Valletta FC Prepares for UEFA Conference League Second Qualifying Round

Valletta FC is poised to commence its 2025/26 UEFA Conference League campaign, having secured a direct berth in the second qualifying round. The Maltese club, winners of the domestic FA Trophy, will contend with Polish powerhouse Raków Częstochowa in a highly anticipated two-legged encounter.

The first leg is scheduled for July 23, 2026, at Raków Częstochowa's home ground, the Miejski Stadion Piłkarski Raków. The decisive return leg will take place a week later, on July 30, 2026. Valletta FC's direct entry into this stage is a significant advantage, benefiting from UEFA's revised access list system which grants Malta's domestic cup winners a spot in the second qualifying round, bypassing the initial preliminary stages.

Domestically, Valletta FC has demonstrated a solid, albeit mixed, performance in the 2025/26 Malta Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League, currently holding the 3rd position. Their league record stands at 6 wins, 4 draws, and 1 loss from 11 matches, accumulating 22 points. Recent form across all competitions includes a 2-1 victory against Gzira UnitedTeam·Gzira United in the Maltese Cup in May 2026. However, they also experienced a 0-2 league defeat to Hamrun SpartansTeam·Hamrun Spartans and a 0-0 draw (losing 1-3 on penalties) against Floriana FCTeam·Floriana FC in the same month. Earlier in May, they secured a 2-1 league win over Hamrun SpartansTeam·Hamrun Spartans but fell 1-0 to Marsaxlokk in April.

The club's 2025/26 squad, with an average age of 28.6 years, features a diverse composition, including 12 foreign players who constitute 54.5% of the team. Key attacking options include forwards Diogo Tavares, Ahmed AdebayoPlayer·Ahmed Adebayo, Stijn MeijerPlayer·Stijn Meijer, Yuri De Jesus MessiasPlayer·Yuri De Jesus Messias, Andrea Zammit, and Andrei Cosmin Ciolacu. The midfield is bolstered by Yannick YankamPlayer·Yannick Yankam, Jackson Mendonza, Neil Anthony Micallef, and Brandon Paiber, while the defensive line features Emmanuel Mbende, Shaft Brewer, Steve Borg, and Sava Radic. Goalkeeping duties are handled by Julani Archibald and Liam Frendo.

Valletta FC has also been active in the transfer market to strengthen its roster. Keyon Ewurum's loan at TorinoTeam·Torino U19 concluded, seeing his return to Valletta FC on June 30, 2026, the same date Ahmed AdebayoPlayer·Ahmed Adebayo's loan spell from IK Start is set to end. Notable arrivals for the 2025/26 season include Shaft Brewer Jr. on a definitive transfer from Las Vegas LightsTeam·Las Vegas Lights in June 2025, Stijn MeijerPlayer·Stijn Meijer from Hamrun SpartansTeam·Hamrun Spartans, and Diogo Tavares from S. João Ver, both joining in January 2026. Earlier in June 2025, the club also secured Yannick YankamPlayer·Yannick Yankam and Matthias EllulPlayer·Matthias Ellul, both bringing valuable experience from top-tier Maltese clubs.

Despite their domestic cup success, Valletta FC's current UEFA club coefficient of 1.800 places them among the unseeded teams for the second qualifying round. This status suggests a challenging draw against a higher-ranked opponent, a reality confirmed by facing Raków Częstochowa, a club that was the Ekstraklasa champion in 2023 and is a regular participant in European competitions. Club President Claudio Grech has emphasized a disciplined approach to recruitment and intensive preparatory work, aiming to build a squad that embodies strength, athleticism, and pride for the current season's challenges.