The New Saints begin their 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign with a first qualifying round tie against KF Shkendija of North Macedonia. The first leg takes place at Park Hall in Oswestry on Tuesday 9 July, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 BST.
TNS come into the fixture off the back of a dominant domestic season, completing the Welsh treble and securing their 17th Cymru Premier title with a W26-D0-L6 record, scoring 89 goals and conceding just 31. They were seeded for the draw and will be looking to build a lead before heading to Skopje for the second leg a week later.
Shkendija also arrive as domestic champions, finishing top of the Macedonian First Football League last season with a W20-D10-L3 record, scoring 59 and conceding 30. Away from home, they were solid rather than spectacular, going W8-D6-L2 and conceding just 13 goals in 16 matches. Their most recent European campaign ended in disappointment, suffering a first-round exit from the Europa Conference League after losing home and away to Armenian side Noah. That came just months after a surprise elimination in 2023 at the hands of Haverfordwest County. TNS will feel they have a real chance to progress this time.
How the bookies view it: Hosts narrow favourites
TNS are priced at 11/10 to win the first leg at Park Hall, reflecting their strong home record and status as domestic champions. The draw is available at 27/10, while Shkendija are 11/4 outsiders for the win in Oswestry. Over 2.5 goals is priced at 10/11, suggesting the market leans slightly towards a higher-scoring game but sees it as close to a 50/50 proposition. Both teams to score is 8/11, which looks justified given TNS’s perfect home scoring record last season and Shkendija’s more open matches against stronger sides. The odds imply a tight game with TNS as narrow favourites, but with goals expected at both ends.
Head to Head: Home sides have won comfortably
The New Saints and KF Shkendija have met once before in European competition, back in the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League qualifiers. It was a dramatic two-legged tie that remains one of the more memorable European outings for the Welsh champions. Shkendija looked to have put the contest to bed in the first leg in Skopje, running out 5-0 winners in a game where they were clinical and dominant throughout. The size of the deficit appeared to leave TNS with no realistic path to the next round.
However, the second leg at Park Hall produced a remarkable response. TNS came out flying, scored four goals without reply, and came within one strike of pulling off an improbable comeback. Although they eventually lost the tie 5-4 on aggregate, their 4-0 home win remains one of the club’s standout European results.
Players to watch: Williams integral to TNS success
Jordan Williams is set to be integral to any success The New Saints have in their Champions League campaign. The experienced winger was one of their standout performers in the 2024–25 season, contributing ten goals from wide areas and earning a place in the Cymru Premier Team of the Season. His ability to stretch defences, deliver quality into the box, and also finish chances himself makes him a key figure in TNS’s attacking setup. At Park Hall he has consistently shown the ability to unlock even the most organised back lines, and his composure in the final third gives the team a reliable outlet when under pressure.
His versatility also adds significant value to Craig Harrison’s plans. Williams can operate on either flank or through the middle if required, offering tactical flexibility depending on the opposition. Against Shkendija, where moments of quality may decide a tight tie, his experience and creativity will be vital. Having already proven himself at domestic and European level, Williams’s leadership and attacking threat will likely be central to TNS’s hopes of progressing past the first qualifying round.
Predicted line-ups
The New Saints (4-3-3): Roberts; Pask, McGahey, Davies, Baker; Holden, Redmond, Bodenham; McManus, Young, Williams
Shkendija (4-2-3-1): Jankov; Aliti, Kocev, Adili, Merdjani; Ramadani, Qaka; Alhassan, Ramadani, Latifi; Ibraimi
Anything else catch the eye?
There’s a strong statistical case for goals in this tie, particularly in the first leg at Park Hall. TNS saw 91% of their regular season games go over 2.5 goals, scoring in all 22 home fixtures across the regular season. In the Championship Group, an additional 10 matches they failed to score only once, and 60% of those games also went over the 2.5 line. Their attacking output at home has been relentless, averaging nearly three goals per match and scoring in every league game at Park Hall last season. That consistency is a key part of their domestic dominance, and they’re likely to approach this game on the front foot.
Shkendija’s away record is more modest, with just six of their 16 league road games going over 2.5 goals and four matches in which they failed to score. However, they were more expansive against stronger opposition. Away to the top seven sides in their league they lost just once (W2-D4- L1), and six of their nine matches against the top four saw both teams score. When these sides met in 2018, the tie produced nine goals across two legs, Shkendija won 5-0 before TNS replied with a 4-0 win. With that history, consistent home scoring from TNS, and Shkendija’s openness against quality, over 2.5 goals looks a strong angle again.
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