​It has been six weeks since Crystal Palace celebrated a 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in the Uefa Conference League final in Leipzig. Now the road to next season’s showpiece in Istanbul begins, with three Welsh clubs entering the first qualifying round this week. Connah’s Quay Nomads face Kosovo’s FC Ballkani on Wednesday, 7 July (18:30 BST), and on Thursday, 8 July Caernarfon Town host Estonian side Levadia Tallinn (18:30 BST) while Penybont welcome Andorra’s Santa Coloma (19:45 BST).
Callum West will be among a number of Connah’s Quay players making their first appearance in European competition. John Disney featured in Connah’s Quay Nomads’ first European campaign in 2016 and captained the side the last time the club played in the Conference League two years ago. Appointed manager of the Flintshire club in May 2025, the 33-year-old led them to a runners-up finish in last season’s Cymru Premier, securing European qualification.
Nomads face FC Ballkani in the first leg of the Uefa Conference League first qualifying round at Colwyn Bay’s Blue Turtle Arena on Wednesday evening. Disney has overseen a substantial overhaul of the squad during the summer, with notable departures including Rhys Hughes, Chris Marriott, Ben Nash, and brothers Kai and Noah Edwards. “The club’s gone through a massive transition,” Disney told BBC Sport Wales. “A number of things have happened to the club over the last few years.” He added that many of the current players aren’t aware of what has come before, which brings a sense of freshness and excitement. “We’ve got a young squad, we’ve got a new way of playing and how we want to do things. We’ve got that balance where I’m happy there’s adaptability, willingness to learn, and eagerness. The lads I worked with last year are the same, just operating in a different context.”
FC Ballkani are three-time champions of Kosovo and have twice reached the group stages of the Conference League. Caernarfon Town, meanwhile, celebrated their Welsh Cup triumph in April, securing a European berth for the second time in three seasons. They defeated Flint Town United 3-0 to lift the Welsh Cup for the first time. Two years ago, Richard Davies’s team overcame Crusaders of Northern Ireland on penalties in the first qualifying round before bowing out to Legia Warsaw. This season in the Uefa Conference League, Caernarfon have been drawn against Estonian side Levadia Tallinn in the first qualifying round. Levadia finished second in last season’s Meistriliiga, the top tier of Estonian football, and, 19 games into the current season, sit top of the table having lost only once.
“The challenge is going to be quite a big one,” Davies told BBC Radio Cymru’s Y Coridor Ansicrwydd podcast. “They’re a very good side and they’re obviously strong opponents, but we’ll approach it with the belief that we can compete. It’s an exciting period for the club and for Welsh football to see these teams testing themselves in Europe again.”
The forthcoming matches mark a fresh chapter for Welsh clubs as they test themselves against well-established European opponents, with hopes of progression and the chance to bring further prestige to Welsh football on the continental stage.