This season’s UEFA Champions League will witness fresh history as four clubs qualify for the league phase of Europe’s most prestigious competition for the very first time. The draw, scheduled for Thursday, will feature debutants from Cyprus, Norway, Belgium, and Kazakhstan.
From Cyprus, Pafos FC achieved a fairytale breakthrough just 11 years after their founding. The young club stunned Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade, holding them to a 1-1 draw in the return leg to complete a 3-2 aggregate victory. The result not only marks Pafos’ first-ever entry into the Champions League but also underlines their rapid rise in European football.
Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt also booked their place after a commanding performance in the qualifying play-offs. They brushed aside Austria’s Sturm Graz 6-2 on aggregate, despite suffering a 2-1 defeat in the second leg. Their qualification adds to Norway’s growing footprint in continental football, with Bodo/Glimt already known in recent years for impressive Europa Conference League campaigns.
They are joined by Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise, one of the country’s oldest clubs. Though they have enjoyed domestic success in the past, this will be their first time competing at the highest level in Europe, further boosting Belgium’s strong representation in UEFA competitions.
Completing the quartet is Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan, who delivered one of the biggest shocks of the play-offs by eliminating Scottish giants Celtic through a penalty shootout. Their success makes them only the second club from Kazakhstan to reach the Champions League group stage, following in the footsteps of FC Astana, who made history with their qualification in 2015.
The entry of these four debutants adds an exciting dimension to this season’s competition, promising fresh narratives and underdog stories when the league phase kicks off. Fans across Europe and beyond will be watching closely to see how these newcomers fare against the continent’s elite.
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