Overall, it was a disappointing week for the Welsh clubs in Europe as The New Saints, Connah’s Quay, Caernarfon and Pen-y-bont all failed to win their opening matches.
Connah’s Quay drew 0-0 with Ballkani in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League, but The New Saints, Caernarfon and Penybont were all defeated in their first-leg ties.
In total, the Welsh clubs conceded eight goals between them and failed to score a single goal across the four matches.
The New Saints will host Sabah in Oswestry on Tuesday night, while Connah’s Quay, Caernarfon and Pen-y-bont will all travel away from home for their second-leg fixtures.
The New Saints (0) v (2) Sabah | Tuesday, 14 July – 18:30 (Live online)
(Park Hall, Oswestry – Second Leg of Champions League First Qualifying Round 2026/27)
After a tough contest in Azerbaijan, The New Saints will need to score twice on Tuesday night if they are to remain in the UEFA Champions League.
Sabah dominated the first leg, but it took them 66 minutes to break the deadlock from a corner, with Veljko Simic left unmarked to head home from six yards out.
Simic then created the second goal with a defence-splitting pass to Kaheem Parris, who delicately lifted the ball over goalkeeper Nathan Shepperd in the 84th minute.
Sabah defender Steve Solvet was sent off in the 92nd minute after receiving his second yellow card, but it came too late for The New Saints to make the most of their numerical advantage.
Sabah have only existed for nine years, and they won the Azerbaijani league title for the first time in their history last season, finishing nine points clear of Qarabag, who had won 11 of the previous 12 championships.
This is Sabah’s fourth consecutive season in European competition and they have won three of their seven qualifying ties so far, but the club has never progressed beyond the third qualifying round.
The New Saints are Wales’ most successful club in European competition, with the Oswestry based side having competed regularly on the continent since 1996.
The Saints made history in 2024 by progressing beyond the qualifying rounds for the first time and reaching the league phase of the UEFA Conference League, where they faced Panathinaikos and Fiorentina.
However, their most recent European campaign was less successful, with The New Saints failing to win any of their four European matches in 2025 (drawn one, lost three).
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 to take on either Flora Tallinn (Estonia) or Iberia Tbilisi (Georgia).
TNS European record:
Ties: 52 (won 12, lost 40) / Matches: 97 (won 20, drawn 16, lost 61)
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 (0) v (0) Connah’s Quay | Thursday, 16 July – 19:00
(Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri, Pristina – Second Leg of UEFA Conference League First Qualifying Round 2026/27)
Connah’s Quay are in the strongest position of the four Welsh clubs after their goalless draw in the first leg at Colwyn Bay on Wednesday night.
The Nomads had the better of the chances at Llanelian Road, while new Connah’s Quay goalkeeper Chris Renshaw was not required to make a single save throughout the match.
Chris Renshaw was one of nine players who made their competitive debuts for John Disney’s new-look side on Wednesday night.
For the second time in five years, Connah’s Quay will return to Kosovo for a European fixture.
The Nomads lost 6-5 on aggregate to Prishtina in 2021/22, and they will be hoping for a better outcome against FC Ballkani this season.
FC Ballkani were founded in 1947, but they did not make their European debut until the 2022/23 season.
Since then, the club have played 39 European matches in just four years, progressing through the UEFA Conference League qualifying rounds on two occasions, in 2022/23 and 2023/24.
FC Ballkani were the first Kosovan club to progress beyond the qualifying rounds of a UEFA competition, but they had never faced Welsh opposition before this season.
The Nomads are now experienced European campaigners themselves, having played 23 matches in continental competition and won five.
They have progressed from a qualifying tie twice, following victories over Stabæk in 2016/17 and Kilmarnock in 2019/20.
The winners of this tie 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: 23 (won 5, drawn 3, lost 15)
Last campaign (2024/25): Lost to Bravo after extra time (1–2 on aggregate).
Levadia Tallinn (5) v (0) Caernarfon Town | Thursday, 16 July – 17:30
(A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn – Second Leg of UEFA Conference League First Qualifying Round 2026/27)
It was always going to be a tough challenge for Caernarfon Town as they began their European campaign at the Oval against Estonian league leaders Levadia Tallinn.
Despite the result, it was a special night for the Cofis as they returned to the Oval following a year of redevelopment work, playing their first-ever European match at the ground.
Although the Canaries competed well during the opening 15 minutes, the floodgates soon opened when visiting captain, Rasmus Peetson burst through the Caernarfon defence to meet Mikhel Ainsalu’s cross and headed the ball into the net.
It was 2-0 twenty minutes later when the ball broke to João Pedro on the edge of the penalty area, and his superb strike into Connor Roberts’ bottom-right corner gave the Estonian side a commanding advantage.
Minutes before half-time, Levadia Tallinn added a third as chaos in the Caernarfon defence left Mark Roosnupp with a simple finish from close range for his sixth goal of the season.
Things went from bad to worse in the second half as Mikhel Ainsalu lofted the ball over Connor Roberts after combining well with striker Bubacarr Tambedou to score Tallinn’s fourth goal.
Ben Nash was sent off for the final half hour, and although Levadia missed a penalty, they still added a fifth before the final whistle when substitute Enock Otoo fired home from 10 yards out, leaving the Canaries with a mountain to climb at the A. Le Coq Arena.
The Estonian club have never progressed beyond the qualifying rounds in European competition, and after an impressive first-leg performance at the Oval, they will be confident of reaching the second qualifying round for the fifth time in six seasons.
Despite the scoreline, it will be a memorable experience for the Cofi Army in Tallinn, with the team playing at the same stadium where Wales beat Estonia 1-0 in 2021 thanks to a goal from Kieffer Moore.
The winners of this tie will go on to face IFK Göteborg (Sweden) in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.
Caernarfon’s European record:
Ties: 2 (won 1, lost 1) / Matches: 5 (won 1, lost 4)
Last campaign (2024/25): Defeated Crusaders on penalties after a 3–3 aggregate draw before losing to Legia Warsaw 0-11 on aggregate.
Santa Coloma (1) v (0) Pen-y-bont | Thursday, 16 July – 18:00
(Estadi Naconal, Andorra – Second Leg of UEFA Conference League First Qualifying Round 2026/27)
Pen-y-bont will be frustrated with the result of the first leg, considering the Blues had an excellent opportunity to finish the match level at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Guillaume Lopez headed the visitors in front after 15 minutes, meeting an excellent cross from striker Pedra Muñoz on the right wing.
But seven minutes into the second half, Pen-y-bont were awarded a penalty after a handball by one of the Andorran club’s defenders.
New signing Ryan Hill, who joined from Aldershot Town, took responsibility from 12 yards, but Mexican goalkeeper Alcaraz Díaz guessed correctly, diving low to his right to make an excellent save and preserve Santa Coloma’s lead.
Although Pen-y-bont enjoyed the majority of possession, they could not find a way past the Mexican goalkeeper, leaving Santa Coloma with a slender advantage ahead of the second leg.
Pen-y-bont have qualified for European competition for only the third time in their history after ending last season successfully by defeating Haverfordwest County in the European play-off final.
This is the second time these sides have met in Europe – their first encounter came in 2024, Pen-y-bont’s maiden European campaign, when Santa Coloma won the second leg after extra time.
Santa Coloma have considerable European experience and are the most successful club in the history of Andorra’s Primera Divisió, having won the league title on 13 occasions.
The winners of this tie will face Rapid Wien (Austria) in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.
Pen-y-bont’s European record:
Ties: 2 (won 0, lost 2) / Matches: 5 (drawn 2, lost 3)
Last campaign (2025/26): Pen-y-bont lost to Kauno Žalgiris (1–4 on aggregate).
