Three Debutant Clubs to Shade the 2025/26 Champions League

Muhe - Thursday, 28 August 2025 | 03:00 PM (WIB)

Three Debutant Clubs to Shade the 2025/26 Champions League

The Champions League of Europe never disappoints when it comes to new stories every season. Besides the top clubs which are almost a certainty, this most honored club competition also occasionally bring new faces to the fray. 2025/26 will be a landmark season with the arrival of three first-time debutant clubs who have reached the Champions League group stage for the first time: Kairat Almaty from Kazakhstan, Bodø/Glimt from Norway, and Pafos FC from Cyprus. Their arrival not only diversifies the participants but also reflects the growth of football in their region.

Kairat Almaty: New History for Kazakhstan

Kairat Almaty caused headlines after becoming the first Kazakh team to qualify for the Champions League group stage, with FC Astana doing so a decade ago. It was not an easy journey for Kairat. They needed to survive a drama-charged play-off against Scottish giants Celtic. The game was decided on a penalty shootout, in which Kairat showed a clinical performance to earn themselves a spot on the big stage.For the Kazakhs, this victory is a milestone. Their national title has not been in the limelight in Europe. Kairat now holds out promise that Kazakh football will be at the top. Though considered outsiders, Kairat is believed to have a different quality in the competition.

Bodø/Glimt: The Conquerors of the Arctic Circle

The team Bodø/Glimt has perhaps grown familiar to European football fans in recent years, particularly due to their brilliant performances in the UEFA Conference League. Hailing from the small Norwegian village of Bodø, the club possesses a stunning, attack-oriented brand of football and has an extremely efficient player development system.Now, for the first time in history of the clubs, they have reached the group stage of the Champions League. The achievement also makes Bodø/Glimt the northernmost team to ever participate in the competition. The win is certainly one to celebrate for Norway, whose last representative played in the group stage back in the 2007/08 season.With a new tactical approach and fantastic team performance, Bodø/Glimt are considered dark horses who could potentially pull off the upset. Most of the neutral fans hope that they can revisit the mythical stories of Ajax 2019 or Atalanta 2020.

Pafos FC: A Fairytale from Cyprus

If there is a fairytale in this edition, it is Pafos FC. The Cypriot side from Pafos advanced to the group stage of the Champions League for the first time by defeating Red Star Belgrade with a narrow 3-2 aggregate in the play-off round.

Pafos aren't a familiar name in Europe, and even locally, they're often overshadowed by Omonia or APOEL Nicosia. But with solid financial backing and well-managed discipline, Pafos are slowly building a competitive team. Qualification for the Champions League is simple evidence of this development.

This success was greeted with jubilant enthusiasm by the public of Cyprus. They now possess new players who will represent the country's flag to the biggest competition in Europe, and with a new ingredient introduced to the footballing landscape in the continent. The entrance of Kairat Almaty, Bodø/Glimt, and Pafos FC to the 2025/26 Champions League league stage is proof that football in Europe continues to expand beyond the ancient dominators. These three newcomers bring new stories, new fervour, and indeed, the hope of defeating the giants.Will they be relegated to the sidelines, or will they steal the limelight with heroic acts? The answer will soon be known as the Champions League returns to magic this year.