Larne Youth are Northern Ireland’s representatives in this season’s UEFA Youth League.
And they begin their quest for European glory in Ballymena this evening.
The contenders in the 2025-26 UEFA Youth League are split into two paths, the UEFA Champions League path and the domestic champions path, both of which are played through the rest of this year before they come together for the knockout phase in 2026.
The UEFA Champions League path includes the 36 youth teams of the clubs that have qualified for the league phase of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League.
The top 22 clubs after six matchdays will progress to the round of 32 where they will be joined by 10 clubs that qualify via the domestic champions path. The knockout stage (round of 32 onwards) will take place next year. The competition will conclude with semi-finals and a final played at the traditional venue of Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland.
Larne Youth, winners of NIFL’s U18 Academy League last season, are in the domestic champions path, entering at the first round stage.
And they begin their UEFA Youth League journey with a game against Luxembourg side Racing Union at Ballymena Showgrounds (7.30 kick-off this evening). It will be their debut match in the competition.
The game in Ballymena is the first of two legs in the tie, with the second game being staged in Luxembourg on 1 October.
German side 1FC Koln await the winners of the tie in round two, and the winners of that tie will meet Danish side FC Midtjylland (entering at round two) or Haverfordwest County (Wales)/FK Buducnost Podgorica (Montenegro), who meet in round one, for a place in the round of 32.
The Larne U18s squad (coached by Keith O’Hara) features:
Goalkeepers – Phoenix Blayney (currently attending Irish FA JD Academy Residential), Zak Robinson, Micheal Sloan.
Defenders – Alfie Mulvenna and Jude Crawford (both Irish FA JD Academy Residential), Ryan Millar, Stephen Crooks, Robbie Bell, Barry McKervey.
Midfielders – Alex McAlister, Phoenixx Martin, Alex Kennedy, Daniel Hashim, Zach O’Hara.
Forwards – Alexander Eakin, Mikey Harkin, Daniel Gordon, Tomas O’Kane, Jude Jenkins.
