It’s a long road to the Champions League group stage if you fall short of winning the Women’s Super League. Arsenal learned that the hard way last season, losing to Paris FC in the second game, of the first round, of qualifying, in Linkoping, Sweden. 

That sentence alone sums up just how complicated the qualification process is.

After 2023’s shortcomings (for a side that had defied the odds to reach the previous season’s semi-finals), Arsenal were always going to put all of their energy and resources into reaching this season’s group stage. And from there, fans will have expectations of progression deep into the knockout rounds, at least.

Arsenal overcame two low blocks in round one of qualifying, thrashing Rangers 6-0 thanks to Caitlin Foord’s four-goal haul, and then dominated Rosenborg, albeit with only one goal to show for plenty of attacking flair.

Jonas Eidevall’s side now head to Sweden’s second-largest city, Gothenburg, for the first game of a two-legged tie with BK Hacken.

Hacken sit in second place in the Damallsvenskan with six games remaining (the Swedish top flight runs from April to November), and are on course for a fourth consecutive finish as runners-up.

Beirut-born head coach Mak Lind steered the Wasps to the quarter finals of last season’s Champions League, a run that started in this same stage of qualifying but included beating Real Madrid home and away and holding Chelsea to a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge.

Hacken have lost four players to WSL clubs this summer, including Arsenal forward Rosa Kafaji, who has impressed in pre-season for the Gunners and could face her former side just over a month after swapping Gothenburg for North London.

Kafaji’s Sweden and Arsenal teammate Stina Blackstenius also joined the Gunners from Hacken back in 2021, having netted 25 goals in just 40 games in her time there.

Arsenal will be challenged at the Bravida Arena, taking on a side that have lost just once in their last 14 league outings. The Gunners’ local knowledge (don't forget about Swedish head coach Eidevall) could be key, particularly on an artificial pitch, but Hacken are in full flow in the league whereas Arsenal are yet to kick-off their WSL campaign. It makes for an intriguing matchup. 

Arsenal will be back at Meadow Park for the second leg, but will also have Sunday’s league opener at home to Manchester City in mind. Eidevall named two unchanged sides in the round one mini-tournament, but rotation will become more frequent as the unrelenting European and domestic schedule clicks into gear.