UEFA Futsal Champions League preliminary round: Athletic Club Graz, Buba Mara, Chrudim, Doukas, Hjørring, Mad Max, Újpest, Unisport progress
Saturday, August 29, 2026
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Hjørring, who reached the 2025/26 last 16, are among the eight teams who topped their groups to claim a main round berth along with three debutants.
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The UEFA Futsal Champions League preliminary round kicked off the new season with some exciting mini-tournament finishes.
Hjørring, who reached the round of 16 last term, went into their Group B decider against Tirana needing a two-goal win to pip their Albanian hosts in a three-way head-to-head tie-breaker also involving APOEL, and duly secured a thrilling 7-5 victory.
Buba Mara progressed in similarly dramatic style, equalising four times against MFC CIU, including a hat-trick of penalties by Samir Gosto, to get the 4-4 draw they needed to pip the Georgian side on goal difference.
Debutants Athletic Club Graz, Újpest and Unisport also won their groups, as did two teams with a long history in this competition, Chrudim and Doukas. Futsal Mad Max, entering for only the second time – 20 years after going out unbeaten at this stage on debut – topped their section by a five-point margin.
While the 24 highest-ranked clubs, including holders Sporting CP, start in the main round, the remaining entrants competed in the eight preliminary round mini-tournaments. The group winners have progressed to Path B of the main round, for which the draw has already been made.
The main round will produce the 16 teams that will take part in the knockout phase leading to the eventual four-team finals in May 2027.
Preliminary round groups
Group A
Through to main round: Athletic Club Graz (AUT, hosts)
Also in group: Vrhnika (SVN), Proekt (MKD), Maccabi Netanya (ISR)
Group B
Through to main round: Hjørring (DEN)
Also in group: Tirana Futsal (ALB, hosts), APOEL Nicosia (CYP), Futsal Club Cardiff (WAL)
Group C
Through to main round: Buba Mara (BIH, hosts)
Also in group: MFC CIU (GEO), Utleira (NOR), Lynx (GIB)
Group D
Through to main round: Újpest (HUN, hosts)
Also in group: Drenica (KOS), Sakarya Karasu 1933 (TUR), Murata (SMR)
Group E
Through to main round: Unisport (ARM, hosts)
Also in group: Weilimdorf (GER), Tallinn B.P. (EST), Reykjavik (ISL)
Group F
Through to main round: Doukas (GRE, hosts)
Also in group: London Genesis (ENG), Blue Magic Dublin (IRL), Sparta Belfast (NIR)
Group G
Through to main round: Chrudim (CZE)
Also in group: Studentski Dom (MNE, hosts), Saltires (SCO), Kalmar (SWE)
Group H
Through to main round: Futsal Mad Max (FIN)
Also in group: Clic Chişinău (MDA), Amigo Northwest (BUL, hosts), Ranger's (AND)
Team guide
- Hjørring became the first club from Denmark to reach the round of 16 last season.
- Chrudim (entering for the 18th time) have also reached the last 16 under previous formats.
- Athletic Club Graz, Drenica, Kalmar, Reykjavik, London Genesis, Sakarya Karasu, Studentski Dom, Unisport and Újpest were making their European debuts.
- Amigo Northwest, Blue Magic Dublin, Cardiff, MFC CIU, Clic Chişinău, Futsal Mad Max, Lynx, Maccabi Netanya, Murata, Proekt, Saltires, Ranger's, Sparta Belfast, Tallinn B.P. and Utleira began the season hoping to get past the preliminary round for the first time.
Calendar
Preliminary round: 25–29 August
Main round: 27 October–1 November
Round of 16 & quarter-final draw: 4 November
Round of 16 (two legs): 23 November & 4 December
Quarter-finals (two legs): 8 & 19 February
Finals: 6 or 7 & 8 or 9 May (Venue TBC)
Main round Path A draw
Group 1: Barça (ESP), Semey (KAZ), Lučenec (SVK, hosts), Futsal Minerva (SUI)
Group 2: Kairat Almaty (KAZ), Sporting Anderlecht (BEL, hosts), United Galati (ROU), TFK Beitar (LVA)
Group 3: Sporting CP (POR, holders), Étoile Lavalloise (FRA), Olmissum (CRO, hosts), Stalitsa Minsk (BLR)
Group 4: Benfica (POR), ElPozo Murcia (ESP), HIT Kyiv (UKR), Tigers Roermond (NED, hosts)
Matches to be held between 27 October and 1 November; mini-tournament dates TBC
Main round Path B draw
Group 5: Piast Gliwice (POL, hosts), Araz-Naxçivan (AZE), Buba Mara (BIH)*, Újpest (HUN)*
Group 6: Kauno Žalgiris (LTU), Differdange 03 (LUX, hosts), Doukas (GRE)*, Unisport (ARM)*
Group 7: Luxol St. Andrews (MLT), L84 Torino (ITA, hosts), Futsal Mad Max (FIN)*, Hjørring (DEN)*
Group 8: Loznica-Grad 2018 (SRB, hosts), Athletic Futsal (UKR), Athletic Club Graz (AUT)*, Chrudim (CZE)*
*Preliminary round winner
Matches to be held between 27 October and 1 November; mini-tournament dates TBC
In accordance with the relevant decision of the UEFA Executive Committee, teams from Azerbaijan and Armenia may not play against each other.
As Unisport winning Group E would have meant they went into Group 5 against Araz-Naxçivan, in accordance with the principles established at the time of the draw (when the preliminary round winners were not known) they have been exchanged with the team occupying the same position in the next suitable main round Path B group (Group 6, Újpest).