The draw has just taken place for this year’s EMF Champions League and it’s thrown up some potential banana skins for the top teams. We’ll have 7 groups of 4 battling it out for the coveted trophy in one weeks time so let’s take a look at the groups.
Group A looks a tricky group to start us off with 4 good teams, FC International Kickers from Vienna return to EMF competition as Austrian champions again, they’ll be joined by Champions League newcomers, FC Lions UK (England), Chicago Budapest (Hungary) and the brilliantly named, Velibor Dunjic Blok 21 from the home of the reigning Euros champions, Serbia.
Some iconic Minifootball nations fill Group B, with Kazakhstan, Czechia, Croatia and Portugal all represented. Otbasy Bank Kyzlorda came out of Pot 1 and will start as group favourites but will face tough opposition in TJ Spoje from Prague, Tropa do Morro from Porto and BT Servis Velika from Gorica.
Aznur from Baku, home of next year’s WMF World Cup headline Group C, they are joined by EMF tournament regulars, FC Andezit Chust from Ukraine, Les Piopio De Bayonne from Frence and they’ll all have to be at their best against a strong Galport team who will have the home support behind them.
Group D will see the reigning champions, Sabornog Hrama, try to take the trophy back to Podgorica with them for a second time, but they’ll face stiff competition against teams from Slovakia, Bosnia and Moldova in FC BPN, Krajina and serial EMF competitors, InterDnestrCom respectively.
One of the pre tournament favourites, Birbasha Baku from Azerbaijan are the top seeds in Group E, they will be up against BKMK Brno from Czechia as well as Nottingham Livorno from Italy and Ortega Twins FC from the Spanish city of Malaga.
Former EMF EUROCUP champions, Nova Vita from Targu Mures, Romania, came out of pot 1 and into Group F and they will feel they could have been handed an easier draw than they got as they face strong Bulgarian, Polish and Israeli opposition in their fight to take another major trophy back to their homeland. AFC Malki Strasti (Bulgaria), Mexicani (Israel) and locals EXC Mobile Ochota (Poland) will be their opponents and will be looking to progress to the knockout stages themselves.
Last but by no means least we have a very competitive looking Group G. Former Champions League representatives Firma ZK from Grzybowice Zabrze (Poland) and Magufana FC (Greece) come back for more in 2024 but they will have to defeat Bellfoot Iasi from minifootball powerhouse, Romania, and FC Villa Mark from Bulgaria if they’re to progress into the latter stages.
Who will be crowned champions of Europe on September the 8th? Make sure you tune in and find out as we’ll have all the action live!
