by Swieqi United will debut in the UEFA Women’s Champions League against long-time Moldovan holders Agarista in the Champions Path. Buducnost or hosts Spartak Myjava await depending on the outcomes. Meanwhile, the competition could also feature another Maltese in Haley Bugeja, in the League Path, as Inter Women debut against SK Brann.
Swieqi United To Face Agarista, Spartak Myjava Return Against Buducnost
Swieqi United will be making their debut in the UEFA Women’s Champions League on July 30th against Moldovan champions Agarista SS. Swieqi United claimed the spot to displace Birkirkara following lifting their maiden Assikura Women’s League title, becoming just the fourth women’s side from Malta to feature in the competition after Birkirkara, Hibernians and Mosta.
Meanwhile, the Moldovans, Agarista SS, are well versed in competing on the European stage, having participated every year since the 2018/19 season. However, they will be hoping for improved outcomes as they seek their first win in the competition.
The other tie in the group will feature Slovakan side, and hosts, Spartak Myjava who will face Montenegrin champions ZFK Buducnost. The latter displaced the long-time holders Breznica Pljevlja who held the European spot since the 2016/17 season.
Spartak Myjava are also serial competitors, having featured every year since the 2022/23 season. That year they came back from trailing by 2 – 0 to the other Montenegrin giant of recent years, Breznica Pljevlja, to win by 3 – 2. Breznica Pljevlja incidentally also have history against Maltese sides having lost twice to Birkirkara in the last two seasons.
Despite winning against Breznica, the Slovakian side Spartak Myjava were then edged out by 1 – 0 by Albanian giants Vllaznia. The next two seasons had bitter outcomes for Spartak Myjava, losing by big margins to Olimpia Cluj (6-2) and Ferencvaros (7-0), as well as to Osijek (2-0) and Dinamo Minsk (3-2) last year.
On the other hand, Buducnost will be fresh into the competition like Swieqi United. Buducnost are actually one of the oldest sides in football in Montenegro, formerly known as ZFK Palma. However, it will be a big day for them as well as they take to the European competition as a new name under the Montenegrin flag following Breznica Pljevlja’s dominance in recent years.
The group matches will be played in Slovakia between the 30th July and 2nd of August. The 30th of July will feature the semi-finals which will be played between Agarista CSF Anenii Noi 2020 and Swieqi United, while hosts Spartak Myjava will face Buducnost.
The winners will contest the final on the 2nd of August. A third-place play-off would also be played between the teams defeated in the semi-finals on the same day.
Haley Bugeja’s Inter To Face SK Brann
Inter Women will be debuting in the competition in the other branch, the League Path, potentially also featuring a Maltese player in Haley Bugeja. They will make their first appearance on the European stage after finishing runners-up to Juventus last year.
They will face a tough competitor in Norwegian side SK Brann who had a dream 2024/25 campaign, qualifying into the group stages for the first time and making it to the quarter-finals, bowing out against Barcelona, but also gaining a point against Lyon in the group stages.
The semi-final will be played on the 27th of August, while the other tie in the group will feature Valur against Sporting Braga. The finalists will contest each other on the 30th of August for a chance to make it to the next round. The defeated semi-finalists will contend the place for runners-up on the same day.
Lead Images: Elise Bajada / Inter Women
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