Gary Haveron's Larne are set to host FC Iberia 1999 of Georgia at Inver Park on Tuesday, but the first leg of the Europa League qualifier could be delayed by 24 hours. The potential postponement follows travel problems for the Georgian side, whose chartered flight could not land in Northern Ireland on Sunday because of paperwork issues.
FC Iberia 1999's players and staff are not expected to arrive for the match until Tuesday afternoon, with kick-off scheduled in Larne at 20:00 BST. Under Uefa regulations, teams must not arrive in a country for a match less than 24 hours before kick-off, which means the game could be delayed.
The Georgian team could request that the match be put back because of the circumstances surrounding their late arrival in Northern Ireland. Larne, FC Iberia 1999 and Uefa have all been contacted for a response.
What happens to the second leg?
The second leg will take place in Tblisi on 11 August at 17:00 BST. The winner of the tie will face Scottish Premiership side Rangers or Jagellonia Bialystock of Poland in the next round.
The loser will drop into the final qualifying round of the Uefa Conference League. Larne became the first Irish Premiership side to qualify for the league phase of a European competition in 2024 when they reached the Uefa Conference League.
Key Facts
- Larne are due to host FC Iberia 1999 at Inver Park on Tuesday.
- The first leg could be delayed by 24 hours because of travel paperwork issues.
- FC Iberia 1999 are expected to arrive on Tuesday afternoon, with kick-off set for 20:00 BST.
- The second leg is scheduled for Tblisi on 11 August at 17:00 BST.
- The winner will play Rangers or Jagellonia Bialystock; the loser drops into the final qualifying round of the Uefa Conference League.
