The New Saints kick off their Champions League campaign with a long trip to Azerbaijan to face Sabah.

What's at stake?

The first leg of the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round takes place at the Bank Respublika Arena, with the return leg scheduled for Oswestry next Tuesday. Head coach Craig Harrison said: "I don't think we could have got a tougher draw to be honest, logistically, and actually their team, how good they are."

The opposition

Sabah were crowned champions of Azerbaijan for the first time last season, finishing nine points clear of second-placed Qarabag, and have spent a lot of money on transfers this year. The New Saints have prepared for their latest European adventure by playing a number of pre-season games, including a trip to Northern Ireland, and have strengthened their squad with several new signings, including defenders Dynel Simeu and Zach Nolan.

The road ahead

Should The New Saints get the better of Sabah over two legs, they would play the winners of the tie between FK Vardar of North Macedonia and Kuopian Palloseura, better known as KuPS, of Finland in the second qualifying round of the Champions League. As The New Saints begin their European campaign, they are currently sitting at the top of the Cymru Premier league with 80 points from 32 games, having scored 81 goals and conceded 25, with a recent form of 5 wins in their last 5 games, including a 1-0 win over Barry Town on 2026-04-18.