Who are the Champions League debutants making history?

Not many football players will be like Christian Burgess. The English defender has a first-class honours degree in history and is making history on the pitch for Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise.He’s captaining the side as they make their Champions League debut this season and Burgess tells World Football’s Mani Djazmi about his path from university to now Champions League football.He shares his disbelief at making his debut in Europe’s premier club competition just a month before his 34th birthday.Burgess shares his own personal view of the situation facing refugees trying to cross the English channel. There are many other opinions and we aim to reflect them all on the BBC World Service and across the BBC.Image: Christian Burgess of Union Saint-Gilloise celebrates after the team's victory during the UEFA Europa League 2023/24 match between R. Union Saint-Gilloise and Liverpool FC at Stade Joseph Marien on December 14, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Every season teams across Europe compete for a place in the Uefa Champions League, but who are the clubs from Cyprus, Norway, Belgium and even a team north of the Arctic Circle making their debuts in Europe’s top-tier club competition?Pafos FC of Cyprus, Norway's Bodo/Glimt, Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan and Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise all advanced through the qualifying rounds to make history by reaching the competition’s league phase for the first time.Maz Farookhi is joined by football reporter George Addo to get the views from each of the four sides making their debuts.Image: Jaja (C) of Pafos celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League Play-offs Round Second Leg match between Pafos and Crvena Zvezda at Limassol Stadium on August 26, 2025 in Limassol, Cyprus. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

The Fluminense goalkeeper, Fabio, is the new holder of the world record for the number of professional appearances. His former teammate at Cruzeiro, Fabiano, tells Mani Djazmi about Fabio’s dedication and describes him as an inspiration for any player who wants to keep going for as long as possible.We also hear from Fluminense fan Bruno Stefano who was at Fabio’s historic 1,391st appearance.Photo: Fabio of Fluminese during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 semi-final match between Fluminense FC and Chelsea FC at MetLife Stadium on July 8, 2025 in East Rutherford, United States. (Credit: AMA/Getty Images)

The future of England and Crystal Palace forward Eberechi Eze has been one of the major talking points of the current transfer window.It had been thought he would join Tottenham, with a deal agreed between the clubs until their biggest rivals in North London, Arsenal, also reached an agreement with Palace.Eze started his youth career with Arsenal, and has been one of Palace’s key players and helped them to win the FA Cup last season.John Bennett is joined by former Tottenham defender Stephen Kelly and Crystal Palace forward Kwesi Appiah as they give their perspectives.PHOTO CREDIT: Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace celebrates scoring his sides goal which is later disallowed following a VAR review during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on August 17, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Ahead of the start of the European leagues, John Bennett brings together our European football experts to preview the Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1.Joining John is World Football’s Mani Djazmi, German writer and broadcaster Constantin Eckner, Italian football expert Daniele Verri, Ernest Macia from Radio Catalunya and L’Equipe’s Loic Tanzi.The panel discuss the big clubs and key battles in Europe as well as the teams and players to watch and also share who they think will win the Ballon d'Or.Image: Thomas Muller of FC Bayern Munich celebrates with the Meisterschale trophy after the teams 2-0 victory in the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and Borussia Mönchengladbach at Allianz Arena on May 10, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

The Marshall Islands’ claim to sporting fame, according to themselves, has been that they’re the last nation in the world to have a senior national football team.They’ll take to the pitch for their very first 11v11 international match against US Virgin Islands at a tournament in Arkansas - where they'll also be playing against Turks and Caicos.Head coach Lloyd Owers describes the feeling of history being made and tells World Football’s Mani Djazmi about how they’ve reached this point.Image: The squad who will represent the Marshall Islands for the first time in an international fixture. (Credit: Marshall Islands Soccer Federation)

Are Liverpool the team to beat again? Will Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea be their closest challengers? Where will Manchester United finish? Can the three promoted clubs stay up?World Football’s John Bennett is joined by former Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and USA goalkeeper Brad Friedel and former Everton, Fulham, Liverpool and England striker Natasha Dowie to preview the Premier League season.They discuss how teams are looking ahead of the season and also predict their title winners, the promoted team who is most likely to survive and their player to watch.Image: Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool, lifts the Premier League trophy, as Liverpool are crowned the Champions of the Premier League for the 2024/25 Season, following the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield on May 25, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

In this edition of World Football we’re chatting with one of the biggest names in Egyptian football, Mido.As a striker he spent his career with some of the biggest clubs across Europe representing the likes of Ajax, Roma, Marseille and Tottenham while also winning over 50 caps for his country.He’s now looking to unearth the next generation of Egyptian talent to follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before, and players like Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush who will both play key roles for their club sides and Egypt over the coming season.John Bennett has been speaking to Mido at The Maker Academy in Cairo.Image: Egyptian star striker Ahmad "Mido" Hossam celebrates after scoring the first goal against Libya during the opening football match at the African Nations Cup (CAN) in Cairo 20 January 2006. (Photo by KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Maz Farookhi presents reaction from Rabat as Nigeria come back from 2-0 down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final.For Nigeria, it is a record extending 10th title, while Morocco have now lost the last two finals.The Atlas Lionesses led 2-0 at the break in Rabat through Ghizlane Chebbak's fine curling effort and a scuffed shot from Sanaa Mssoudy.But Esther Okoronkwo inspired the West Africans after the break, pulling a goal back from the penalty spot in the 64th minute after Nouhaila Benzina handled Folamide Ijamilusi's cross.Okoronko burst into the Morocco box and squared for Ijamilusi to equalise in the 71st minute, then teed up substitute Jennifer Echegini to score the winner with two minutes of the game remaining.Four time Wafcon winner Desire Oparanozie and BBC Sport Africa’s Rob Stevens join Maz from the Olympic Stadium.Photo: Nigeria's players celebrate with the trophy on the podium after winning the 2025 Women's Africa Cup of Nations final football match against Morocco at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on July 26, 2025. (Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

Maz Farookhi is joined by the voice of African Football Mark Gleeson to preview the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations between Nigeria and Morocco.Four-time Wafcon winner Osinachi Ohale tells Maz about how she is helping the younger members of the Nigeria squad to prepare for the big occasion. Moroccan sports journalist Kaoutar Alaidi explains the anticipation in the country ahead of the host’s ambition to win the competition for the first time.North African football journalist Maher Mezahi joins Maz to discuss the controversial appointment of Morocco’s head coach Jorge Vilda and how a triumph for his side in Rabat could see him leave a long legacy on football in Morocco.Image: Morocco's players react during the penalty shootout at the end of the 2025 Women's Africa Cup of Nations semi-final football match between Morocco and Ghana at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on July 22, 2025. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP via Getty Images)