The Moldovan champion, Petrocub from Hîncești, will face Egnatia from Albania, according to moldfootball.com. The matches are scheduled for July 7/8 and 14/15. The Moldovan champions will host the first game.
Egnația was founded in 1934, but has only risen to the top echelons of Albanian soccer in recent years. The team has won the last three national championships, the Albanian Cup in the 2023–2024 season, and the Super Cup in 2024.
Tiraspol’s Sheriff will face Aluminum from Slovenia in the first qualifying round of the Europa League. The matches are scheduled for July 9 and 16. The Tiraspol team will also play the first game at home.
This is the team’s first-ever appearance in European competition, even though it was founded in 1950. Although it finished only 7th in the national championship, it qualified for the Europa League by winning the Slovenian Cup.
Moldova’s representative in the first qualifying round of the Conference League, Milsami from Orhei, will face Velež from Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 9 and 16. In this case, the first match will be an away game for the Moldovan team.
The team from Bosnia and Herzegovina has a fairly rich history of victories. Back when it was part of Yugoslavia, it won the country’s Cup twice—in the 1980–1981 and 1985–1986 seasons. It also won the Balkan Cup in 1981.
Within Bosnia and Herzegovina itself, Velež won the Cup in the 2021–2022 season.
Last season, the team finished in 4th place in the BiH Premier League, which qualified them for the Conference League.
Another Conference League participant from Moldova, Chisinau-based “Zimbru,” will find out its opponent for the tournament’s second qualifying round today, June 17.
