Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Welsh club The New Saints (TNS) began their Champions League qualifying campaign with high ambitions. Chairman Mike Harris set a bold goal: to win the Champions League, underlining how big dreams drive excitement in football.
TNS started their journey by defeating Montenegrin side Dečić 3-0 at home, with Brad Young scoring twice. A 1-1 away draw secured their progress to the second qualifying round. Manager Craig Harrison described the achievement with emotion, showing its importance for a club with only 300 season ticket holders.
In the second qualifying round, TNS faced Hungarian team Ferencváros but were eliminated. Despite this, TNS made history by securing a place in the group stages of the Conference League, becoming the first Welsh Premiership club to achieve this.
The UEFA club competition structure allows clubs across Europe to compete and earn rewards based on merit. The New Saints benefited financially from their European campaign, enabling plans to invest in stadium improvements and training facilities, according to chief operating officer Ian Williams.