Airtricity Teams Get Champions Draw

Airtricity League champions Shamrock Rovers have been seeded in the draw for the Second Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League.

The Hoops, along with Sligo Rovers, St Patrick's Athletic and Bohemians will enter the UEFA Champions League and Europa League draws in June with the most favourable odds in the history of Irish participation on the European stage.

St Pat's will also be seeded in the draws for both the First and Second Qualifying Rounds of the UEFA Europa League, while Bohemians will be seeded for the Second Qualifying Round as they are exempt from the First Qualifying Round.

By virtue of FC Porto winning the Europa League Cup rather than Sporting Braga, Sligo Rovers - as FAI Ford Cup winners - will be forwarded to the Third Qualifying Round of the UEFA Europa League.

This is because FC Porto do not require the title holder's place in the Europa League as they have qualified for the Champions League next season. 

Ireland is placed 29th on the access/ranking list. This would be the first time ever that an Irish club was exempted from two rounds of a European club competition.

As a result of FK Borac Banja Luka winning the League title in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rovers will now face one of the 17 unseeded sides for a place in the third qualifying round.

The Hoops will face one of the following clubs: Dacia Chisinau (Moldova), FC Pyunik Yerevan (Armenia), FK Borac Banja Luka (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Skonto Riga (Latvia), FC Fehérvár (Hungary), Bangor City (Wales), HB Torshavn (Faroe Islands), Linfield (Northern Ireland), Tobol Kustanai (Kazakhstan), F91 Dudelange (Luxembourg), Flora Tallinn (Estonia), Breidablik (Iceland), FC Valletta (Malta), Neftchi Baku (Azerbaijan), Shkendija Tetovo (FYR Macedonia), Skënderbeu Korçë (Albania) and FK Mogren (Montenegro).

Being seeded will give the Hoops an opportunity to make significant progress in Europe this summer. 

Victory in the Second Round would guarantee Shamrock Rovers a minimum of four extra European matches including a play-off for a place in the group stages of the Europa League, if required. 

Financially, it would also mean a minimum payment of €550,000 from UEFA - €330,000 of which is already guaranteed - and the club would also garner €130,000 should the Hoops qualify for the next round.

Rovers would also benefit to the tune of a further €90,000 should they fail to qualify for the Champions League group stages and move into the Europa League.

The draws for both stages of the UEFA Europa League will take place on June 20th.