Malta’s representatives in the forthcoming Intertoto Cup were drawn to face opponents from Bosnia & Herzegovina in the first round of the competition.

If the Maltese team manages to advance into the second round, it will be facing opponents from Israel. The winner of this tie will then probably face Croatian opponents who, in the second round, have been drawn to face the winners of the match between Cyprus and Albania teams.

The draw for the 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup took place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, yesterday. The identities of the participants are not yet known, but the possible pairings of member states has created some interesting ties.

The summer competition has been overhauled since last season when RC Lens, Hamburg and Marseille each prevailed to earn a place in the UEFA Cup. From this year, three rounds will be played instead of five, with the eleven victorious teams from the Intertoto Cup final round going through to the UEFA Cup second qualifying round. The 49 participating associations will have one place in principle, meaning there will be no repeat of France’s two-pronged triumph last season.

The identity of the clubs involved will not be confirmed until the end of the 2005/06 season but the draw has been made, pairing associations. The first round, which will be played over two legs on 17/18 and 24/25 June, sees 26 nations vie for a place in the second round, when 15 more sides, drawn from the likes of Ukraine, Russia and Scotland, enter the fray. Those matches take place on 1/2 and 8/9 July, before the eight seeded contestants come in for the decisive third round on 15/16 and 22 July.

The latter round could throw up a number of intriguing fixtures, and if Turkey’s representative beat Hungary in the second round, their reward will be a short trip to Greece. France, who have supplied more winners than any other nation since the competition started in 1995, could face Ukraine.

The first round draw

First leg: 17/18 June

Second leg: 24/25 June

1 F.Y.R. Macedonia v Romania; 2 Slovenia v Andorra; 3 Cyprus v Albania; 4 Bosnia-Herzegovina v Malta; 5 Armenia v Georgia; 6 Kazakhstan v Belarus; 7 Slovakia v Luxembourg; 8 Azerbaijan v Moldova; 9 Iceland v N. Ireland; 10 Latvia v Faroe Islands; 11 Finland v Wales; 12 Estonia v Sweden 13 Lithuania v Rep. of Ireland.

The second round draw

First leg: 1/2 July

Second leg: 8/9 July

A Hungary v Turkey; B Winners match 1 v Bulgaria; C Serbia & Montenegro v Winners match 2; D Israel v Winners match 4; E Croatia v Winners match 3; F Switzerland v Czech Republic; G Winners match 7 v Ukraine; H Austria v Winners match 5; I Winners match 8 v Poland; J Russia v Winners match 6; K Scotland v Winners match 10; L Denmark v Winners match 13; M Norway v Winners match 9; N Winners match 11 v Winners match 12.

The third round draw

First leg: 15/16 July

Second leg: 22 July

Winners enter UEFA Cup first round on 15/29 September

Italy v Winners match B; Greece v Winners match A; Spain v Winners match C; Winners match D v Winners match E; Winners match F v Belgium; France v Winners match G; Germany v Winners match J; Winners match H v Winners match I; England v Winners match M; Winners match N v Netherlands; Winners match L v Winners match K.