History made in Champions League Qualifiers with first-ever win for Northern Irish team

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·5. August 2025

History made in Champions League Qualifiers with first-ever win for Northern Irish team

Cliftonville become first Northern Irish team to ever win in the Champions League

There was history made in Champions League qualifiers this week with Northern Ireland, Armenia and North Macedonia-based teams winning for the first time ever.

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Round 1 of Champions League qualifiers got underway this week and Ireland’s Cliftonville made early headlines.

The team made history in the Champions League, becoming the first Northern Irish team to win in competition history.

History is made! The first EVER Irish League team to win through a round in the Women's Champions League! You Reds! ☘️
– Mittwoch, 30. Juli 2025

Despite beating KFF Mitrovica, Cliftonville were eliminated from Europe after losing in their next group game against Georgian opposition Lanchkhuti.

While Cliftonville struggled, their Irish neighbours Athlone Town advanced from the mini-knockout round with flying colours after beating Croatian team ZNK Agram 3-0.

The midland-based club became the first League of Ireland team to reach the second round of Champions League qualifiers since Raheny United in 2014/15.

There was also history made for Armenian and North Macedonia teams in the first round as FK Ljuboten and Pyunik became the first teams from their respective countries to win in the Champions League.

The teams actually faced off with each other in the round 1 final as North Macedonia’s FK Ljubotenv advanced to round 2 of qualifying.

Champions League qualifiers round 2 schedule

Champions path

Group 1: Semi‑finals (27 August): Mura v Spartak Myjava, BIIK‑Shymkent v GKS Katowice
Group 2: Semi‑finals (27 August): Apollon LFC v Young Boys, Fortuna Hjørring v Hibernian
Group 3: Semi‑finals (27 August): SFK 2000 Sarajevo v OH Leuven, Rosengård v Ljuboten
Group 4: Semi‑finals (27 August): Ferencvárosi v Racing Union Luxembourg, Vllaznia v Dinamo‑BSUPC
Group 5: Semi‑finals (27 August): Gintra v Farul Constanța, Vorskla Poltava v Lanchkhuti
Group 6: Semi‑finals (27 August): Twente v Crvena Zvezda, Breidablik v Athlone Town
Group 7: Semi‑finals (27 August): Slavia Praha v ABB Fomget, Vålerenga v HJK Helsinki

Finals and third‑place matches in all groups will be played on 30 August.

League path

Group 1: Semi‑finals (27 August): Hammarby v Metalist 1925 Kharkiv, Manchester United v PSV Eindhoven
Group 2: Semi‑finals (27 August): Roma v Aktobe, Sparta Praha v Nordsjælland
Group 3: Semi‑finals (27 August): Valur v Braga, Brann v Inter
Group 4: Semi‑final (27 August): Glasgow City v Austria Wien

Bye to final (30 August): FC Minsk

How do Champions League qualifiers work?

The second round of Champions League qualifiers are split into two sections – the Champions Path and the League Path.

Teams in the Champions Path won their domestic league, while the League Path contains only teams that qualified second or third in their national league.

Seven teams (group winners) will advance from the Champions Path and into the third round of qualifying where St Pölten are already waiting.

All four group winners from the League Path will also advance to the third round where Real Madrid, Häcken, Paris FC, Atlético de Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt and Sporting CP all await.

Manchester United begin their European journey in the second round while last year’s winners Arsenal start in the third round.

As WSL winners, Chelsea enter the league phase without having to play any qualifiers.