St. Gallen - Benfica Europa League qualifying tickets for the match at Berit Sitterstadion in St.Gallen

St. Gallen and Benfica open a high-stakes two-legged tie

St. Gallen and Benfica meet on 23 July at 20:00 in the first leg of the second qualifying round of the Europa League. The hosts will welcome the Portuguese representatives at a stadium that still appears as Kybunpark in older schedules and databases, although since 1 July 2026 it has carried the name Berit Sitterstadion. The address remains the same - Zürcherstrasse 464, on the western edge of St.Gallen.

It is a match that immediately carries the weight of the entire European season. The return leg is on 30 July in Lisbon, and the winner of the tie advances to the third qualifying round, where the better team from the Sturm Graz - Hearts pairing awaits. The defeated team does not end its European campaign but moves into the third qualifying round of the Conference League. For both clubs, the clear priority is to remain in contention for the Europa League.

Interest among the home supporters has already answered the question of what kind of evening is expected. The public areas of the stadium sold out ahead of the match, so the stands will be full well before the first whistle. Tickets for this encounter have been in high demand among supporters.

St. Gallen enter as cup winners and Swiss runners-up

The hosts enter the new season with tangible capital from the previous one. St. Gallen won the 2025/26 Swiss Cup with a 3:0 victory over Stade Lausanne-Ouchy in the final, while finishing the league season as runners-up. Such a campaign raised expectations, but at the same time reduced the margin for a slow start in European qualifying.

The team of Enrico Maaßen, who has been head coach since June 2024 and is under contract until 2028, showed two very different sides during preseason. They defeated SCR Altach 3:2, with goals from Lukas Görtler, Thimoté Baldé and Betim Fazliji. In an open match against Lyon, they lost 3:6, although Christian Witzig, Mihailo Stevanovic and Görtler demonstrated that St. Gallen can create opportunities even against a high-quality opponent. The final test brought a 0:3 defeat against Norwich City, with all three goals conceded in the first half.

• 27 June: St. Gallen - SCR Altach 3:2
• 11 July: St. Gallen - Lyon 3:6
• 17 July: St. Gallen - Norwich City 0:3

Results are not the only measure during preseason, but the pattern is clear. St. Gallen can play quickly, push many players forward and create waves of attacks, but the space behind the first line of pressure remains vulnerable. Against Benfica, every imprecise attempt to play out from the back or lost ball in midfield will be much more costly than in a friendly match.

The final test revealed a possible tactical blueprint

Against Norwich City, St. Gallen started with Watkowiak in goal and Gaal, Stanic and Okoroji in the back line. Vandermersch and Stevanovic provided the width, while Görtler and Boukhalfa operated centrally. Daschner, Witzig and Baldé were responsible for linking the play and attacking the space in front of the opponents' penalty area.

Such a setup suggests that the hosts could also seek an aggressive start against Benfica, with three defenders involved in building attacks and the wide players positioned high up the pitch. The advantage is the ability to create a numerical overload quickly near the touchline. The risk appears when the opponent bypasses the press: the outside centre-backs are then left exposed, and the recovery runs of the wide players become crucial.

Görtler is the most important figure for the team's rhythm. The captain must close down space, direct the press and simultaneously arrive in finishing positions. Witzig can receive the ball between the lines, while Baldé can attack the space in behind. Energy alone will not be enough for St. Gallen; the hosts must choose the moments when the entire team moves forward.

Absences remain an important uncertainty

May, Kleine-Bekel, Ambrosius, Neziri, Weibel, Efekele and Scherrer did not play in the final test because of injuries. This does not mean that every one of them will miss the Benfica match, but it shows that Maaßen worked with limited options in the final stage of preseason, especially in defence. The final availability of the players will be important because Benfica punish delays in duels and poor coverage of the space behind the wide positions.

Benfica arrive with a new coach and a strong attacking axis

Benfica finished the 2025/26 Portuguese league season in third place with 80 points. Over 34 rounds, they recorded 23 victories and 11 draws, without a defeat, with a goal difference of 74:25. The statistics describe a team that was extremely difficult to beat, but also one with too many draws for a club that regularly challenges for first place.

Marco Silva took charge of the team in the summer. His first European assignment comes early, before the patterns of play have been fully established, but Benfica have players capable of deciding a match even without a long period of adaptation. Their final test before travelling to Switzerland ended in a 2:0 victory over Villarreal CF. Rafa scored in the 53rd minute, and Vangelis Pavlidis in the 76th.

Pavlidis is the natural focal point of the attack. He can hold up the ball under pressure, occupy the centre-backs and attack crosses after arriving from a deeper position. Rafa provides acceleration and movement into the space between the midfield and defensive lines. Georgiy Sudakov offers passes through narrow channels, while Fredrik Aursnes and Richard Ríos can provide stability in possession. Anatoliy Trubin is in goal, and his composure on the ball makes it easier to play out against a high press.

Patience will be the key for the visitors. With a full stadium behind them, St. Gallen will probably try to open the match with intense pressure, but Benfica have no need to respond with the same tempo in every move. Longer spells of possession, switching the play and looking for Pavlidis after drawing back the home midfield line could be more effective than forcing an early final pass.

A first head-to-head meeting without an old H2H story

St. Gallen and Benfica have not met before, so there are no previous results offering a ready-made pattern. The difference in international experience favours the Portuguese team, but the first leg in St.Gallen brings a context that cannot be reduced solely to the names of the players.

The hosts have the advantage of full stands and a clear need to produce a result before the return leg that they can defend in Lisbon. Benfica have greater squad depth and more players accustomed to matches in which one detail changes the entire tie. That is precisely why the opening 20 minutes may be the most interesting part of the evening: St. Gallen will try to turn the energy of the stadium into pressure, while the visitors will look for their first composed escape from that wave.

Four points that could shape the match

• The opening home press: St. Gallen must be aggressive without repeating the mistakes from the first half against Norwich City.
• Space near the touchlines: the high positions of Vandermersch and Stevanovic can create attacking opportunities, but also leave space for Benfica's transitions.
• Pavlidis against the home centre-backs: the way St. Gallen control his play with his back to goal will determine how long Benfica can remain in the final third.
• Set pieces: in a contest in which the hosts must avoid an open exchange, a corner or free kick could be the clearest route to a goal.

Benfica will probably have more of the ball, but possession alone will not be enough. If the hosts close down the middle and force the visitors into predictable crosses, the crowd will turn every duel won into an additional boost. On the other hand, an early Benfica goal could silence the initial surge and force St. Gallen to take more risks than planned.

Berit Sitterstadion: full capacity for a European evening

The stadium opened in 2008 and has a total capacity of 20,660 spectators when seated and standing places are combined. The public sections for this match have already sold out. Places in the stands disappeared quickly.

The home standing section D, which opens earlier than the other entrances, will be especially important. When St. Gallen begin their high press, the response of the packed home section can accelerate the match further, and Benfica will need to remain precise with their first pass in those moments. The atmosphere will not replace tactical discipline, but it can help the hosts maintain for several minutes a tempo that would be difficult to sustain without the support of the stands.

The stadium is located west of the city centre, next to a shopping area and close to St.Gallen Winkeln station. This makes it accessible by train and bus, while arriving by car requires more planning because parking is limited and subject to charges.

Arrival, entrances and payment

• Train: St.Gallen Winkeln station is within walking distance of the stadium.
• Bus: line 151 connects Gossau, the Arena and the main railway station, while line 158 runs via Herisau, Winkeln and the Arena towards Abtwil.
• Additional transport: an additional bus is organised for matches from the southern side of St.Gallen's main railway station.
• Parking: the number of spaces is limited, and paid parking garages are located at Shopping Arena and Westcenter.
• Entrances: most gates open 60 minutes before kick-off, while section D opens 90 minutes before the match.

The ticket includes second-class travel within the OSTWIND network for three hours before and three hours after the match. This is the simplest option for visitors arriving from the centre of St.Gallen or surrounding towns. Payment inside the stadium is cashless, so it is useful to have a card or another supported digital payment method ready.

Because the public sections are sold out and traffic will be heavier, it is not advisable to plan an arrival immediately before 20:00. Entering earlier reduces waiting at security checks and leaves enough time to find the correct section. Ticket sales for this match were very fast, and tickets for the return leg in Lisbon should also be secured in good time.

St.Gallen as a brief stop before the match

St.Gallen is a city in eastern Switzerland, compact enough for its central sights to be explored on foot. The Abbey complex and the old town offer a calmer introduction to matchday, and the Abbey district has been listed as a World Heritage Site since 1983. Visitors arriving earlier can walk through the city centre and then continue by train or bus towards Winkeln and the stadium.

It is important not to underestimate the distance between the old town and the stadium. Berit Sitterstadion is not located directly in the centre, but in the western part of the city. Public transport is therefore more practical than trying to cover the entire route on foot, especially when time for entry and security checks is taken into account.

How to plan the evening at the stadium

Supporters in section D should aim to arrive around the time that part of the stadium opens, 90 minutes before kick-off. Other visitors can expect the gates to open one hour before the match, but a full house means that the largest crowds will appear during the final 30 minutes. Travel included in the ticket makes the return journey easier after the match, when a large number of people head simultaneously towards Winkeln station and the bus stops.

On the pitch, a clash between the hosts' energy and Benfica's greater individual quality should be expected. St. Gallen must find a balance between courageous pressing and protecting the space behind the back line. Benfica must demonstrate that they can control a match even when the crowd and their opponents do not allow them a calm start. The first goal will not settle the tie, but it could completely change the rhythm of this evening and the plan for the return leg in Lisbon.

Sources:
- Europa League schedule - dates of the first and return legs and the clubs' route in the next qualifying round
- FC St.Gallen 1879 - sold-out public areas of the stadium, preseason matches, absences in the final test, the coach and stadium information
- FC St.Gallen 1879 and the local public transport network - arrival by train and bus, parking, entrance opening times and travel included in the ticket
- SL Benfica - victory against Villarreal CF, scorers Rafa and Vangelis Pavlidis and the team's preparations for the trip to Switzerland
- Sporting Life and Goal - final standings of the 2025/26 Portuguese league season
- ESPN - Benfica's current squad
- City of St.Gallen and St.Gallen-Bodensee Tourismus - the city's location, the old town and the Abbey complex