The 2008/09 UEFA Futsal Cup begins on Saturday with 23 of the record 45 entrants in action over the next week.

Debutants
Only the winners of the six Preliminary round groups will progress to next month's Main round, where 18 more clubs will come in, and among the sides in action are the first-ever entrants from Denmark and Iceland, Albertslund IF and Vídir Gardi. Albertslund are involved in the round's opening game in Group D against FK Tirana in Lithuania, and fixtures continue until Slovenia's KMN Gorica and Finnish champions Golden Futsal Team conclude Group E on Saturday week.

Elite round
All six group winners have been pre-drawn into the Main round which includes the likes of 2005 winners Action 21 Charleroi and 2004 runners-up SL Benfica. Sides finishing first and second in next month's mini-tournaments will progress to the Elite round draw on 25 September along with the four top seeds entering at that stage - holders MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg, former winners MFK Dinamo Moskva and Interviú Madrid plus last season's fourth-placed team Kairat Almaty. The four Elite round groups will be played from 8 until 16 November with the winners advancing to April's one-venue final four event.