#qualification

#qualification

There's always a buzz when European football returns and this season marks the second year of the revamped format, where clubs compete in a league phase rather than a group stage. In the Champions League, the 36 clubs will each play eight different teams four at home and four away. The top eight qualify for the round of 16, while the teams finishing in 9th to 24th face a play-off round to join them.

Although the World Cup is still a little while away, the German Football Association (DFB) is busy with pre-tournament preparations. According to Bild (via @iMiaSanMia), the final friendly opponents ahead of the World Cup have been finalized. The last opponent before the tournament will be none other than one of the co-hosts, the United States of America. The dress rehearsal will be held in early June.

Ronaldo scored his brace in the first half to put Portugal in the lead after Hungary had briefly gone ahead with a Attila Szalai in the eighth minute. With Portugal clinging to a 2-1 lead, Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai scored in second-half stoppage time to earn the visitors a draw and put the brakes on the celebrations for Roberto Martinez's side.

Manchester United have to navigate an unusual qualification process to reach the main draw of the Women's Champions League. The tournament has a new format after Uefa expanded the group stage of the competition from 16 to 18 teams for 2025-26. Chelsea qualified directly by winning the Women's Super League, while Arsenal qualified by triumphing in the Women's Champions League. Manchester United however have to qualify for the competition after finishing behind Chelsea and Arsenal in the league last season.

Sheriff Tiraspol have made an almost flawless start to the season, collecting 13 points from a possible 15 in the Super Liga to sit top of the table, while also easing past Prishtina in Europe with a 5-2 aggregate win.

The top two teams from each of the four groups will progress to the quarter-finals, with the sides in third and fourth eliminated.

In GROUP B, Canada is in control with three points from their first game and can advance by defeating Curaçao in matchday 2.