Azerbaijan’s Qarabağ FK have made history once again, becoming the country’s only club to qualify twice for the UEFA Champions League group stage.
Playing at Baku’s Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Qarabağ FK overcame a determined Ferencváros side. The visitors opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Lenny Joseph found the net following a VAR-reviewed play. Qarabağ FK responded in the 25th, with Leandro Andrade levelling the match with a left-footed strike from inside the box.
Abdellah Zoubir gave Qarabağ FK the lead just before half-time, scoring in added time after a well-timed assist from Andrade. In the second half, Barnabás Varga equalised from the penalty spot in the 55th minute, before Alex Tóth added a third for Ferencváros with a free-kick in the 81st. Despite the 3-2 loss on the night, the Horsemen progressed 5-4 on aggregate.
Qarabağ FK’s journey to the group stage has been dominant. They beat Shelbourne 4-0 on aggregate in the second qualifying round (3-0 away, 1-0 home) and thrashed Shkëndija 6-1 in the third (1-0 away, 5-1 home). With five wins from six games, they have scored 15 goals and conceded just five.
This is Qarabağ FK’s first appearance in the Champions League group stage since 2017/18, when they held Atlético de Madrid to two draws but finished fourth in their section. They remain the only Azerbaijani club to have ever reached this level.
Ferencváros, aiming for a third group stage appearance, had defeated Noah and Ludogorets in earlier qualifying rounds but fell short in Baku. Varga finishes the qualifying campaign with five goals in five matches, but his side now drop out of the competition.
Qarabağ FK represent the city of Aghdam, a region that saw decades of displacement and destruction. Although based in Baku for home matches, the club has become a powerful symbol of Azerbaijani resilience.
Their qualification for Europe’s top competition is seen not only as a sporting milestone but also a moment of national pride. Their return to the Champions League is being hailed by fans as a significant step forward for football in the country.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 21st of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 22nd of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
President Donald Trump said the United States will target Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain site “pretty soon” as he meets with Lebanese president Michel Aoun. Meanwhile, U.S. forces carried out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran while Tehran continues to target Gulf countries.
Overnight U.S. strikes caused blackouts in southwestern Iran and hit the northwestern city of Tabriz for the first time. Separately, a U.S. soldier died in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone.
The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the Pentagon says the war’s cost reach $37.5 billion. President Donald Trump threatens a heavy strike on the suspected Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site. Tehran warns that any attack could trigger a wider regional escalation.
Türkiye's parliament has approved a two-year extension of the country's military deployment in Somalia, reinforcing deepening security ties between Ankara and Mogadishu as the Horn of Africa nation continues to battle terrorism, piracy and other security threats.
Tashkent attracted $4.3 billion in foreign direct investment and loans during the first half of 2026, reinforcing its position as Uzbekistan’s leading destination for investment as the capital continued to outpace the national economy.
Pakistan stepped up its economic engagement with the U.S. during Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb's visit to Washington this week, holding talks on investment, development finance and access to international capital markets as Islamabad seeks to broaden its economic partnerships.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have discussed regional developments, transport connectivity, energy cooperation and the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process during talks in Berlin.
Kazakhstan’s main oil export route has been disrupted after the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) suspended crude intake following drone attacks on tankers near its Black Sea terminal.
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