The New Saints handed Champions League boost

It's the third year in a row the Welsh Premier League champions have entered at that stage.

UEFA have confirmed they will not have to play in the first qualifying round. The Park Hall outfit have only made it past the second qualifying round once, though, before losing to Belgian side Anderlecht 6-1 on aggregate in 2010.

Their tie, with the draw yet to be made, will likely take place on July 15 or 16, with TNS needing to hit the ground running in pre-season.

A UEFA statement confirmed: "In our access list for the 2014-15 edition, 22 teams gain automatic access to the group stage.

"That would include the holders if they had not already earned their place through their national league.

"But since Real Madrid finished third in Spain, like all the semi-finalists ensuring qualification, that opened up one more slot.

"That was to go to the champions of the nation ranked 13th in the UEFA club coefficients, Switzerland. That means title winners Basel, will avoid the need for a play-off."

UEFA added: "Also benefiting will be Austrian champions Salzburg, who advanced from the second qualifying round to the third.

"Meanwhile, both Cliftonville of Northern Ireland and the New Saints of Wales will now begin in the second qualifying round rather than first."

First-round entrants include Gibraltar's debut entry Lincoln Red Imps, with the three winners joining the 31 others in the second round.

The 17 advancing clubs mixing in with the three selected outfits.

Austria's Salzburg, Denmark's Aalborg and the yet to be decided champions of Cyprus are the teams picked for the third phase.

There is then a final play-off round where the winners progress to the lucrative group stages and the chance to face the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.