With the UEFA Champions League draw handing us a two-legged encounter with HJK Helsinki of Finland in the First Qualifying Round, we take a closer look at the potential paths the Invermen could face in Europe this Summer.
The first leg is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 12th July with a 7pm kick-off (local time) at the Bolt Arena, Helsinki. The second leg of the tie is currently expected to take place the following week on Wednesday 19th July at Solitude with a 7:30pm kick-off time. Please note that these fixture dates and times are still subject to UEFA approval.
With the first leg now just over two weeks away, we will be in a position to confirm ticketing details for both home and away ties once we receive confirmation from UEFA. As previously announced, this will begin with a priority pre-sale for 2023/24 Season Ticket holders taking place first.
Should Larne overcome our Finnish opponents, Norwegian Champions Molde FK will await in the Second Qualifying Round. The Norweigian side are currently eleven games in to their current campaign and find themselves sitting in 6th position with 16 points on the board, 15 behind current leaders Bodo/Glimt.
Should we be eliminated from the Champions League by HJK, Tiernan Lynch’s men would then drop into the Europa Conference League Second Round where they will face the losers of the first round tie between Ludogorets of Bulgaria and FC Ballkani, from Kosovo.
The Bulgarians, like Larne, are currently in pre-season, having clinched the title by one point ahead of CSKA Sofia in a dramatic end to the season. Ballkani also finished their campaign last month in a tight manner when they claimed the Kosovan top flight with a three-point advantage of Struga.
Whichever route the Invermen take it’s set to be an exciting summer of European action ahead. Keep your eyes peeled on our social media platforms for all the news on when you can get your hands on a ticket for the big games.
