Qualifiers kick off Women's Champions League
Sunday, August 9, 2015
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Five debutants will mingle with three recent round of 16 veterans when the eight UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying round groups kick off the season on Tuesday.
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The 2015/16 UEFA Women's Champions League kicks off on Tuesday with the 32 teams in the qualifying round aiming for the eight places on offer in the knockout phase. UEFA.com looks ahead to the action, while our MatchCentre will have live coverage on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
Meet the teams
• Debutants: CF Benfica, Ferencváros, Wexford Youths, Dragon 2014, Jeunesse Jonglënster
• Pioneers: Jeunesse are only the second entrants from Luxembourg after FC Progrès Niederkorn in 2011/12.
• Reached round of 16: Gintra Universitetas (2014/15), Konak Belediyespor (2013/14), Olimpia Cluj (2012/13)
• Got past qualifying round last season: Apollon Ladies, Gintra, Medyk Konin, Osijek, Pomurje
• Ever-present: KÍ maintain their record of entering all 15 editions.
• Stalwarts: Apollon, Gintra, NSA Sofia, Osijek and KÍ have appeared in the qualifying round in all seven seasons of the current format. Apollon are seeking to get through for the sixth straight campaign; KÍ and NSA have never made it into the round of 32.
The groups
• Matches 11–16 August (*Hosts)
Group 1: Konak Belediyespor (TUR), WFC SFK 2000 Sarajevo (BIH)*, ZFK Minsk (BLR), Vllaznia (ALB)
Group 2: FC PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE), FC NSA Sofia (BUL), Glentoran Belfast United (NIR)*, ŽFK Dragon 2014 (MKD)
Group 3: Apollon Ladies LFC (CYP)*, Stjarnan (ISL), Klaksvíkar ĺtrottarfelag (FRO), Hibernians FC (MLT)
Group 4: FC Twente (NED)*, ASA Tel-Aviv University SC (ISR), Ferencvárosi TC (HUN), FC Jeunesse Jonglënster (LUX)
Group 5: Olimpia Cluj Napoca (ROU), ŽNK Pomurje (SVN)*, Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi (EST), Ekonomist (MNE)
Group 6: ZFK Spartak Subotica (SRB), ŽNK Osijek (CRO)*, CF Benfica (POR), CSF Noroc Nimoreni (MDA)
Group 7: Gintra Universitetas (LTU), KKPK Medyk Konin (POL)*, Wexford Youths Women's AFC (IRL), Cardiff Met LFC (WAL)
Group 8: PK-35 Vantaa (FIN)*, WFC Kharkiv (UKR), FC Union Nové Zámky (SVK), Rīgas Futbola skola (LVA)
The next step
• The eight group winners will progress to join the 24 teams from the 15 highest-ranked nations in the round of 32 draw on 20 August.
• Road to the final
Qualifying round draw: 14.00CET, 25 June
Qualifying round: 11–16 August
Round of 32 draw: 20 August
Round of 32: 7/8 & 14/15 October
Round of 16 draw: 19 October
Round of 16: 11/12 November & 18/19 November
Quarter-final & Semi-final draw: 27 November
Quarter-finals: 23/24 & 30/31 March
Semi-finals: 23/24 & 30 April/1 May
Final (Reggio Emilia): 26 May