The road to European football begins this summer for Ħamrun Spartans and several other Maltese clubs, as UEFA has officially released the full schedule for its 2025/26 competitions. The Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League campaigns will kick off in early July, with qualifying rounds spread across the summer and culminating in group stage football by September.
The competitions will follow UEFA’s updated format, which replaces the traditional group stages with a 36-team league phase in each tournament, starting from this season. It marks the second year under this new structure, aimed at offering more matches and greater competitiveness.
Ħamrun Spartans to begin in Champions League qualifiers
Ħamrun Spartans, champions of the 360 Malta Premier League, will represent Malta in the UEFA Champions League. They will enter the competition at the first qualifying round, with fixtures scheduled for 8 or 9 and 15 or 16 July 2025. Their opponent will be revealed during the draw on 17 June in Nyon, Switzerland.
Should Ħamrun advance, they would continue their journey in the second qualifying round set for 22 or 23 and 29 or 30 July, with the potential to reach the third round and playoff stages in August. Any elimination along the way would offer a route into either the Europa League or Conference League qualifying path.
The new Champions League format replaces the group stage with a single 36-team league. The draw for this phase takes place on 28 August 2025, with the first set of matches due on 16 to 18 September. The league phase will span eight matchdays, concluding in January 2026.
Hibernians, Birkirkara and Floriana in Conference League action
Malta’s remaining European participants will enter the UEFA Europa Conference League. Hibernians, winners of the FA Trophy, will skip the opening round and begin from the second qualifying round, with matches on 24 and 31 July 2025. Their draw will be held on 18 June.
Meanwhile, Birkirkara and Floriana will commence their European journey earlier, entering the first qualifying round. Those matches are set for 10 and 17 July 2025, with the draw also taking place on 17 June.
As with the other competitions, the Conference League format now features a single league phase of 36 teams, though clubs must navigate four qualifying rounds to reach it. The group stage draw will take place on 29 August, with six matchdays running from 2 October to 18 December 2025.
Rising stakes and new format
This will be the second season under UEFA’s expanded league format for all three European competitions. Instead of a four-team group stage, clubs will play against a variety of opponents in a single league table. The top eight teams in each league will qualify directly for the round of 16, while those ranked ninth to 24th will contest a playoff to reach the last 16.
The Champions League final will be held on 30 May 2026 at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest. The Europa League final is set for 20 May in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş Park, and the Conference League will conclude on 27 May at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig.
UEFA draw and fixture calendar, key dates for Maltese clubs
- 17 June, Champions League and Conference League first qualifying round draw
- 18 June, draw for the second qualifying rounds
- 8 or 9 and 15 or 16 July, Ħamrun Spartans in the Champions League first qualifying round
- 10 and 17 July, Birkirkara and Floriana in the Conference League first qualifying round
- 22 or 23 and 29 or 30 July, possible second qualifying round matches
- 24 and 31 July, Hibernians begin the Conference League second qualifying round
- 28 and 29 August, draws for Champions League, Europa League and Conference League league phases
- 16 September to 28 January, league phase matchdays in the Champions League
- 2 October to 18 December, league phase matchdays in the Conference League
With four clubs participating, Maltese football will again have a significant presence across UEFA’s summer qualifiers. Ħamrun Spartans will look to build on recent European runs, while Hibernians, Birkirkara and Floriana aim to defy the odds in the Conference League.
The challenge remains formidable, but with the sport growing on the island and more clubs improving both structurally and tactically, the prospect of Maltese sides reaching the lucrative league phase remains an achievable target if they can navigate the tough preliminary rounds.
The journey begins in earnest this June, when Maltese clubs discover their European opponents. All eyes will be on the draws in Nyon on the 17th of June, where the fate of another thrilling summer of football will be decided.
