The first qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League brings 26 ties and the start of the European season
The draw for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League for the 2026/27 season has opened the competitive path for 52 clubs that begin their European season as early as the beginning of July. According to UEFA’s official announcement, 26 seeded and 26 unseeded teams take part in this stage, and the ties are played over two legs. The first legs are scheduled for 9 July 2026, while the return legs are planned for 16 July 2026; UEFA also stressed that the confirmed dates and kick-off times of individual matches will be announced after the draw. This marks the beginning of the sixth edition of the UEFA Conference League, a competition that continues to have a special role in European football because it enables clubs from a larger number of national associations to have a longer continental path and a concrete opportunity to enter the league phase.
The published list of ties includes clubs from different parts of UEFA’s football area, from the Baltics, the Caucasus and the Balkans to Ireland, Wales, Malta, Gibraltar, Andorra, San Marino and Kazakhstan. Such a structure of the first qualifying round confirms the breadth of the competition, but also the fact that at this stage teams with very different European experience, budgets, travel conditions and domestic league rhythms often meet. For some clubs this is an opportunity to confirm their seeded status and justify their coefficient, while for the unseeded teams the first round is often the best chance for a result that could mark the entire season. In its explanations of the competition system, UEFA states that entry into individual qualifying stages is based on the ranking of national associations and club coefficients, which becomes particularly evident precisely in the summer qualifying rounds.
First qualifying round ties
The first qualifying round brings 26 ties, and the winners will continue their qualifying path toward the next stage of the competition. Given that the round is played over two legs, home advantage in the first match does not have to be decisive, but it can have an important psychological and result-related role. In this round, teams that are already in competitive rhythm because of spring-to-autumn domestic leagues often meet clubs that are only just entering their preparation period, which can affect the tempo, physical readiness and approach to the matches. Travel will also be one of the significant factors, especially in ties that connect distant football environments. Fans can therefore expect not only results-wise unpredictable duels, but also an interesting cross-section of different styles of play and European football traditions.
- RFS Riga – Torpedo Kutaisi
- Astana – Velež Mostar
- Žalgiris Vilnius – Virtus
- Shkëndija Tetovo – Liepāja
- Ballkani – Ilves Tampere
- Pyunik Yerevan – Connah’s Quay Nomads
- Linfield Belfast – Bohemians Dublin
- Hamrun Spartans – Stjarnan
- Milsami Orhei – Europa FC
- Levadia Tallinn – Inter Turku
- Paide Linnameeskond – Malisheva
- Differdange 03 – Yelimay
- Dinamo Minsk – Dinamo City / Dinamo Tirana
- Vllaznia Shkodër – UNA Strassen
- Víkingur – Hegelmann
- La Fiorita – Penybont
- Zira – NSÍ Runavík
- Dečić Tuzi – Sileks Kratovo
- Dila Gori – Mornar Bar
- BATE Borisov – Glentoran
- Sarajevo – Marsaxlokk
- Atlètic Club d’Escaldes – Nõmme Kalju
- St Joseph’s – AF Elbasani
- FC Santa Coloma – Caernarfon Town
- Dinamo Tbilisi – US Mondorf-les-Bains
- Alashkert – OFK Petrovac
The seeded teams have experience, but the first round often punishes relaxation
Seeded status in European qualifiers does not bring certainty of progression, but above all a more favorable position in the draw. According to UEFA’s ranking rules, club coefficients reflect results in European competitions over a multi-year period and are used to determine seeded teams in draws. This means that teams such as Astana, Žalgiris, Pyunik, Linfield, BATE Borisov, Sarajevo or Dinamo Tbilisi enter this stage with a more recognizable European pedigree, but they will have to confirm it on the pitch. The first qualifying rounds are often dangerous precisely because they are played early, in a period when many squads have not yet been completed and when form is only just being built. One mistake in the first match can change the entire dynamic of a tie, and clubs with a lower coefficient in such circumstances often seek their chance through discipline, set pieces and solid organization.
Particular attention is drawn by ties in which clubs from regions with a strong fan culture meet clubs accustomed to the specific conditions of their domestic championships. Astana against Velež Mostar brings a demanding journey and a duel between two football contexts that differ in geography, infrastructure and competitive rhythm. Linfield Belfast and Bohemians Dublin form an island duel with additional regional intrigue, while Sarajevo against Marsaxlokk stands out as a meeting in which public expectations in Bosnia and Herzegovina will naturally be measured against the ambition of progression. Dila Gori and Mornar Bar, Dečić Tuzi and Sileks Kratovo, as well as Alashkert and OFK Petrovac, bring duels between clubs from the southeastern European and Caucasus areas, where travel, temperature and home ground are often more important than is visible from the draw itself. At the same time, ties such as La Fiorita – Penybont or FC Santa Coloma – Caernarfon Town give clubs from smaller football environments an opportunity to use the European stage for a memorable step forward.
The competition format increases the value of every early goal
In its overview of the 2026/27 season, UEFA stated that all clubs must qualify for the league phase of the Conference League through qualifying, with no direct entry into the main part of the competition. The league phase consists of 36 clubs, and the qualifying path includes the first, second and third qualifying rounds and the play-offs. Because of such a system, every round has clear weight: progressing in July does not bring only two more European matches, but increases the revenue, sporting and reputational potential of the entire season. In the two-legged ties of the first qualifying round, control of the result is especially important, because early elimination can disrupt the sporting plans of clubs that built their domestic season also around their European appearance. On the other hand, a successful start can bring additional energy to the dressing room, greater attention from fans and a better negotiating position in the summer transfer window.
In the first match, teams often try to avoid major risk, especially when the return leg is played at a demanding away ground. Still, earlier European cycles have shown that a passive approach can be just as dangerous as opening up too much, because the away goal no longer has its former eliminatory weight, but the psychological pressure remains strong. Clubs that adapt early to the opponent’s rhythm, the pitch and the refereeing usually have an advantage, especially if in the opening minutes they manage to stabilize possession and prevent set pieces in dangerous zones. In ties with great travel distances, coaching staffs will have to carefully plan recovery, rotations and training sessions between the two matches. This is especially important because the return legs are played just one week after the first matches, leaving very little room for corrections after a poor performance.
The wider European context of the 2026/27 season
According to UEFA’s calendar, the Conference League season begins on 9 July 2026, and the final is scheduled for 2 June 2027 at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul. UEFA has also announced that the dates of individual stages are subject to change, which is important for clubs, fans and travelers planning to attend matches. The second qualifying round is scheduled to be played on 23 and 30 July, the third qualifying round on 6 and 13 August, and the play-offs on 20 and 27 August. The league phase begins on 15 October 2026 and is played over six rounds until 17 December 2026, meaning the Conference League remains a competition that gradually turns from a summer qualifying rhythm into an autumn European story. According to UEFA’s explanation, the winner of the competition earns the right to play in the league phase of the 2027/28 UEFA Europa League if that right has not already been secured through the domestic championship or cup.
For clubs from the first qualifying round, the path to the final stages is extremely long, but not without real sporting value. Even when the league phase remains a distant goal, every progression brings international experience to players and coaching staffs, strengthens the club coefficient and increases the visibility of domestic leagues that often do not have major television or commercial coverage. UEFA’s model of access to competitions is based on the places that national associations receive according to coefficients, so results in these rounds matter beyond the borders of an individual club. Every point won can help the association from which the club comes in the long term, and thereby also future representatives in European qualifiers. That is why first qualifying round ties are more than an introduction to the season: they are part of a broader system in which European status is built gradually, often far from the biggest stadiums and the most expensive teams.
Fans await confirmation of kick-off times, tickets and travel details
Although the ties are known, important practical questions still remain for fans. UEFA stated that the confirmed dates and kick-off times of matches will be announced after the draw, which means that clubs still have to finalize operational details with local organizers, stadiums, television partners and security services. In the first qualifying rounds, these issues can be particularly demanding because matches are organized at short notice, and some clubs must align European obligations with domestic championships or stadium changes. Fan travel also depends on the exact schedule, flight availability, the distance of stadiums from larger cities and the rules for selling tickets for away sectors. It is therefore advisable to follow official announcements from clubs and organizers before making final travel decisions.
In the next few days, the portal will publish links to tickets and accommodation near stadiums for first qualifying round matches. The information will be prepared for a European audience across seven language editions of the portal, with an effort to cover different locations and fan needs without focusing only on one part of the continent. Since the first qualifying round brings together clubs from a wide range of countries and cities, practical guides will be especially useful for those planning travel at short notice. The emphasis will be on verified information, availability of accommodation near stadiums and timely monitoring of club announcements on ticket sales. While the exact kick-off times are awaited, the sporting part of the story is already clear: 52 clubs enter the first summer round in which one good evening can open an entire European season.
Sources:
- UEFA – official announcement of the first qualifying round draw, number of clubs and provisional match dates (link)
- UEFA – overview of the format, calendar, league phase and final of the 2026/27 UEFA Conference League (link)
- UEFA – access list for men’s club competitions 2026/27 and explanation of entry places by national associations (link)
- UEFA – explanation of club and national coefficients used for rankings and draws (link)