On 18 May, 2024 the 2023/24 JD Cymru Premier season came to a dramatic close as Caernarfon Town made history by beating Pen-y-bont 3-1 in the play-off final at the Oval to claim their place in Europe for the first time in their history.
Less than two months later and Caernarfon Town, along with The New Saints, Connah’s Quay and Bala Town are ready to kick off the 2024/25 season in the first leg of the first qualifying rounds of Europe.
After winning the JD Cymru Premier championship, The New Saints will once again represent Wales in the Champions League, while Connah’s Quay, Bala Town and Caernarfon Town will compete in the Europa Conference League.
The four Welsh clubs will start their campaigns in the first qualifying round of their respective competitions, and they will need to get through four rounds of qualifying games if they want to reach the group stages.
No club from the Welsh pyramid has ever managed to reach the group stages, and the league has paid the price for that by losing one place in Europe for next season.
The goal for The New Saints is to reach the group stages, while Connah’s Quay, Bala Town and Caernarfon Town will aim to win at least one qualifying round, in order to double their financial gains.
The New Saints v FK Dečić (Montenegro) | Tuesday, 9 July – 19:00
(Park Hall, Oswestry – First Leg of Champions League First Qualifying Round 2024/25)
After lifting the JD Cymru Premier trophy for the 16th time in their history and finishing 34 points clear at the top of the table without losing a game, The New Saints are preparing for another campaign in Europe.
The Oswestry giants made their European debut in 1996 and drew 1-1 against Ruch Chorzow from Poland but lost 0-5 in the second leg.
The Saints had to wait until 2007 for their first win in Europe, which came in a home tie against Ventspils from Latvia (3-2).
Despite the win against Ventspils, the Saints lost on aggregate, but in 2011 the Park Hall contingent finally managed to win a European round for the first time by defeating Cliftonville from Northern Ireland (2-1 on aggregate).
Since 1996 The New Saints have played 78 matches in Europe, winning 17 of those (22%), and in 40 European rounds the club has progressed on nine occasions (23%).
Their best run came in the 2010/11 season – despite winning only one round that year (against Bohemians in the second qualifying round of the Champions League), before losing against Anderlecht, the Saints then had a play-off round to reach the Europa League group stages.
But after losing 5-2 over two legs against CSKA Sofia, the Saints continue to dream of reaching the promise land of the group stages.
The Saints certainly have more experience in Europe than their opponents this year, FK Dečić, who have only played two previous rounds in Europe, losing on both occasions.
FK Dečić played in Europe for the first time in the summer of 2021 after finishing third in Montenegrin First League but lost in the first qualifying round of the Europa Conference League against Drita of Kosovo, before losing again the following year against Dinamo Minsk from Belarus.
Last season, FK Dečić managed to win the Montenegrin championship for the first time in their history, and therefore the club from the town of Tuzi, which is close to the border with Albania, will compete in the Champions League for the first time ever.
The New Saints will be hoping for a better run than in recent seasons, as the club has not won a round in Europe for three years.
The Saints lost against BK Häcken from Sweden in this round last year, before falling to the Europa Conference League where they also lost against Swift Hesperange from Luxembourg.
Over the summer, the winner of the ‘2023/24 JD Cymru Premier Player of the Season’ award, Sion Bradley, has joined The New Saints from Caernarfon Town to strengthen the Saints’ attacking threat, and the club will also be delighted to have retained the services of last year’s Golden Boot winner, Brad Young.
This will be the first time that The New Saints will face a club from Montenegro, and Craig Harrison’s squad have high expectations and are favourites to defeat FK Dečić and reach the next round.
The second leg will be played in the capital city of Montenegro at Stadion Pod Goricom on Tuesday, 16 July, which is the national stadium where Wales will face Montenegro in the Nations League in September.
The winners of this round will face Ferencváros (Hungary) in the second qualifying round, while the losers will fall to the Europa Conference League to face Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria) or Dinamo Batumi (Georgia).
NK Bravo (Slovenia) v Connah’s Quay | Thursday, 11 July – 17:00
(Venue Športni Park Šiška, Ljubljana – First Leg of Europa Conference League First Qualifying Round 2024/25)
Connah’s Quay, who finished second in the 2023/24 JD Cymru Premier, will travel to Slovenia to face NK Bravo, who finished fourth in the 2023/24 Slovenian PrvaLiga.
The Nomads have been constant European contenders in recent years, after playing 20 games (winning four) and progressing on two occasions following victories against Stabaek in 2016/17 and Kilmarnock in 2019/20.
NK Bravo from Ljubljana, which is the capital of Slovenia, is a relatively new club that formed in 2006, and after climbing the leagues in the last decade, this year will be their first ever appearance in Europe.
Connah’s Quay manager Neil Gibson has fond memories of playing in Europe after scoring a crucial goal as Prestatyn Town beat Liepajas Metalurgs of Latvia in 2013.
Gibson has added several exciting names to the Nomads squad over the summer, including former TNS captain and left back, Chris Marriott, as well as young goalkeeper, George Ratcliffe who impressed between the sticks for Pontypridd United last season.
Having lost their previous six rounds in Europe, hopes are high for the Nomads who will be targeting their first win since beating Kilmarnock in 2019.
The second leg will be played at Nantporth, Bangor on Thursday, 18 July with the winners advancing to face HŠK Zrinjski Mostar (Bosnia) in the second qualifying round of the Europa Conference League.
Caernarfon Town v Crusaders (Northern Ireland) | Thursday, 11 July – 18:30 (Live on S4C)
(Nantporth, Bangor – First Leg of Europa Conference League First Qualifying Round 2024/25)
Caernarfon Town have reached Europe for the first time in their history after finishing fifth in the 2023/24 season and going on to win the play-offs.
It will be a historic night for the Cofis who have been so close to Europe in the past, losing 5-3 against Newtown in the 2020/21 play-off final, before winning the play-offs in 2021/22, which happened to be the only season to date where the winners didn’t qualify for Europe due to Wales’ low coefficient.
There was a mixed reaction when the club announced that they would be playing their home tie at Nantporth, which is the current home of rivals Bangor 1876, but with all the tickets sold out in no time, it seems that the decision has been justified.
It will be difficult for Caernarfon Town manager Richard Davies to replace the departing Sion Bradley, who was named the best player in the league last season, but Davies has managed to attract several experienced names to the squad, including Matty Jones and Ryan Sears from Newtown, and Paulo Mendes from Bala Town.
As for the opponents, Crusaders have plenty of European experience having played 54 matches in Europe since their first appearance in 1967, winning nine of those (17% win).
The Belfast based club have faced big names all over Europe, including Valencia, Liverpool, Fulham, Wolves and Newport!
The Crues have had some European success recently, winning their Europa Conference League first qualifying round in the last two seasons, beating Bruno’s Magpies (Gibraltar) and Haka (Finland).
Crusaders finished fourth in the 2023/24 NIFL, and like Caernarfon Town the club had to win the play-offs to claim their place in Europe.
The second leg will be played at Seaview, Belfast on Wednesday night, 17 July with the winners advancing to face Legia Warszawa (Poland) in the second qualifying round of the Europa Conference League.
Bala Town v Paide Linnameeskond (Estonia) | Thursday, 11 July – 19:00
(Park Hall, Oswestry – First Leg of Europa Conference League First Qualifying Round 2024/25)
After a one-year absence, Bala Town are returning to Europe this year and are preparing for their 10th European tie.
Bala Town have competed consistently in Europe for a decade, but the results have not been great with the club having played 16 games, won four, and won just one of their nine rounds (against Valletta in 2020).
Bala Town were extremely unlucky in their last appearance in Europe, losing on penalties to Sligo Rovers from the Republic of Ireland in the summer of 2022.
Like Connah’s Quay, the Lakesiders are facing a relatively new team as it has only been 20 years since the Paide Linnameeskond club was formed in central Estonia.
Paide finished fourth in the 2023 season of the Meistriliiga to secure a place in Europe, and the team remains in the same position after 20 games in the current 2024 season.
Of the four clubs that are challenging the Welsh teams this summer, Paide are the only ones that play throughout the summer and are currently in the middle of their domestic season.
Paide have only won one of their previous 11 games in Europe, but surprisingly they have won two out of their six rounds.
At the start of the 2022/23 season, they beat Dinamo Tbilisi from Georgia on penalties after winning 3-2 in the away leg, which was their only victory in 90 minutes.
And in the following round, after two goalless games against Ararat-Armenia, they won again on penalties to reach the third qualifying round of the Europa Conference League, where they eventually lost against Anderlecht.
Bala Town manager Colin Caton has been busy over the summer bringing in new faces to Maes Tegid, which include two former players as he re-signed Louis Robles from Newtown and Lassana Mendes from Hereford.
The second leg will be played in Pärnu Rannastaadion on Thursday, 18 July with the winners advancing to face Stjarnan (Iceland) or Linfield (Northern Ireland) in the second qualifying round of the Europa Conference League.
