Champions choice

Cliftonville will once again be represented at the House of European Football this week as the countdown to the Women’s Champions League draw ramps up a gear.

A few days on from our Men’s team being involved in UEFA Conference League pairings in Nyon, John McGrady’s side are set to learn their fate on what will be just their second ever foray on the continental stage.

Back in 2023, the Reds made history when they stepped out for their European debut against the might of a Benfica side that went on to reach the quarter-finals of the competition, losing to eventual runners-up Lyon, while Caitlin McGuinness scored the team’s landmark first ever goal in UEFA competition (above) – a significant highlight in an emphatic 8-1 defeat to the classy Portuguese hosts.

A few days later, Cliftonville contested a Play-Off for third place in Group 6 but, despite goals from Danielle Maxwell and Marissa Callaghan (below) levelling things after BIIK Kazygurt had raced into a 2-0 lead, the Kazakh side, who had been beaten by SKF Riga in their own opening tie, regrouped to claim a 4-2 win.

The Reds, who didn’t drop a single point en route to being crowned invincible Sports Direct Women’s Premiership Champions last season, will be unseeded for Tuesday’s Champions League first qualifying round draw and will be selected in a group with two of the following sides:

ABB Fomget (Turkey)
Agram (Croatia)
Agarista Anenii Noi (Moldova)
Cardiff City (Wales)
Flora (Estonia)
Kiryat Gat (Israel)
Lanchkhuti (Georgia)
Ljuboten (Macedonia)
Mitrovica (Kosovo)
NSA Sofia (Bulgaria)
Racing Union (Luxembourg)
Spartak Myjava (Slovakia)

They will, however, only initially meet one of those teams, with the formatting of the draw directing whether they will also go on to contest either a Final or Third Place Play-Off in a group that will also contain one of the following unseeded entrants:

AEK Athens (Greece)
Athlone Town (Ireland)
Buducnost (Montenegro)
Neftchi (Azerbaijan)
NSI Runavik (Faroe Islands)
Pyunik (Armenia)
Riga (Latvia)
Sqieqi United (Malta)

Opening group games are scheduled for Wednesday, July 30, with the Final and Third Place Play-Off taking place on Saturday, August 2, with supporters advised that cliftonvillefc.net will provide instantaneous news of the draw, while our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram platforms will ensure you’re kept fully up-to-speed no matter where you are.