UEFA Futsal Champions League Main Round Results: Barça Hit Six, Holders Sporting CP Cruise, Kairat Edge Beitar

The UEFA Futsal Champions League main round burst into life on Wednesday, October 28, with sixteen matches across eight groups — the Path A big guns playing their openers and the Path B groups reaching their second round. There were statement wins for Barça, holders Sporting CP and Semey, a high-scoring draw between Benfica and HIT Kyiv, and a winning European debut for hosts L84 Torino.

Path A: Barça, Sporting CP and Semey start with a statement

In Group 1, four-time champions Barça swept aside Swiss side Futsal Minerva 6-1 in Lučenec, with Pito scoring twice and Neguinho, Sergio González and Higor de Souza — the last-named also twice — completing the rout. Earlier in the same group, Kazakhstan’s Semey spoiled the hosts’ party by thrashing MIMEL Lučenec 6-0, with six different players on the scoresheet.

Holders Sporting CP opened their title defence in style in Group 3, beating Stalitsa Minsk 5-1 in Omiš, where Rúben Teixeira struck twice. The group’s other game finished level, as Étoile Lavalloise and hosts Olmissum drew 1-1 — El Mesrar putting the French side ahead inside the opening two minutes before Da Costa levelled. In Group 4, Benfica and HIT Kyiv shared eight goals in a thrilling 4-4 draw, while ElPozo Murcia beat hosts Tigers Roermond 3-1, with Dener Rodrigo scoring inside the first minute.

Group 2 saw two-time champions Kairat Almaty edge European debutants TFK Beitar 5-3 in Roosdaal, while hosts Sporting Anderlecht were awarded a 5-0 win over United Galați, who have withdrawn from the competition. In Path A, the group winners, runners-up and third-placed teams all advance to the round of 16, so every point from these opening games matters.

Path B: Piast held, Kauno stay top, Torino announce themselves

In Path B, where only each group winner goes through, hosts Piast Gliwice were pegged back in Group 5, drawing 2-2 with Újpest after two late goals from the Hungarian side. Buba Mara beat Araz Naxçivan 5-3 in the same group, with Perić scoring inside the opening minute. In Group 6, Kauno Žalgiris stayed top after two late goals from Da Costa rescued a 4-4 draw with Doukas, while Unisport won 5-3 away at hosts Differdange 03.

Group 7 produced the night’s biggest debut statement, as hosts L84 Torino thrashed Futsal Mad Max 5-0 in Leinì, while Luxol St Andrews beat Hjørring 4-2 thanks to two goals from Luiz Murad. In Group 8, Athletic Club Graz won 4-2 at hosts KMF Loznica, and Athletic Futsal drew 3-3 with Chrudim, with D. Drozd scoring twice for the Czech side.

What happens next

The action keeps coming thick and fast. Path A’s second round is played on Thursday, with Semey against Barça and Étoile Lavalloise against holders Sporting CP among the ties to watch, while the Path B groups play their final fixtures on Friday and Saturday. With three of the four Path A teams in each group reaching the round of 16, the race for top spot — and the seeded draw that comes with it — is already taking shape, and the five futsal positions on court will be tested to the full. The early results have already shuffled the FIFA futsal rankings conversation, with the European giants showing exactly why they start as favourites.