Etoile Lavalloise and Sporting CP became the first teams to qualify for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Futsal Champions League after winning their round of 16 ties. The French side defeated Hjørring Futsal Klub 7-4 on aggregate, while two-time champions Sporting CP beat AEK Futsal Club 19-3 overall. The remaining second legs are scheduled for Friday.
The UEFA Futsal Champions League introduced a new two-legged round of 16 format for the 2025/26 season, leading to quarter-finals and a four-team final in Pesaro from May 8 to 10.
On Monday, December 1, Etoile Lavalloise secured a 7-4 second-leg victory over Hjørring Futsal Klub in France, clinching an 11-5 aggregate win. Souheil Mouhoudine and Bilal Bakkali each scored twice, with Anas Bakkali also finding the net. This result positions Etoile Lavalloise, only the second French team to reach this stage after ACCS Asnières Villeneuve 92 in 2021/22, to face either Semey or Piast Gliwice in the quarters.
Sporting CP followed suit on Thursday, December 4, thrashing AEK Futsal Club 8-3 in the second leg for a 19-3 aggregate triumph. Bruno Pinto netted a hat-trick, adding to his two goals from the first leg, as eight different scorers contributed. Coach Nuno Dias equaled Jesús Velasco's record of 80 UEFA futsal club matches coached. AEK became just the second Greek side to reach the last 16.
The first leg on November 28 saw Sporting CP dominate 11-0 away, with Alex Merlim, Diogo Santos, and Pinto each scoring twice.
Six ties remain undecided, with second legs on December 5. Notable first-leg results include Benfica's 9-0 rout of Araz Naxçivan, where Arthur scored a hat-trick, and Cartagena Costa Cálida's 9-1 win over Luxol St. Andrews, with eight different scorers. Draws occurred in Hit Kyiv 2-2 Illes Balears Palma, Semey 3-3 Piast Gliwice, and Prishtina 01 3-3 Riga Futsal Club. Kairat Almaty leads Sporting Anderlecht 7-3.
Quarter-final ties are set for February 23 and March 6, with winners advancing to the finals.