Rijeka and Hajduk learn their possible final obstacle on the road to the Conference League league phase
Rijeka and Hajduk Split have learned who they could face in the UEFA Conference League play-offs, the final qualifying round before entering the league phase of the competition. The draw held on 3 August 2026 at UEFA headquarters in Nyon paired the winner of the Rijeka - Ilves Tampere tie with the better team from the clash between Ireland's Bohemians and Denmark's Midtjylland. The winner of the Žalgiris Vilnius - Hajduk tie will face the more successful side from the encounter between Poland's Raków Częstochowa and Sweden's Hammarby. However, these are only possible pairings for the Croatian clubs because both Rijeka and Hajduk must first advance through the third qualifying round. According to UEFA's official calendar, the matches in that round will be played on 6 and 13 August, while the play-off ties are scheduled for 20 and 27 August.
The draw determined the entire final part of the qualifying path for the Croatian representatives in advance, but it did not change their immediate priority. Rijeka must first overcome Finland's Ilves, while Hajduk must eliminate Lithuania's Žalgiris, with both ties being played over two legs and decided by the aggregate score. UEFA's qualifying regulations state that the winners of the third qualifying round advance to the play-offs, while the defeated teams end their European season. The same applies to the Conference League play-offs: the aggregate winners will qualify for the league phase, while the losing teams will no longer have the option of transferring to another UEFA competition. Therefore, four matches over a period of three weeks represent a decisive part of the season for both clubs.
Rijeka must first confirm progression against Ilves
Rijeka reached the third qualifying round by overcoming Derry City, the representative of the Republic of Ireland. According to UEFA's official results, the Rijeka team won the first match 1-0 at Stadion HNK Rijeka and then recorded a victory by the same score in the return leg, giving them a 2-0 aggregate triumph. That outcome demonstrated defensive stability, but also the fact that every mistake in qualifying is costly because progression is decided over 180 minutes. In the third qualifying round, Rijeka will once again play the first match at home, on 6 August, while the return leg is scheduled for 13 August at Tammelan Stadium in Tampere. Only after that tie will it become clear whether the club from Kvarner will actually be heading towards Dublin or the Danish city of Herning.
Ilves entered the qualifiers in the first qualifying round and has already completed two demanding rounds. UEFA's results show that the Finnish team first drew 0-0 against Luxembourg's Differdange before winning 3-1 at home. In the second qualifying round, after losing 1-0 to Iceland's Stjarnan, Ilves won the return leg 2-1 after extra time, meaning that progression was decided by a penalty shootout. The Finns won the shootout 5-4, confirming that they can remain competitive even when a tie goes into extra time or penalties. Rijeka therefore cannot expect to break their opponent with early pressure alone, but will have to maintain concentration throughout the entire two-legged tie.
Bohemians or Midtjylland await the winner of Rijeka's tie
If Rijeka eliminate Ilves, they will face the winner of the Bohemians - Midtjylland tie in the play-offs. The Irish club from Dublin reached the third qualifying round through a lengthy qualifying campaign. In the first round, they eliminated Gibraltar's St Joseph's 2-0 on aggregate, before advancing against Kosovo's Ballkani only after a highly uncertain two-legged tie. Bohemians won the first match 2-1, while Ballkani won the return leg 3-2 after extra time, with the 4-4 aggregate score sending the tie to a shootout. According to UEFA's data, the Irish team were more accurate, winning 5-4 and securing a meeting with Midtjylland.
The Danish club enters the Conference League after coming through the Europa League qualifiers. Midtjylland lost both matches against Beşiktaş in the second qualifying round of that competition, first 1-0 in Istanbul and then 2-0 in Denmark, meaning they were eliminated 3-0 on aggregate. The defeat by the Turkish club does not diminish the fact that this is an opponent with regular experience in European qualifying rounds and league phases. It is also important for Rijeka that, regardless of the winner, they will face a team that must navigate an equally demanding schedule on 6 and 13 August to reach the play-offs. Bohemians will play the first match at home, while the return leg will be held on Midtjylland's ground.
The possible opponents offer two different competitive profiles. Bohemians have demonstrated resilience in dramatic ties during the qualifiers so far, including extra time and penalty shootouts, while Midtjylland enter with experience from a stronger UEFA competition and the Scandinavian football environment. The draw has therefore not given Rijeka a simple conclusion to the qualifying campaign, but it has allowed them to monitor both potential opponents in advance and prepare different tactical scenarios. A final assessment of their strength will only be possible after their head-to-head matches. Until then, it is crucial for Rijeka to avoid thinking about the play-offs before completing the task against Ilves.
Hajduk seek to continue their European season against Žalgiris
Hajduk's qualifying journey has been different because they began the season in the Europa League. In the first qualifying round, the Split club eliminated Slovakia's Žilina 3-2 on aggregate: after a 2-0 home victory, they lost the return leg 2-1 but preserved their advantage. In the following round, Hajduk defeated Cyprus' Pafos 2-0 at Poljud, but lost the return leg 4-0 after extra time and were eliminated 4-2 on aggregate. Under UEFA's qualifying system, the defeated teams from the Europa League second qualifying round transfer to the Conference League third qualifying round. Hajduk were therefore given another opportunity to reach the league phase, but also a schedule that leaves no room for another failure.
The first match against Žalgiris will be played on 6 August in Vilnius, with the return leg taking place on 13 August in Split. Žalgiris reached this stage by overcoming Montenegro's Petrovac and Georgia's Dinamo Tbilisi. The Lithuanian team eliminated Petrovac 5-2 on aggregate before producing one of the most remarkable comebacks of the qualifying campaign. After losing 3-0 in Tbilisi, Žalgiris won the return leg 7-2 and advanced 7-5 on aggregate. That result warns Hajduk that the Lithuanian representatives are capable of creating a large number of chances and do not surrender even after an extremely unfavourable first match.
The fact that Hajduk will play the return leg at Poljud could be important, but home advantage alone does not guarantee progression. The defeat by Pafos showed how quickly a first-leg advantage can disappear when the opponent imposes their tempo and extends the tie beyond the regulation 90 minutes. On the other hand, Žalgiris' comeback against Dinamo confirms that the Lithuanian club remains dangerous even when the aggregate result appears to have been settled. Hajduk will therefore have to seek a balance between attacking ambition and risk control in Vilnius. The goal will be to enter the return leg with a result that allows them to make use of home advantage without being forced into a desperate attempt to overturn a large deficit.
Raków or Hammarby as the final challenge for Hajduk
If they eliminate Žalgiris, Hajduk will face Raków or Hammarby in the play-offs. Raków advanced very convincingly against Malta's Valletta in the Conference League second qualifying round. The Polish representatives won the first match 3-1 and the return leg 4-0, completing the tie with a 7-1 aggregate victory. Such efficiency confirms that Raków intend to enter the final qualifying round without major fluctuations. The club from Częstochowa will play the first match against Hammarby at home, while the return leg will be held in Stockholm on 13 August.
Like Hajduk and Midtjylland, Hammarby transferred to the Conference League after being eliminated from the Europa League. The Swedish club drew the first match against Anderlecht 1-1, but lost 3-1 in Brussels, allowing the Belgian team to advance 4-2 on aggregate. That tie shows that Hammarby can be competitive against a strong opponent, but also that they were punished when they failed to maintain the balance of the score away from home. A possible meeting with Hajduk would therefore bring together two clubs that have already experienced the consequences of elimination from the Europa League and are seeking a second route towards European football in the autumn through the Conference League. Raków, by contrast, arrive after a convincing run in the same competition and have not yet had to go through a transition between two UEFA qualifying competitions.
Four dates will decide qualification for the league phase
The closing stage of the qualifiers is concentrated into just three weeks. According to UEFA's official calendar, the third qualifying round will be played on 6 and 13 August, with the play-offs taking place on 20 and 27 August. This means that the clubs will play a match that directly determines the continuation of their European season almost every week, in parallel with their domestic league commitments. The possibility of recovering from a poor result exists only in the return leg, while after elimination from the Conference League there is no additional competition to which the defeated team can transfer. Managing the squad, travel and physical workload will therefore be just as important as tactical preparation.
- 6 August: first legs of Rijeka - Ilves and Žalgiris - Hajduk, as well as the opening matches of Bohemians - Midtjylland and Raków - Hammarby
- 13 August: return legs of the third qualifying round
- 20 August: first legs of the Conference League play-offs
- 27 August: play-off return legs and the final decision on the league-phase participants
- 28 August: Conference League league-phase draw
UEFA states that a total of 36 clubs will qualify for the 2026/27 Conference League league phase, with none receiving direct entry without going through the qualifying process or transferring from the Europa League. According to the competition regulations, each club in the league phase will play six matches against six different opponents, three at home and three away. All 36 participants are placed in a single table, meaning that every point and every goal can be important in the battle to continue in the competition. The top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16, the clubs ranked ninth to 24th play an additional knockout round, while the remaining 12 are eliminated. Qualification therefore brings not only at least six new European matches, but also a significantly broader sporting and financial framework for the remainder of the season.
For Rijeka and Hajduk, the road to that stage is now fully known, but it is not yet secured. Rijeka must first complete the task against Ilves, after which Bohemians or Midtjylland would await them. Hajduk must stop Žalgiris and then overcome Raków or Hammarby. All of the possible opponents have already been involved in tense qualifying ties, comebacks, extra time or elimination from the Europa League during July, meaning that none of the pairings offers room for relaxation. The final answer as to whether Croatian club football will have Rijeka and Hajduk in the Conference League league phase will be known no later than 27 August.
Sources:
- UEFA - official announcement of the Conference League play-off draw and match dates (link)
- UEFA - official schedule, results and qualifying system for the 2026/27 Conference League (link)
- UEFA - official Europa League qualifying results, including the ties involving Hajduk, Midtjylland and Hammarby (link)
- UEFA - 2026/27 Conference League regulations and the six-match league-phase system (link)
- Index Sport - report on the draw and confirmation of Rijeka's and Hajduk's possible play-off pairings (link)