Malmo Kicks Off Champions League Campaign in Tbilisi as Hacken Takes on Trnava

Malmo, the Allsvenskan champions and Sweden’s record titleholders, will make their first stop in Tbilisi, Georgia, as they embark on their journey towards the UEFA Champions League (UCL) proper. They have been drawn to face Iberia 1999 in the First Qualifying Round for the 2025/26 season.

Last season, Malmo faced disappointment as they were eliminated in the Playoff round before being knocked out during the League Phase of the UEFA Europa League (UEL). In the recent draw, they were ranked fourth among the 28 teams, which secured them a seeded position and allowed them to avoid facing teams like Romania’s FCSB and Bulgaria’s Ludogorets Razgrad.

Instead, they will compete against Tbilisi-based Iberia 1999, who clinched the Erovnuli Liga title in 2024, marking their second championship win since 2018 when they played under the name FC Saburtalo.

This will be Iberia’s second time in the UCL qualifiers, having previously defeated Sheriff in the First Qualifying Round of the 2019/20 campaign before bowing out to Dinamo Zagreb.

Malmo’s first leg will take place away from home on either 8th or 9th July, followed by the return leg in Sweden on 15th or 16th July.

The victors will be assured a seeded position for the Second Qualifying Round, which will see its draw conducted tomorrow, with matches scheduled for the end of July.

The finalists of the 1979 European Cup last featured in the UCL proper during the 2021/22 season, where they were eliminated in the Group Stage. This matchup will mark Malmo’s first competitive encounter with a Georgian side, while Iberia has yet to face any Swedish opponents.

Hacken Commence Europa League Journey in Slovakia

Hacken, who secured their spot in the UEL by triumphing over Malmo in the Svenska Cupen Final last month, will be up against Spartak Trnava in the First Qualifying Round.

According to UEFA Coefficient rankings, this draw is a favourable one for unseeded Hacken, as their Slovakian counterparts are the lowest-ranked of the eight seeded teams, allowing the Gothenburg outfit to avoid stronger clubs like Shakhtar Donetsk, Legia Warsaw, and Partizan.

This season will mark Hacken’s tenth appearance in European competitions; however, their only experience in the proper stages came last season with six defeats in six Group Stage matches of the 2023/24 UEL. Last year, they were eliminated by Heidenheim in the UEFA Conference League Playoff Round.

Spartak Trnava finished third in the Slovak First League for a fifth consecutive season and will be the first Slovakian team that Hacken encounters.

The Wasps will play the first leg away on 10th July, before hosting Spartak at Bravida Arena for the return fixture on 17th July.