2024/25 UEFA Women's Champions League | Qualifying Draw Information
Cardiff City Women will learn their opponents for their UEFA Champions League Qualifying campaign on Friday, 5th July, with the draw taking place at 12pm (BST).
The Bluebirds earned a spot in European competition after winning the Adran Premier for a second consecutive season and a third time in the Club’s history.
Iain Darbyshire’s side secured the title with a 4-0 win over Swansea City Women, before lifting the trophy at Cardiff City Stadium following a 5-1 victory against Wrexham.
Competition Format
City enter the competition in the First Qualifying Round of the Champions Path.
The qualifiers consist of 11 mini tournaments, with some groups including four teams and others including three.
With a Semi-Final, a Third-Place Play-Off and a Final taking place, victory in the latter would lead to a two-legged tie in the Second Qualifying Round, where the sides compete for a place in the group stages.
Due to Wales' coefficient, the Bluebirds will be an unseeded side for the Semi-Final draw and will face a seeded team.
The Semi-Final will take place on September 4th, with a Final or Third-Place Play-Off to follow on September 7th.
Possible Opponents
The First Qualifying Round could see the Bluebirds face off against some of the top sides in Europe.
- Benfica (Portugal)
- Farum or Brondby (Denmark)
- St. Polten (Austria)
- BIIK Shymkent (Kazakhstan)
- FC Twente (Netherlands)
- Vllanzia (Albania)
- Vålerenga (Norway)
- Vorskla Poltava (Ukraine)
- Apollon (Cyprus)
- Anderlecht (Belgium)
- Valur (Iceland)
- SFK Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Ferencvaros (Hungary)
- Servette (Switzerland)
- Mura (Slovenia)
- FC Gintra (Lithuania)
- Dinamo-BSUPC (Belarus)
- PAOK (Greece)
- Breznica Pljevlja (Montenegro)
- Racing FC Union (Luxembourg)
- Mitrovica (Kosovo)
- KuPS (Finland)
Last time out
In 2023, City competed in the UEFA Women's Champions League for the second time in Club history.
Darbyshire's side faced off against Lithuanian champions FC Gintra, as well as taking on Shelbourne from the Republic of Ireland.
Despite producing valiant performances in both fixtures, the Bluebirds were defeated, but the experience provided an invaluable learning experience for the squad.
The European campaign was a catalyst for a successful season, as City completed a domestic treble for the first time.
thoughts prior to the draw
Ahead of the draw, head coach Darbyshire commented: “We're really excited to discover our opponents for the upcoming Women's Champions League campaign. Last year was a fantastic experience for us that we learned a great deal from, but we'll be looking to improve on last year's performances.
"Having played in the competition last year, we now know the levels and the standards that we need to get to in order to compete. Over the coming weeks, we'll be fully focused in ensuring that we are prepared for what's to come."
Centre-back Hannah Power, who had another stellar campaign in the 23/24 season, added: "All of us in the squad are really looking forward to the draw. The potential teams we could face in the competition is really exciting and we know whatever group we are ultimately drawn in to, it will be a great challenge for us.
"As a team, it’s something we are looking forward to. We all can’t wait to be back in the competition facing off against strong European teams."