In the 2026/27 season, the Champions League group stage will feature four absolute debutants. Three of them sensationally progressed through qualifying, while the fourth has been the standout surprise of Italy's Serie A.
«Sabah» (Azerbaijan): a rapid rise in nine years
The club from Baku has taken a historic journey at an incredible pace. Sabah was founded only in 2017 and within two years, it had reached the Azerbaijani football elite, with Marco Devic scoring the winner in their debut match.
After winning the national cup against Karabakh, the team completed a stunning double, finishing nine points ahead of the league giants. In the Champions League qualifying rounds, the side, managed by Lithuanian Valdas Dambrauskas, knocked out New Saints (4-1 on aggregate), Finnish KuPS, Danish Aarhus (a resounding 4-0 home win after a 1-2 loss away), and Israeli Hapoel Be'er Sheva.
Standout players include:
- Timoteusz Puchacz – a defender with experience at Union Berlin, Trabzonspor, and Kaiserslautern;
- Rodrigo Fernandes – a product of the Portuguese youth sides;
- Veljko Simic – who notched 6+1 in the Euro qualifying and 11+11 in the championship;
- Joy-Lance Mikkels – who recorded 4+1 in the qualifiers;
- Kahim Parris – a former winger for Dynamo Kyiv.
LASK (Austria): a triumph against Celtic
The black-and-whites achieved a golden double in Austria, winning the national championship for only the second time in their history and reaching the European elite for the first time since 1965.
The key moment in qualifying was their clash with Celtic. After a painful 0-3 defeat in Glasgow, Dietmar Kuhbauer's men pulled off an incredible comeback at home, thrashing the Scots 5-1 in extra time. The head coach, who recently extended his contract until 2029, has built a competitive squad led by Moses Usor (13 goals in the last season), striker Samuel Adeneran, captain Sasha Horvath, Bayern Munich academy graduate Alessandro Schopf, and impactful full-back Kasper Jorgensen.
«Viking» (Norway): first title in 35 years
In the Norwegian league, the dark blues finished one point ahead of established champions Bude-Glimt (71 to 70), clinching the title for the first time since 1991.
Head coach Bjarte Aarsheim, who has been with the club since 2016, assembled a balanced squad:
- Zlatko Tripic – a forward leading the attack, consistently registering double figures in goals and assists (total 75+97 in 226 matches);
- Peter Christiansen – the top scorer of the championship season with 14 goals;
- Simen Kvia-Egeskog – the engine of the midfield, scoring a brace in the 5-0 demolition of Bude-Glimt;
- Henrik Heggheim – a productive defender with a knack for delivering great first passes.
«Como» (Italy): Cesc Fabregas' project
The project led by Spanish legend Cesc Fabregas has been the biggest revelation in Serie A. Capitalising on the crises of Juventus and AC Milan, this modest club by the picturesque lake has surged into Champions League contention with their attractive attacking play.
Ahead of their debut in European competition, the club is making significant strides in the transfer market, managing to keep hold of key star Nico Passa while showing serious interest in Samuele Ricci and Moise Kean.
