Hamrun were drawn with FK Žalgiris of Lithuania in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League first qualifying round. The draw was held on Tuesday at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.
The Spartans are due to play the first leg away from home. First qualifying round matches are scheduled for 8/9 and 15/16 July 2025.
The winner of this two legged tie will qualify for the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League while the loser would move on to the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.
Futbolo klubas Žalgiris, commonly known as FK Žalgiris, are based in Vilnius. The club was founded as Dinamo in 1947. They have won the Lithuanian Championship 11 times, the Lithuanian Football Cup 14 times, and the Lithuanian Supercup 9 times. Last year’s title was the eighth championship in twelve years and the fourth in five years.
After beating Malmo in the second round of Champions League qualifying in July 2022, Žalgiris became the first ever Lithuanian club to qualify for the group stages of a UEFA club competition; where they dropped into the Europa Conference League group stage after losing in the Europa League play-offs. They would finish bottom of their group with five points, and one win from their six games after defeating Pyunik of Armenia and draws with Basel and Slovan Bratislava.
In 2024, FK Žalgiris won the championship after collecting 79 points from 36 matches, twelve ahead of second-placed Hegelmann and twenty five ahead of Kaumo Zalgiris. However, in the 2025 season, they are currently joint-third from bottom with 18 points from 15 matches.
UEFA Champions League first qualifying round
FK Žalgiris (LTU) vs Hamrun Spartans FC (MLT)
KuPS Kuopio (FIN) vs FC Milsami Orhei (MDA)
The New Saints FC (WAL) vs KF Shkëndija (MKD)
FC Iberia 1999 Tbilisi (GEO) vs Malmö FF (SWE)
FC Levadia Tallinn (EST) vs FC RFS (LVA)
FC Drita (KOS) vs FC Differdange 03 (LUX)
Víkingur (FRO) vs Lincoln Red Imps FC (GIB) *
KF Egnatia (ALB) vs Breidablik (ISL)
Shelbourne FC (IRL) vs Linfield FC (NIR)
Fotbal Club FCSB (ROU) vs Inter Club d’Escaldes (AND)
Virtus AC 1964 (SMR) vs HŠK Zrinjski Mostar (BIH) *
NK Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN) vs FC Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
FC Noah (ARM) vs FK Budućnost Podgorica (MNE)
PFC Ludogorets 1945 (BUL) vs FC Dinamo-Minsk (BLR)
The losers of Víkingur (FRO) vs Lincoln Red Imps FC (GIB) and Virtus AC 1964 (SMR) vs HŠK Zrinjski Mostar (BIH) will move directly to the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round rather than the second qualifying round