Six Super Falcons players will be in the spotlight as the 2025/26 UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) second qualifying round kicks off on Wednesday.
These stars are aiming to help their clubs secure places in the new-look group phase of Europe’s biggest women’s club competition in the newly reformed UEFA Women Champions League.
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Suliat Abideen will feature for Turkish champions Fomget GSK when they take on Czech powerhouse Slavia Prague, having already played a key role in her side’s first-round success over Israeli club Kiryat Gat.
In Sweden, Halimatu Ayinde and Anam Imo are set to line up for Rosengård against North Macedonia’s Ljuboten, while in Italy, Rinsola Babajide and Shukurat Oladipo will represent AS Roma in their clash with Kazakhstan’s Aktobe.
Elsewhere, Joy Omewa will be hoping to inspire Danish outfit Fortuna Hjørring past Scotland’s Hibernian as the Danes seek a spot in the decisive qualifying stage.
New Format Begins Second Qualifying Round
The second qualifying round, taking place on Wednesday 27 and Saturday 30 August, will be played as knockout mini-tournaments under UEFA’s restructured competition format.
This season, the traditional 16-team group stage has been replaced by an expanded 18-club league phase.
Defending champions Arsenal are among nine clubs with direct entry, while the remaining nine slots will be decided through a three-round qualifying system split into two routes: the champions path and the league path.
Champions Path:
Four teams will qualify.
The first qualifying round produced six winners who now join 22 sides in the second qualifying round.
The seven final winners will progress to the third qualifying round, alongside Austrian champions St. Pölten.
League Path: Five teams will qualify.
The second qualifying round begins with 15 teams competing in four mini-tournaments.
The four winners will join Real Madrid, Häcken, Paris FC, Atlético Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt and Sporting CP in the third qualifying round.
The third qualifying round draw is scheduled for Sunday, 31 August, with the two-legged ties to be played on 11 and 18 September.
Meanwhile, 22 teams eliminated at this stage will move into the newly created UEFA Women’s Europa Cup, keeping their European campaign alive.
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