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Rangers to face Prishtina or St Joseph's in Europa League first qualifying round

Rangers could meet Ireland Premier Division club Cork City in the second qualifying round

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JULY 29: Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is seen during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Rangers and Wigan Athletic at Ibrox Stadium on July 29, 2018 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Image: Steven Gerrard will hope his side can qualify for the competition for the second year in a row

Rangers will face either Kosovan side Prishtina or Gibraltar's St Joseph's in the first round of Europa League qualifying.

Steven Gerrard's side will have to wait for the preliminary tie to be decided to learn their destination for their first leg away from home on July 11.

Rangers "strongly advise" supporters do not make any travel arrangements until the fixtures are confirmed.

In the second round, Rangers could play Ireland Premier Division club Cork City or have a rematch with Progres Niederkorn, who put Gers out of the competition two years ago.

Niederkorn must overcome preliminary round opponents Cardiff Met University before taking on Ireland's Cork City in the
first round proper.

Rangers came through three qualifying rounds and a play-off last season to reach the Europa League group stage.

Kilmarnock have been drawn against Welsh side Connah's Quay Nomads with new manager Angelo Alessio's side travelling to Wales for the first leg.

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If they come through they will then face Serbian club FK Partizan for a place in the third qualifying round.

Angelo Alessio
Image: Alessio took over as Kilmarnock manager after Steve Clarke left to become Scotland head coach

Aberdeen will play Finland's RoPS Rovaniemi with the first leg to played at Pittodrie.

Aberdeen could also be heading for a rematch with Luxembourgian opposition after being handed a potential tie with Fola Esch - who they beat 3-2 on aggregate in 2016 - or Chikhura Sachkhere of Georgia if they overcome the Finnish outfit.

Aberdeen have been in the qualifying rounds in each of the past five seasons but are yet to reach the group stage of the competition.

All the first leg ties will be played on July 11 with the return fixtures scheduled for a week later on July 18.

Europa League first qualifying round draw in full

Group 1

Malmo vs Ballymena
Connah's Quay Nomads vs Kilmarnock
Breidablik vs Vaduz
Brann vs Shamrock Rovers
Vitebsk vs KuPS Kuopio

Group 2

Ordabasy Shymkent vs Torpedo Kutaisi
Sant Julià /Europa vs Legia
Gzira United vs Hajduk Split
Radnicki Niš vs Flora
CSKA Sofia vs Titograd

Group 3

Maccabi Haifa vs Mura
Debrecen vs Kukësi
Jeunesse Esch vs Tobol Kostanay
FCSB vs Milsami Orhei
Čukarički vs Banants

Group 4

Crusaders vs B36
Inter Turku vs Brøndby
Prishtina/St Joseph's vs Rangers
Cork (IRL) vs Progrès Niederkorn (LUX)/Cardiff Metropolitan University
Molde vs KR

Group 5

Levski Sofia vs Ružomberok
Akademija Pandev (MKD) vs Zrinjski
FK Zeta vs Fehérvár
Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR) vs Hibernians
Neftçi vs Speranta Nisporeni

Group 6

Olimpija Ljubljana vs Rīgas FS
Budapest Honvéd vs Žalgiris Vilnius
Radnik Bijeljina vs Spartak Trnava
Fola Esch vs Chikhura Sachkhere
Alashkert vs Makedonija Skopje

Group 7

Dinamo Tbilisi vs La Fiorita /Engordany
Široki Brijeg vs Kairat Almaty
Kauno Žalgiris vs Apollon Limassol
Ventspils vs Teuta
Cracovia Kraków vs DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda

Group 8

Stjarnan vs Levadia Tallinn
Barry Town/Cliftonville vs Haugesund
Riteriai vs KÍ /Tre Fiori
Dinamo Minsk vs Liepāja
Norrköping vs Saint Patrick's
Aberdeen vs RoPS Rovaniemi

Group 9

Domžale vs Balzan
Laçi vs Hapoel Beer-Sheva
Budućnost Podgorica vs Narva Trans
Sabail vs U Craiova 1948
Pyunik vs Shkupi
AEK Larnaca vs Petrocub-Hincest

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