Arsenal Women to face Linkoping in Champions League qualifier

Arsenal will begin their Women's Champions League campaign with a qualifier against Swedish side Linkoping.

The Gunners, beaten semi-finalists last season, are in the 'League Path' route to the group stage and will face Linkoping in a one-legged match, with the winners taking on either Paris FC or FC Kryvbas.

The first stage of qualifying is played as a one-venue mini-tournament in September, with Arsenal in one of four groups in the 'League Path'.

Celtic are in another of those groups and will play Danish side Brondby in their semi-final, with the winners taking on either FC Minsk of Belarus or Norwegians Valerenga.

The four winners of the groups will then join six further teams - including Manchester United, Wolfsburg, Real Madrid and Paris St Germain - in a second round of qualifying, with the five winners of that round progressing to the group stage.

In the 'Champions Path' mini-tournament, Cardiff will take on FC Gintra of Lithuania in their first qualifier, with a final against either Glasgow City or Irish outfit Shelbourne the prize for the winners.

Northern Ireland's Cliftonville face Benfica, with BIIK Shykment of Kazakhstan or Latvia's SFK Riga waiting in the final.

The 11 winners of the round one finals will then join three further teams for round two, with the seven winners of those games going through to the group stage.

The mini-tournament semi-finals will take place on September 6, with the finals being played three days later.