On Friday afternoon in Monaco, Ħamrun Spartans discovered their opponents for the upcoming UEFA Conference League group stages, and the draw can be seen as a favourable one for the Maltese champions in some cases.
The group includes some challenging fixtures, but also matchups where Ħamrun will be optimistic about earning points. The Spartans will face Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar and Shamrock Rovers, runners-up in the League of Ireland. The match against Shamrock Rovers will be played away, while Ħamrun will host the Red Imps in Malta. The two sides previously faced off in last season’s UEFA Champions League qualifiers, where Lincoln Red Imps eliminated Ħamrun Spartans in a match surrounded by controversy and frustration for the Maltese side. This time, the Spartans will welcome the Gibraltarian champions to Malta, setting the stage for a highly anticipated rematch.
Arguably the toughest challenge in the group comes in the form of Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk, a match which, notably, will also be played in Malta. Despite the pedigree of the opposition, playing at home could provide a slight edge for the Maltese side.
Completing the group are Jagiellonia Białystok of Poland and Samsunspor of Turkey, with both fixtures being played away from home.
The other team in the group is Lausanne-Sport of Switzerland, who recently knocked out Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s Beşiktaş to reach the group stage. Ħamrun will also travel for this encounter.
• Shamrock Rovers (A)
• L. Red Imps (H)
• Jagiellonia (A)
• Lausanne-Sport (H)
• Samsunspor (A)
UEFA has confirmed the matchday schedule, with exact fixtures and kick-off times to be announced by Sunday, 31 August. The group stage dates are as follows:
Matchday 1, 2 October 2025
Matchday 2, 23 October 2025
Matchday 3, 6 November 2025
Matchday 4, 27 November 2025
Matchday 5, 11 December 2025
Matchday 6, 18 December 2025
UEFA will publish the full fixture list on its official social media channels.
