SPORTS

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WELCOMES FOUR DEBUTANT TEAMS IN 2025/26 SEASON
The Champions League will have fresh faces this season, as four teams have qualified for the league phase for the very first time.
Cyprus’ Pafos FC and Norway’s Bodo/Glimt secured their spots in style after impressive playoff performances. Pafos, a club only founded 11 years ago, held Red Star Belgrade to a 1-1 draw, sealing a dramatic 3-2 aggregate win. Bodo/Glimt, on the other hand, overcame Austria’s Sturm Graz 6-2 on aggregate, despite losing the second leg 2-1.
They will be joined by Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise and Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty, who stunned Celtic in a tense penalty shootout.
Kairat’s qualification is historic, as they become only the second club from Kazakhstan to reach the Champions League, following Astana’s debut in 2015.
With these four debutants stepping onto Europe’s biggest stage, this season’s Champions League promises even more excitement and surprises.
"This represents a significant development in our ongoing coverage of current events."— Editorial Board