UEFA Futsal Champions League main round latest: Palma, Kairat, Sporting among teams through

UEFA Futsal Champions League holders Illes Balears Palma, fellow former winners Kairat Almaty and Sporting CP, and debutants Cartagena Costa Cálida and Semey are among the sides through from the main round so far, with the remaining nine elite-round berths decided on Saturday.

How the main round works

While the 24 teams with the highest coefficients – including Palma – received byes to the main round and have been joined by August's preliminary round group winners Akaa, Catania, Diamant Linz, FORCA, Minerva, NV Georgians, Tigers Roermond and Uddevalla. Those teams are among those in Path B of the main round, while Palma and fellow former champions Sporting and Kairat feature in Path A.

The main round leads to November and December's elite round, which will determine the four contenders for the knockout finals in May.

Main round groups

Path A

The top three in each group progress to the elite round.

Group 1 (ends Saturday): Cartagena Costa Cálida (ESP, through to elite round), Record Bielsko-Biała (POL, through to elite round), Sporting Anderlecht (BEL, hosts, through to elite round), FC Hit (UKR)

The 2022/23 semi-finalists Anderlecht produced a comfortable opening win against Hit while Spanish debutants Cartagena needed a late equaliser to hold Record. Cartagena and Record both won on Thursday to progress and although Anderlecht were beaten by the Polish side, they too are through with Hit unable to catch them due to that Matchday 1 result.

Group 2 (ends Saturday): Olmissum (CRO), Braga (POR), Plzeň (CZE), FC Prishtina 01 (KOS, hosts)

Braga, who pipped regulars Benfica to qualification, opened with a win as did Olmissum. The top two drew on Thursday, and Prishtina 01 and Plzeň played out a 5-5 thriller, meaning nothing is settled ahead of Saturday's deciders.

Group 3 (ends Saturday): AE Illes Balears Palma (ESP, hosts/holders, through to elite round), United Galati (ROU), Dobovec (SVN), Futsal Dinamo (CRO)

Holders Palma are through as group winners with a game to spare after defeating Dinamo and United Galati, who had began by beating Dobovec. Palma are now unbeaten in all 18 of their European fixtures.

Group 4 (complete): Kairat Almaty (KAZ, hosts, through to elite round), Sporting CP (POR, through to elite round), Semey (KAZ, through to elite round), Haladás (HUN)

Kairat came back from two down to beat Sporting 3-2 with a goal 18 seconds before the end to clinch first place, both teams having already sealed progress with wins in their opening two games. On Wednesday, Sporting became only the second team to reach 100 matches in this competition, emulating their fellow two-time champions Kairat (who will keep up their record of playing in the elite round in all 18 seasons in which it is has been part of the competition format). Taynan scored for Sporting against former club Kairat to add to his hat-trick against debutants Semey.

Semey themselves defeated Haladás 6-1 to secure progress with Higuita making his European bow for his new club, becoming the first goalkeeper to 60 competition appearances. Ferrao's two goals for Semey took him to 40 in UEFA futsal club matches, joint tenth all-time.

Path B

The four group winners progress to the elite round.

Group 5 (ends Saturday): Etoile Lavalloise (FRA, hosts), Futsal Minerva (SUI), Stalitsa Minsk (BLR), Uddevalla (SWE)

Etoile Lavalloise are three points clear after winning both games so far, Morocco pivot Soufiane El Mesrar hitting four goals (in the space of less than five minutes) on Thursday against Uddevalla. Stalista Minsk, who face the French champions on Saturday, and are the only side that can still catch them despite losing on Thursday to Minerva.

Group 6 (ends Saturday): Riga Futsal Club (LVA), FON Banjica (SRB, hosts), Tigers Roermond (NED), FORCA (MKD)

Riga, aiming to repeat their run to the elite round on debut last season, and FON both have six points ahead of their Saturday encounter, with the Serbian hosts trailing on goal difference and needing a win.

Group 7 (ends Saturday): Lučenec (SVK, hosts), Luxol St. Andrews (MLT), NV Georgians (GEO), Akaa (FIN)

Experienced campaigners Lučenec and Luxol are both on six points and level on both goal difference and goals scored going into their Saturday decider.

Group 8 (ends Saturday): Kauno Žalgiris (LTU), Catania (ITA, hosts), Differdange (LUX), Diamant Linz (AUT)

Kauno and Catania both have maximum points and meet for first place on Saturday with the Italian debutants trailing on goal difference and requiring victory, despite Michele Podda hitting his third hat-trick in the competition this season in Thursday's defeat of Diamant, leaving him as leading scorer on nine.

Team facts

• Palma have won the European title for the last two seasons, the only team to lift the trophy in their debut pair of campaigns since Castellón in the inaugural 2001/02 and 2002/03 editions.
• Two-time winners Kairat Almaty and Sporting CP (along with Palma, the only other side from last season's final four to qualify) are the other past champions involved.
• Anderlecht are past semi-finalists. Dobovec reached the one-off quarter-final round in 2020/21.
• Kairat are the first club to enter 21 seasons of UEFA futsal competition.
• Cartagena and Semey are making their debuts in this round, while fellow newcomers Catania, FORCA and Tigers Roermond came through the preliminary round.
• Along with the debutants, Akaa are in the main round for the first time. Diamant, Differdange, FON, Futsal Dinamo, Georgians, Lučenec, Minerva and Uddevalla are also aiming to reach the elite round for the first time.
• With Cartagena winning their first Spanish title to join holders Palma in the competition, this is only the second edition (after the inaugural 2001/02 campaign) to not involve any of Barça, Inter FS and Murcia FS.
• Kairat face the side that ended their 20-year run as Kazakh champions, Semey (though Kairat beat Semey 3-1 in the recent Kazakhstan Super Cup). Newcomers Semey subsequently signed long-time Kairat goalkeeper Higuita, as well as Ferrão from Barça.
• Palma beat Dobovec in the 2022/23 elite round. Dobovec drew 3-3 with United Galati in last season's main round (Dobovec equalised in the 37th minute and pipped United Galati to third place on goal difference).
• Sporting beat Kairat 2-1 in the 2019 final in Almaty, the scoreline having been reversed when they met in the main round in Pristina. Sporting previously beat Kairat 3-2 in the 2011 semis in Almaty.
• Sporting began the main round two games away from becoming only the second club to dispute 100 matches in UEFA futsal competition after Kairat. They already had the most wins (71) and goals (439).

Road to the finals

Elite round draw: 31 October
Elite round: 26 November–1 December
Finals draw: TBC
Finals: 1 or 2 & 3 or 4 May

All dates subject to change