzira United eliminate Atletic d’Escaldes, they would be meeting FK Radnicki Nis of Serbia – a team they already met in 2018.

If successful against Petrocub-Hincesti, Floriana would be meeting the winner of KF Laçi of Albania and FK Iskra Danilovgrad of Montenegro. The first leg would be played in Malta.

On the other hand, should Hamrun Spartans eliminate Alashkert, they would face FK Velez of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The first leg would be played away from home.

Ties take place on 21 and 28 July, with extra time and a penalty shoot-out if required after the second leg. Winners advance to the UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round.

Group 1

Gzira United (MLT) / Atlètic Club d’Escaldes (AND) vs Radnicki (SRB)
Gomel (BLR) vs Aris Thessaloniki (GRE)
Botev Plovdiv (BUL) vs APOEL (CYP)
Fehérvár (HUN) vs Gabala (AZE)
İstanbul Başakşehir (TUR) vs Maccabi Netanya (ISR)

Group 2

Aris Limassol (CYP) vs Neftçi (AZE)
Velež (BIH) vs Alashkert (ARM) / Hamrun Spartans (MLT)
Saburtalo (GEO) / Partizani (ALB) vs FCSB (ROU)
CSKA-Sofia (BUL) vs Makedonija GP Skopje (MKD)
Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR) vs Dinamo Minsk (BLR) / Dečić (MNE)

Group 3

PFC Zire (AZE) vs Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
Vllaznia (ALB) vs Universitatea Craiova (ROU)
Ararat-Armenia (ARM) vs Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) / Paide Linnameeskond (EST)
Kairat Almaty (KAZ) vs Kisvarda (HUN)
BATE Borisov (BLR) vs Konyaspor (TUR)

Group 4

Sepsi OSK Sfantu Gheorghe (ROU) vs NK Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN) / Differdange (LUX)
Kyzylzhar Petropavlovsk (KAZ) vs Osijek (CRO)
Liepāja (LVA) / Gjilani (KOS) vs Young Boys (SUI)
Rapid Wien (AUT) vs Lechia Gdańsk (POL) / Akademija Pandev (MKD)
Flora Tallinn (EST) / Seinäjoki (FIN) vs Lillestrøm (NOR)

Group 5

Breidablik (ISL) / Santa Coloma (AND) vs FK Budućnost Podgorica (MNE) / Llapi (KOS)
Saint Patrick’s Athletic (IRL) vs Sfintul Gheorghe (MDA) / Mura (SVN)
Larne (NIR) / St Joseph’s (GIB) vs Slavia Praha (CZE)
Spartak Trnava (SVK) vs HB Tórshavn (FRO) / Newtown (WAL)
Sūduva (LTU) vs Viborg (DEN)

Group 6

Víkingur (FRO) / Europa (GIB) vs Dunajská Streda (SVK) / Cliftonville (NIR)
Pogoń Szczecin (POL) / KR Reykjavík (ISL) vs Brøndby (DEN)
Tre Penne (SMR) / Tuzla City (BIH) vs AZ (NED)
Motherwell (SCO) vs Bala Town (WAL) / Sligo Rovers (IRL)
Molde (NOR) vs Elfsborg (SWE)

Group 7

Koper (SVN) vs Vaduz (LIE)
Borac Banja Luka (BIH) / B36 Tórshavn (FRO) vs Tre Fiori (SMR) / Fola Esch (LUX)
Ružomberok (SVK) / Kauno Žalgiris (LTU) vs Derry City (IRL) / Riga (LVA)
Basel (SUI) vs Magpies (GIB) / Crusaders (NIR)
Royal Antwerp (BEL) vs Inter Turku (FIN) / Drita (KOS)

Group 8

Floriana (MLT) / Petrocub-Hincesti (MDA) vs Laçi (ALB) / Iskra Danilovgrad (MNE)
Racing FC Union Luxembourg (LUX) vs Čukarički (SRB)
Levski Sofia (BUL) vs PAOK (GRE)
Vitória SC (POR) vs Puskás Akadémia (HUN)
Rijeka (CRO) vs Djurgårdens (SWE)

Group 9

AIK (SWE) vs Vorskla Poltava (UKR)
Valmiera (LVA) vs Shkëndija (MKD) / Ararat Yerevan (ARM)
Raków Czestochowa (POL) vs Astana (KAZ)
KuPS Kuopio (FIN) / Dila Gori (GEO) vs Panevezys (LTU) / Milsami Orhei (MDA)
Sparta Praha (CZE) vs Viking (NOR)