DINAMO Minsk head the cast of potential opponents for Newtown's Europa League first qualifying round clash in July.

The Belarusian giants are one of several confirmed clubs in the first qualifying round along with Welsh representatives Newtown and Bala Town.

Both sides, along with TNS in the UEFA Champions League, will aim to progress through the early round of their respective European competitions and ensure Wales' co-efficient does not sink further in the UEFA rankings.

Years of poor performances culminated in Wales losing a European place this summer.

However Newtown and TNS have good European records, particularly on home turf, compared to other Welsh clubs and will be hoping for a favourable draw.

The County Times looks at the best and worst case scenarios for Newtown

WORST - Dinamo Minsk

Founded in 1927 as part of the Soviet Dinamo Sports Society, and was the only club from the Byelorussian SSR that competed in the Soviet Top League, playing 39 of the 54 seasons, and winning the title in 1982.

Since the independence of Belarus, the club participates in the Belarusian Premier League, having won seven league titles and three Belarusian Cups.

Dinamo play home games in the 22,246 capacity Dinamo Stadium in Minsk.

Dinamo is the second Belarusian team, after BATE Borisov to reach UEFA Europa League group stages in 2014–15 and 2015–16.

County Times: Dinamo Minsk. Picture: Wikipedia.

Dinamo Minsk. Picture: Wikipedia.

A POTENTIAL UPSET - Derry City

The club, founded in 1928, initially played in the Irish League, the domestic league in Northern Ireland, and won a title in 1965.

In 1971, security concerns related to the Troubles meant matches could not be played at the Brandywell.

The security forces withdrew their objections to the use of the Brandywell the following year, but in the face of insistence from the Irish League that the unsustainable arrangement continue, the club withdrew from the league.

After 13 years in junior football, it joined the League of Ireland's new first division in 1985 and promotion to the premier division in 1987,

The club won a domestic treble in 1989, the only League of Ireland club to do so.

County Times:

Derry City. Picture: Wikipedia.

 

BEST - Floriana

Floriana Football Club is a Maltese professional football club in the town of Floriana that currently plays in the Maltese Premier League.

Floriana has won 26 national leagues and 20 FA Trophies. It is also the only team from Malta to have qualified from the qualifying rounds to the first round proper of the UEFA Champions League, in the 1994 season.