Champions League Qualifying: Shamrock Rovers, Larne & TNS Chase Europe
All eyes may be on the World Cup action, but the Champions League is back tonight, and there's plenty for UK and Irish fans to follow as four home champions begin their European campaigns in the first qualifying round.
Shamrock Rovers, Larne, The New Saints and Lincoln Red Imps all play their opening leg on Tuesday 7 July, with the second legs to come on 14 July.
Below we preview the four ties with the latest Champions League odds, plus the best free bet offers to back them
Win your tie, and you go through to the second qualifying round.
Lose it, and you drop into the Conference League - so there's a safety net, and none of the four are out of Europe even if they slip up.
Floriana vs Shamrock Rovers
Stephen Bradley's Rovers are the standout name of the Irish contingent and start as favourites away in Malta.
The Hoops are chasing another League of Ireland title, sitting seven points clear of Bohemians at the top with 50 points from 25 games, and reached the Conference League knockout phase last season.
With Jack Byrne pulling the strings and Malta's much-changed Floriana yet to play competitively since mid-May, Rovers will fancy taking a result back to Tallaght for the second leg on 14 July.
The reward for getting through is a tie with Ararat-Armenia or Riga.
Tre Fiori vs Larne
Northern Ireland champions Larne travel to San Marino minnows Tre Fiori looking to make another statement in Europe.
Gary Haveron's side won a third NIFL Premiership title in four years last season, finishing four points clear of Glentoran, and reached the Conference League league phase in 2024-25.
Unbeaten in their last five and having strengthened over the summer, they start as odds-on favourites with UK betting sites against a part-time Tre Fiori outfit.
The prize is a mouth-watering second-round tie against Serbian giants Crvena Zvezda.
Sabah vs The New Saints
The New Saints face the toughest task of the four, heading to Azerbaijan to take on newly-crowned champions Sabah in Masazir, near Baku.
Craig Harrison's side are the dominant force in Welsh football, having sealed an 18th Cymru Premier title last season - a fifth in a row - finishing a huge 22 points clear of Connah's Quay Nomads.
They made history two seasons ago as the first Welsh club to reach a European league phase, but fell to Shkendija in last season's Champions League qualifiers.
Sabah, formed only in 2017 and backed by heavy investment, ended Qarabag's dominance to win a first Azerbaijani title and start as favourites, so TNS may need to keep it tight and take the tie back to Park Hall.
Lincoln Red Imps vs Inter Escaldes
Gibraltar's Lincoln Red Imps - famous for beating Celtic in 2016 - host Andorran champions Inter Escaldes at Europa Point.
Serial Gibraltar champions, Lincoln wrapped up a sixth straight league title and the domestic double, and reached the Conference League league phase last term.
New boss Juanma Pavon takes charge of his first competitive game, with veteran Lee Casciaro leading the line.
They are slight favourites against an organised Inter side that pushed FCSB close a year ago.
How Champions League Qualifying Works
Only seven league-phase places remain up for grabs, with 29 teams already qualified directly. The four UK and Irish sides are all in the Champions Path, the route reserved for domestic title winners.
Qualifying runs through to late August, with the league phase kicking off on 8 September and the final at Madrid's Estadio Metropolitano on 5 June 2027.
Paris Saint-Germain go in as two-time defending champions after beating Arsenal on penalties in last season's final, and remain among the favourites to make it three in a row.
Crucially for the home clubs, defeat in this round isn't the end of the road - beaten sides transfer into the Conference League, guaranteeing European football deep into the summer.
For our latest picks across Europe's qualifiers and beyond, see our football betting tips.
