UEFA Futsal Champions League preliminary round: AEK, Araz, Buba Mara, FORCA, Hjørring, Tigers Roermond, Vrhnika, Weilimdorf through
Saturday, August 30, 2025
Article summary
The main round line-up is complete after the eight preliminary round mini-tournaments were decided.
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The UEFA Futsal Champions League preliminary round kicked off the 25th season of UEFA futsal club competition and the first under a new format with eight teams progressing to join the 24 clubs entering direct in the main round.
Two mini-tournaments ended on Friday. Hjørring progressed to the main round for the first time and AEK, who once made the last 32 in a different format, both won their groups with a maximum nine points.
On Saturday, former semi-finalists Araz Naxçivan and debutant pair Vrhnika and Buba Mara followed suit, as did FORCA and Tigers Roermond, who both also got through the preliminary round in their own maiden seasons a year ago. Only one section, Group E, was not won with nine points as Weilimdorf pipped Viten Orsha on goal difference in a tense finish to get to the main round for the first time since 2019/20.
Elsewhere, Sparta Belfast became the first team from Northern Ireland to record a win in this competition as they defeated PYF Saltires in their final match. Murata achieved San Marino's best result in UEFA futsal competition with two victories in their three games.
While holders lles Balears Palma and the teams ranked 1 to 23 in the UEFA Futsal Champions League coefficient rankings enter the competition directly in the main round, the 32 other contenders took part in the preliminary round. The eight winners of the single-venue mini-tournaments progress to main round Path B in late October and early November, for which the draw was already made.
Under the new format, the teams that progress from the main round (12 from Path A and four from Path B), go into a new two-legged round of 16, which will lead to two-legged quarter-finals and then the familiar four-team one-venue knockout finals.
Preliminary round groups
Group A
Through to main round: FORCA (MKD, hosts)
Also in group: Murata (SMR), Yerevan Futsal Club (ARM), Futsal Club Encamp (AND)
Group B
Through to main round: Tigers Roermond (NED)
Also in group: Bajo Pivljanin (MNE), Vllaznia (ALB, hosts), Ísbjörninn (ISL)
Group C
Through to main round: Vrhnika (SVN)
Also in group: Borås AIK (SWE, hosts), Tallinn B.P. (EST), Vangölü (TUR)
Group D
Through to main round: Hjørring Futsal Klub (DEN)
Also in group: Clic Chişinău (MDA, hosts), AEL Limassol (CYP), Maccabi Netanya (ISR)
Group E
Through to main round: Weilimdorf (GER)
Also in group: Viten Orsha (BLR), Levski Sofia (BUL, hosts), Europa (GIB)
Group F
Through to main round: Araz Naxçivan (AZE)
Also in group: Ljuti Krajišnici (AUT, hosts), Sparta Belfast (BEL), PYF Saltires (SCO)
Group G
Through to main round: Buba Mara (BIH, hosts)
Also in group: MFC CIU (GEO), Blue Magic Dublin (IRL), Futsal Club Cardiff (WAL)
Group H
Through to main round: AEK Futsal Club (GRE, hosts)
Also in group: Futsal Club Veszprém (HUN), Sjarmtrollan (NOR), Bolton Futsal Club (ENG)
Team guide
- Debut entries: Bolton (the 12th different English entrants, fewer only than Italy), Borås, Buba Mara, Ljuti Krajišnici, Tallinn B.P., Vangölü, Veszprém, Vllaznia, Vrhnika
- Former semi-finalists Araz are entering for the 20th time, fewer only than Kairat Almaty; Encamp are making their 18th appearance.
Calendar
Main round: 28 October–2 November
Knockout draw (round of 16 onwards): 6 November
Round of 16 (two legs): 24 November & 5 December
Quarter-finals (two legs): 23 February & 6 March
Finals: 7 or 8 & 9 or 10 May
UEFA Futsal Champions League main round groups
Path A
Group 1: Cartagena Costa Cálida (ESP), Sporting Anderlecht Futsal (BEL), Piast Gliwice (POL, hosts), Kauno Žalgiris (LTU)
Group 2: Illes Balears Palma (ESP, hosts/holders), Semey (KAZ), Etoile Lavalloise (FRA), Chrudim (CZE)
Group 3: Benfica (POR), Riga Futsal Club (LVA), Loznica-Grad 2018 (SRB), Luxol St. Andrews (MLT, hosts)
Group 4: Sporting CP (POR), Kairat Almaty (KAZ), Novo Vrijeme Makarska (CRO, hosts), Prishtina 01 (KOS)
Matches: 28 October–2 November.
The top three clubs in each of the four groups qualify for the round of 16.
Path B
Group 5: Catania (ITA, hosts), Akaa (FIN), Weilimdorf (GER), AEK Futsal Club (GRE)
Group 6: Lučenec (SVK), Futsal Minerva (SUI), Buba Mara (BIH), Hjørring Futsal Klub (DEN)
Group 7: United Galati (ROU), Differdange 03 (LUX), Araz Naxçivan (AZE), Tigers Roermond (NED)
Group 8: Hit Kyiv (UKR), Kyiv Futsal (UKR), Vrhnika (SVN), FORCA (MKD)
Matches: 28 October–2 November.
The winners of each group in main round path B qualify for the round of 16.
Group 6, 7 and 8 were drawn without hosts. The clubs of that group will have to decide amongst themselves who will host the mini-tournament following the preliminary round and by Thursday 4 September at the latest. If the clubs cannot agree, the UEFA administration will conduct a draw to determine the hosts on the next day.