The clubs that finished in the top four places of the Welsh football pyramid last season are about to begin their European adventures.
The New Saints will travel to Azerbaijan for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League tie, while Connah’s Quay Nomads, Caernarfon Town and Pen-y-bont will all play at home this week.
Sabah (Azerbaijan) v The New Saints | Tuesday, 7 July – 17:00
(Bank Respublika Arena, Masazir – UEFA Champions League 2026/27 First Qualifying Round, First Leg)
After securing the Cymru Premier title for the 18th time in their history, and for the fifth consecutive season, the Oswestry-based outfit will travel to Masazir to take on Azerbaijani champions Sabah in the first qualifying round of the Champions League.
The New Saints are Wales’ most successful club in European competition, having competed regularly on the continent since 1996.
TNS made history by progressing beyond the qualifying rounds for the first time ever in 2024 by reaching the UEFA Conference League league phase, where they faced opponents including Panathinaikos and Fiorentina.
However, their most recent European campaign was less successful, with the Saints failing to win any of their four European matches in 2025 (1 draw, 3 defeats).
This year, TNS begin their campaign against Sabah, a club that has existed for only nine years and won the Azerbaijani championship for the first time last season, finishing nine points ahead of Qarabag, who had won 11 of the previous 12 titles.
Sabah are competing in Europe for the fourth consecutive season.
They have won three of their seven qualifying ties so far but have never progressed beyond the third qualifying round.
Craig Harrison has strengthened the Saints’ squad by re-signing striker Brad Young, who returns to the club after two years. However, the former Golden Boot winner has not been included in the official squad for this match.
One player who has been named in the squad is Rhys Hughes, who will hope to make his debut for the club after joining from Connah’s Quay during the summer.
The second leg will be played in Oswestry on Tuesday, 14 July and the winners of this tie will face either Vardar (North Macedonia) or KuPS (Finland) in the second qualifying round, while the losers will drop into the UEFA Conference League and face either Flora Tallinn (Estonia) or Iberia Tbilisi (Georgia).
TNS European record:
Ties: 52 (won 12, lost 40) / Matches: 96 (won 20, drawn 16, lost 60)
Last campaign (2025/26): The Saints lost both of their ties. They were defeated after extra time by Shkëndija in the Champions League (1–2 on aggregate) before losing to Differdange in the UEFA Conference League (0–2 on aggregate).
FC Ballkani (Kosovo) v Connah’s Quay | Wednesday, 8 July – 18:30
(Llanelian Road, Colwyn Bay – UEFA Conference League 2026/27 First Qualifying Round, First Leg)
For the second time in five years, Connah’s Quay Nomads will travel to Kosovo for an European fixture.
The Nomads lost 5–6 on aggregate to Pristina in 2021/22 and will be hoping for a better outcome against FC Ballkani this season.
FC Ballkani were founded in 1947, but did not make their European debut until the 2022/23 season.
Since then, the club has played 38 European matches in just four years and has progressed beyond the UEFA Conference League qualifying rounds on two occasions, in 2022/23 and 2023/24.
FC Ballkani became the first Kosovan club to advance beyond the qualifying stages of a European competition, but they have never previously faced Welsh opposition.
The Nomads are now experienced European campaigners themselves, having played 22 European matches and won five.
They have progressed from a tie on two occasions, thanks to victories over Stabæk in 2016/17 and Kilmarnock in 2019/20.
It will be a significant challenge for Connah’s Quay manager John Disney in his first European campaign as manager.
He will be hoping his two new forwards can make an impact: Hussein Mehasseb, who has joined from Bala Town, and Darren Stephenson, who has arrived from Flint Town United.
The second leg will be played at Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina on Thursday, 18 July. The winners will progress to face either Bohemians (Republic of Ireland) or St Joseph’s (Gibraltar) in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.
Connah’s Quay European Record:
Ties: 12 (won 2, lost 10) / Matches: 22 (won 5, drawn 2, lost 15)
Last campaign (2024/25): Lost to Bravo after extra time (1–2 on aggregate).
Caernarfon v Levadia Tallinn (Estonia) | Thursday, 9 July – 18:30
(The Oval, Caernarfon – UEFA Conference League 2026/27 First Qualifying Round, First Leg)
Caernarfon have qualified for Europe for only the second time in their history after winning the Welsh Cup for the first time last season.
It was a special occasion for Caernarfon in the summer of 2024 when they won their first-ever European tie against Northern Irish side Crusaders before losing in the second qualifying round to Polish giants Legia Warsaw.
This year will bring another historic moment for the Cofis, as they will play their European matches at The Oval for the first time following significant redevelopment work at the ground over the past year.
As for their opponents, Levadia Tallinn have extensive European experience, having played 44 European matches since their debut in 1999 and won 14 of them (a 32% win rate).
Their first European victory came against The New Saints in the 2000/01 season.
The club has won the Estonian championship 11 times, most recently in 2024.
Another title could be on the way, as they currently sit 10 points clear at the top of their league after losing only one of their 19 league matches this season.
Thirteen years after defeating The New Saints, Levadia went on to beat Bala Town in Europe in 2013/14.
Thirteen years later again, the Tallinn side will be hoping to bring more misfortune to another Welsh club.
However, despite all their experience, Levadia Tallinn have never progressed beyond the qualifying rounds of a European competition and that will be their aim this year after reaching the third qualifying round last season.
Richard Davies has bolstered the Caernarfon squad with the signings of Jordan Piggott, Noah Edwards, Chris Marriott, Ben Nash along with the permanent signings of Sion Bradley and Zack Clarke.
The second leg will be played at the A. Le Coq Arena on Thursday, 16 July, with the winners advancing to face IFK Göteborg in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.
Caernarfon European record:
Ties: 2 (won 1, lost 1) / Matches: 4 (won 1, lost 3)
Last campaign (2024/25): Defeated Crusaders on penalties after a 3–3 aggregate draw before losing to Legia Warsaw 0–11 on aggregate.
Pen-y-bont v Santa Coloma (Andorra) | Thursday, 9 July – 19:45
(Cardiff City Stadium – UEFA Conference League 2026/27 First Qualifying Round, First Leg)
Pen-y-bont are preparing for their third European campaign after defeating Haverfordwest County in the European play-off final in May 2026.
This will be the second meeting between these two teams in Europe following their first encounter in 2024 during Pen-y-bont’s debut European campaign, where Santa Coloma triumphed in the second leg after extra time.
Rhys Griffiths’ side will be eager to improve their European record, having yet to win an away match in a continental competition.
In both of their European ties to date, Pen-y-bont have drawn the home leg but lost the away leg.
Santa Coloma bring considerable European experience as they are the most successful club in the history of Andorra’s Primera Divisió, having won the championship 13 times.
Despite their domestic success, their European record is less impressive.
Santa Coloma have won only nine of their 52 European matches (17%) and have won six of their 28 qualifying ties.
The club finished fourth in the 2025/26 Primera Divisió, and their squad includes Andorran internationals Moisés San Nicolás (101 caps) and Chus Rubio (58 caps, 1 goal).
Pen-y-bont will be boosted by the arrival of new signing Ryan Hill.
The winger scored nine goals for Aldershot Town in the National League last season, winning the club’s Player of the Season award before moving to South Wales.
The second leg will be played at the Estadi Nacional in Andorra on Thursday, 16 July.
The winners will face Rapid Wien (Austria) in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.
Pen-y-bont European record:
Ties: 2 (won 0, lost 2) / Matches: 2 (drawn 2, lost 2)
Last campaign (2025/26): Pen-y-bont lost to Kauno Žalgiris (1–4 on aggregate).
