Derry City face trip to Bulgaria's CSKA Sofia in Europa League qualifier

DERRY City Football Club faces a trip to the Bulgarian capital in the UEFA Europa League first round qualifiers next month after being paired with CSKA Sofia in today's draw.

Tiernan Lynch will guide the Candy Stripes into European competition for the first time but as one of six unseeded teams in the first round draw, progressing against the Bulgarians in the Europa League will be a tall order for his team.

Thomas Stewart, Derry City, in action against Yordan Minev, CSKA Sofia at the Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria back in 2009. Picture credit: Nadia Koceva / SPORTSFILE

placeholder image — Thomas Stewart, Derry City, in action against Yordan Minev, CSKA Sofia at the Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria back in 2009. Picture credit: Nadia Koceva / SPORTSFILE

However, the Brandywell club's Board of Directors will no doubt have welcomed avoiding a daunting trip to Qarabag from Azerbaijan or a clash with Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros. They will travel to Sofia for the first leg on July 9th before hosting the return leg on July 16th.

CSKA Sofia twice reached the European Cup semi-finals, where they were knocked out by Inter Milan [1966-67] and Bayern Munich [1981-82].

Marco Malachias, right, CSKA Sofia, scores his side's first goal from a free kick at Brandywell in the return leg in 2009.

Of course Derry, who are the second-lowest-ranked side in the Europa League this year, met the Bulgarians in 2009 when Stephen Kenny's side lost 2-1 on aggregate.

Derry City qualified for the Europa League by finishing as runners up in the 2025 League of Ireland Premier Division table. They benefit from Irish football's rise in Uefa rankings and enter Europe's second competition, which means the fall-back of a Conference League spot if they lose.

The club were last in Europe during the 2024/25 campaign when their Conference League journey ended with a shock defeat to Bruno's Magpies from Gibraltar.