Cardiff Met FC U19s to face FC UNA Strassen in UEFA Youth League

Cardiff Met FC U19s will begin their UEFA Youth League campaign against Luxembourg side FC UNA Strassen after the draw for the 2026/27 Domestic Champions Path was completed in Nyon.

The Young Archers have been handed a home tie in the opening leg, scheduled for Wednesday 16 September, before travelling to Luxembourg for the return fixture on Wednesday 14 October. It marks another significant European occasion for Cardiff Met and an opportunity for the club’s young players to test themselves on the continental stage.

UEFA’s draw has mapped out the complete route through all three rounds of the Domestic Champions Path, meaning Cardiff Met already know the potential opponents standing between them and a place in the competition’s round of 32.

Should the Archers overcome UNA Strassen over two legs, they will progress to face Norwegian side Stabæk Fotball in the second round. Met would travel to Norway for the first leg, scheduled for 28 October, before hosting the return fixture a week later on 4 November.

Progress from there would take Cardiff Met into the third and final qualifying round, where their potential opponents would be HJK Helsinki of Finland, FC Ballkani of Kosovo or MŠK Žilina of Slovakia. HJK and Ballkani meet in the opening round, with the winner progressing to face Žilina before the successful side moves on to the third-round tie.

The third-round fixtures are scheduled for 25 November and 9 December, with the winner earning a place among the ten Domestic Champions Path qualifiers in the UEFA Youth League round of 32.

The competition represents another major opportunity for Cardiff Met’s developing football pathway. The club’s U19 side forms part of a wider system that provides a route from junior and academy football through to senior and university competition, with the U19 programme competing domestically for the opportunity to reach the UEFA Youth League.

European competition is already an important part of Cardiff Met FC’s history, with the men’s first team previously reaching UEFA Europa League qualifying and the women’s programme competing in UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying. The U19s now have the opportunity to write another chapter of that story.

Attention will first turn to UNA Strassen and September’s home leg, as the Young Archers prepare to begin their UEFA Youth League journey.

UEFA Youth League Domestic Champions Path

First round

Cardiff Met FC v FC UNA Strassen

First leg: 16 September

Second leg: 14 October

Second round, if Cardiff Met progress

Stabæk Fotball v Cardiff Met FC / FC UNA Strassen

First leg: 28 October

Second leg: 4 November

Potential third-round opponents

HJK Helsinki / FC Ballkani / MŠK Žilina

First leg: 25 November

Second leg: 9 December