Another Azerbaijani club could secure a European ticket this week.
Zira FC is on the verge of qualifying for European competitions for the 2025/26 season, following in the footsteps of Qarabag, Idman.biz reports.
Coached by Rashad Sadygov, Zira is close to achieving this goal by securing a top-three finish in the Misli Premier League. With 61 points after 31 rounds, the team sits just one step away from continental competition.
Currently in third place, Zira holds a 13-point lead over fourth-placed Turan Tovuz. To secure their spot in Europe, the team from the capital doesn’t even need to maintain this full lead — a 12-point advantage would be enough due to better head-to-head and overall tiebreaker stats.
This week’s results could seal the deal. On April 25, Turan Tovuz will host Shamakhi. If the home side fails to win — even a draw — Zira will officially clinch a place in a European competition.
Even if Turan wins, Zira can still confirm qualification the following day by beating Kapaz, a team from the lower half of the table. In short, all signs point to Zira earning a European spot in Tovuz.
However, whether the club plays in the UEFA Europa League or the UEFA Conference League will depend on the outcome of the Azerbaijan Cup. While Zira still has a mathematical chance of winning the league and reaching the Champions League, that scenario is highly unlikely and may be ruled out as early as the next round.
If league leaders Qarabag, who are chasing a domestic double, fail to get past Araz-Nakhchivan in the cup semifinals, Zira will qualify for the Conference League. But if Qarabag wins the cup, then Zira will enter the Europa League.
Currently, Zira trails Qarabag by 15 points, meaning their title and Champions League hopes could be officially over within the next matchday.
Vugar Kheyrullayev
Idman.biz
