UEFA confirmed the fixtures involving the three Maltese clubs in the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round.
Hamrun Spartans will be facing Ballkani of Kosovo on Tuesday 23 at the Zahir Pajaziti Stadium in Podujevo, kick-off at 18:00.
On Thursday 25, Floriana host Vitoria SC at the Centenary Stadium, kick-off at 19:00 while at the City Stadium in Abovyan, Armenia, Sliema Wanderers face FC Noah.
Hamrun Spartans host Ballkani at the Tony Bezzina Stadium on July 30, kick-off at 20:00 .
On Thursday, August 1, Sliema Wanderers face FC Noah at the Centenary Stadium, kick-off at 19:00 while at 21:15, Floriana face Vitoria SC at the Estadio D. Alfonso Henriques in Guimaraes.
Hamrun Spartans’ opponents FC Ballkani are based in Suhareka, Kosovo. The club, which was founded in 1947 as Rinia, made history in 2022 by qualifying for the group stages of the UEFA Europa Conference League; becoming the first ever side from Kosovo to reach the group stages of a UEFA club competition.
They won the Kosovar Superliga three times in the last three years, winning the double last season after winning the Cup to claim the Super Cup as well.
This is their third participation in European football. Each time they were eliminated from the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League but in 2022, they eliminated La Fiorita, KI Klaksvik and Shkupi to reach the group stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League and last year, they eliminated Larne, Lincoln Red Imps and BATE Borisov to make it to the group stage as well.
In the first qualifying round, they were eliminated by UE Santa Coloma of Andorra on penalties following a 2-1 win away from home and a 1-2 defeat at home.
The opponents of Sliema Wanderers are FC Noah of Armenia. The club, which was founded in 2017 as FC Artsakh, are based in Armavir.
Throughout their history, they won the Armenian Cup in season 2019/20 and the Super Cup in 2020. In 2020, they were eliminated by Kairat of Kazakhstan from the UEFA Europa League, in 2021 by KuPS of Finland from the UEFA Europa Conference League and this year, they eliminated Shkendija of North Macedonia after beating them 2-0 at home and 2-1 away from home.
Last season, Noah placed second in the Armenian Premier League two points behind champions Pyunik.
The opponents of Floriana are Vitória SC, popularly known as Vitória de Guimarães. The club was founded in 1922 and are based in Guimaraes. They won the Portuguese Cup once and the Super Cup once.
In Europe, they made it to the quater-finals of the UEFA Cup in 1986/87, the group stage of the UEFA Cup in 2005/06 and the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2019/20.
Last season, Vitoria SC placed fifth in the Portuguese Primeira Liga behind champions Sporting CP, runners-up Benfica, third-placed Porto and fourth-placed Braga.