THE IRISH CLUBS are a step closer to discovering their Europa League opponents after the group pairings were confirmed today.
It is a similar system to the Champions League equivalent, with the seeded teams set to be paired with an unseeded team from the group in question.
Here’s a run down of all the groups, with the seeded sides in bold…
Group 1
Vaduz (LIE)
Kilmarnock (SCO)
Brann (NOR)
Vitebsk (BLR)
Malmö (SWE)
Shamrock Rovers (IRL)
Ballymena (NIR)/NSÍ (FRO)
Connah’s Quay Nomads (WAL)
KuPS Kuopio (FIN)
Breidablik (ISL)
Group 2
Hajduk (CRO)
Legia (POL)
Radnicki Niš (SRB)
CSKA Sofia (BUL)
Ordabasy Shymkent (KAZ)
Flora (EST)
Torpedo Kutaisi (GEO)
Sant Julià (AND)/Europa (GIB)
Titograd (MNE)
Gzira United (MLT)
Group 3
Tobol Kostanay (KAZ)
Kukësi (ALB)
FCSB (ROU)
Čukarički (SRB)
Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
Milsami Orhei (MDA)
Mura (SVN)
Debrecen (HUN)
Banants (ARM)
Jeunesse Esch (LUX)
Group 4
Rangers (SCO)
Brøndby (DEN)
Cork (IRL)
Molde (NOR)
Crusaders (NIR)
Progrès Niederkorn (LUX)/Cardiff Metropolitan University (WAL)
B36 (FRO)
Inter Turku (FIN)
KR (ISL)
Prishtina (KOS)/St Joseph’s (GIB)
Group 5
Fehérvár (HUN)
Zrinjski (BIH)
Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR)
Neftçi (AZE)
Levski Sofia (BUL)
Hibernians (MLT)
Ružomberok (SVK)
Akademija Pandev (MKD)
Speranta Nisporeni (MDA)
FK Zeta (MNE)
Group 6
Spartak Trnava (SVK)
Žalgiris Vilnius (LTU)
Fola Esch (LUX)
Alashkert (ARM)
Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN)
Chikhura Sachkhere (GEO)
Rīgas (LVA)
Budapest Honvéd (HUN)
Makedonija Skopje (MKD)
Radnik Bijeljina (BIH)
Group 7
Apollon Limassol (CYP)
Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
Ventspils (LVA)
Cracovia Kraków (POL)
Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)
Teuta (ALB)
La Fiorita (SMR)/Engordany (AND)
Široki Brijeg (BIH)
DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda (SVK)
Kauno Žalgiris (LTU)
Group 8
Haugesund (NOR)
Aberdeen (SCO)
Stjarnan (ISL)
Norrköping (SWE)
Dinamo Minsk (BLR)
Riteriai (LTU)
Liepāja (LVA)
Levadia Tallinn (EST)
Barry Town (WAL)/Cliftonville (NIR)
St Pat’s (IRL)
RoPS Rovaniemi (FIN)
KÍ (FRO)/Tre Fiori (SMR)
Group 9
Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR)
AEK Larnaca (CYP)
Domžale (SVN)
Pyunik (ARM)
Sabail (AZE)
Budućnost Podgorica (MNE)
U Craiova 1948 (ROU)
Balzan (MLT)
Laçi (ALB)
Shkupi (MKD)
Petrocub-Hincesti (MDA)
Narva Trans (EST)
Therefore, St Pat’s will play one of the following: Haugesund (NOR), Aberdeen (SCO), Stjarnan (ISL), Norrköping (SWE), Dinamo Minsk (BLR) or Riteriai (LTU)
Shamrock Rovers will face one of these sides: Vaduz (LIE), Kilmarnock (SCO), Brann (NOR), Vitebsk (BLR) or Malmö (SWE).
And Cork City’s potential opponents are: Progrès Niederkorn (LUX)/Cardiff Metropolitan University (WAL), Inter Turku (FIN), B36 (FRO), KR (ISL), Prishtina (KOS)/St. Joseph’s (GIB).
The draw is set to get under way at roughly 2,30pm Irish time. The following are some of the key upcoming dates that the Irish sides could be involved in, per the official Uefa website…
19 June: Second qualifying round draw (Champions and Main paths), Nyon
27 June: Preliminary round, first leg
4 July: Preliminary round, second leg
11 July: First qualifying round, first leg
18 July: First qualifying round, second leg
22 July: Third qualifying round draw, Nyon
25 July: Second qualifying round, first leg
1 August: Second qualifying round, second leg
5 August: Play-off round draw, Nyon
8 August: Third qualifying round, first leg
15 August: Third qualifying round, second leg
22 August: Play-off round, first leg
29 August: Play-off round, second leg
30 August: Group stage draw, Monaco
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