Who Could Win the UEFA Europa League?

Benfica welcome AGF Aarhus to Estádio da Luz on Thursday, August 20, 2026, for the first leg of the UEFA Europa League 2026/27 Play-off Round. The Portuguese giants enter this tie in formidable European form after dismantling Hearts 6-1 at home and securing a 1-1 draw in Edinburgh to advance 7-2 on aggregate in the previous round. Marco Silva's side have assembled a powerful attacking squad for the 2026/2027 season, featuring Vangelis Pavlidis, Gianluca Prestianni, Dodi Lukébakio, Andreas Schjelderup, Jhon Durán, and Rafa Silva, giving the Eagles multiple dimensions in the final third. The hosts are priced at European odds of 1.10 for victory, with the draw at 8.00 and an Aarhus upset at 15.00, reflecting the gulf in continental pedigree between the two sides.

The Danish champions arrive in Lisbon at a low ebb after their Champions League qualifying campaign ended in disappointment. Aarhus won 2-1 at home against Sabah thanks to a James Bogere brace, only to collapse in the return leg in Azerbaijan, conceding four second-half goals in a 4-0 defeat that sent them crashing out 5-2 on aggregate. Coach Jakob Poulsen's squad for the 2026/2027 campaign will look to captain Kristian Arnstad, young striker James Bogere, and creative outlets like Tobias Bech, Gift Links, and Mikael Anderson to turn the tide. Their recent domestic form offers little comfort either, having suffered a 0-1 defeat to Midtjylland in the DBU Pokalen and a 2-1 league loss at the same opponent's hands.

Besiktas will host Kauno Zalgiris on August 20, 2026, at Tüpraş Stadyumu in Istanbul for the first leg of the UEFA Europa League qualifying play-off round. The Black Eagles have shown resilience in recent weeks, battling to a 2-2 draw away to Rizespor and grinding out a 0-0 stalemate against Karagumruk at home, though they did suffer a narrow 0-1 defeat to Konyaspor in the Turkish Cup semi-final. With the return leg scheduled for August 27 in Kaunas, Besiktas will be eager to establish a commanding lead on home soil and take a significant step towards the Europa League group stage.

The Besiktas squad for the 2026/2027 season has been significantly strengthened with several marquee signings. Orkun Kökçü was acquired from Benfica for €30 million, while Leandro Trossard joined from Arsenal to add Premier League experience to the attack. Dušan Vlahović signed on a free transfer from Juventus, and Salih Özcan arrived from Borussia Dortmund without a fee. The squad also features Wilfred Ndidi anchoring midfield, Václav Černý and Milot Rashica providing width, Oh Hyeon-Gyu leading the line, and defensive stalwarts Emmanuel Agbadou and Amir Murillo. Goalkeeper Alexander Nübel was also recruited from Bayern Munich to solidify the backline.

Crvena Zvezda welcome Viktoria Plzen to the Rajko Mitic Stadium on Thursday, August 20, 2026, for the first leg of the UEFA Europa League Play-offs. Following their elimination from the Champions League qualifying at the hands of Hapoel Beer-Sheva, the Serbian giants enter this tie determined to secure European group-stage football for the 2026/2027 campaign. Plzen arrive in Belgrade after a solid start to their domestic season and will look to leverage their own continental experience in this two-legged affair.

Both clubs have finalized their squads for the 2026/2027 season, with Crvena Zvezda boasting an experienced roster under manager Dejan Stankovic. Key figures include captain Aleksandar Katai, striker Marko Arnautovic, midfielders Mirko Ivanic and Rade Krunic, and defensive anchor Milos Veljkovic. New summer arrivals such as Timi Max Elsnik and Osman Bukari add further depth. Viktoria Plzen counter with a balanced squad led by veteran forward Matej Vydra, midfield general Patrik Hrosovsky, and defensive stalwart Sampson Dweh, while goalkeeper Florian Wiegele and winger Cheick Souare provide additional quality across the pitch.

KF Egnatia host Lillestrøm SK in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League 2026/2027 play-off round on Thursday, 20 August 2026, at Arena Egnatia in Rrogozhinë. This is a historic occasion for the Albanian champions, who defeated Shamrock Rovers 6-4 on aggregate in the third qualifying round to reach this stage for the first time in their history. Lillestrøm enter the tie after navigating through the earlier rounds and currently sit fourth in the Norwegian Eliteserien, bringing significant European pedigree to this two-legged affair that will determine who advances to the lucrative league phase.

Egnatia's 2026/2027 squad is led by head coach Nevil Dede and built around a core of experienced campaigners. Captain Albano Aleksi anchors the midfield alongside Brazilian playmaker Fernando Medeiros, while Belgian forward Alessandro Albanese and Moroccan striker Karim Loukili provide the attacking threat. Georgian goalkeeper Levan Tandilashvili has been instrumental in their European run, with defenders Zamig Aliyev and Numan Ajeti forming a resilient backline. The home side will rely on the passionate support at Arena Egnatia, where they demolished Shamrock Rovers 5-1 in the first leg of the previous round, to unsettle the Norwegian visitors.

KF Egnatia host Lillestrøm SK in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League 2026/2027 play-off round on Thursday, 20 August 2026, at Arena Egnatia in Rrogozhinë. This is a historic occasion for the Albanian champions, who defeated Shamrock Rovers 6-4 on aggregate in the third qualifying round to reach this stage for the first time in their history. Lillestrøm enter the tie after navigating through the earlier rounds and currently sit fourth in the Norwegian Eliteserien, bringing significant European pedigree to this two-legged affair that will determine who advances to the lucrative league phase.

Egnatia's 2026/2027 squad is led by head coach Nevil Dede and built around a core of experienced campaigners. Captain Albano Aleksi anchors the midfield alongside Brazilian playmaker Fernando Medeiros, while Belgian forward Alessandro Albanese and Moroccan striker Karim Loukili provide the attacking threat. Georgian goalkeeper Levan Tandilashvili has been instrumental in their European run, with defenders Zamig Aliyev and Numan Ajeti forming a resilient backline. The home side will rely on the passionate support at Arena Egnatia, where they demolished Shamrock Rovers 5-1 in the first leg of the previous round, to unsettle the Norwegian visitors.

Lech Poznań will host FC Thun in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League 2026/2027 play-off round on Thursday, 20 August 2026 at the Enea Stadion in Poznań, with the return leg scheduled for 27 August at the Stockhorn Arena in Thun. The Polish side arrives at this stage after a commanding 6-0 aggregate victory over KÍ Klaksvík in the third qualifying round, winning 1-0 at home and 5-0 away, while the Swiss champions advanced by defeating Víkingur Reykjavík 5-3 on aggregate following a 3-0 home win and a 2-3 away loss. The winners of this two-legged tie will secure a place in the Europa League league phase, while the losers will drop into the Conference League league phase.

The Lech Poznań squad for the 2026/2027 season features Mateusz Lis in goal, with a defensive line including Joel Pereira, Robert Gumny, Wojciech Monka, Terry Yegbe, and Michał Gurgul. The midfield is anchored by Antoni Kozubal and Filip Jagiełło, supporting an attacking unit led by Pablo Rodríguez, Leo Bengtsson, Patrik Wålemark, Luis Palma, Daniel Håkans, and strikers Mikael Ishak, Yannick Agnero, and Allahyar Sayyadmanesh under head coach Niels Frederiksen. In domestic action, Lech recently played out a 0-0 draw against Cracovia on 25 July 2026, while their European pedigree was demonstrated in a 1-2 away victory over Shakhtar Donetsk on 19 March 2026.

OFI Crete welcome CSKA Sofia to Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion on Thursday, 20 August 2026, for the first leg of the UEFA Europa League 2026/27 play-off round. The evening kick-off marks a crucial step for both clubs as they battle for a place in the competition proper, with the return leg scheduled for Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia seven days later.

For the 2026/2027 season, OFI Crete's squad includes goalkeeper K. Lilo, defenders K. Krizmanic and Christos Tsalpatouros, midfielders Z. Karachalios, Andreas Bouchalakis and Giannis Apostolakis, plus attacking options Aitor Cantalapiedra, Taxiarchis Fountas and Eddie Salcedo under manager C. Kontis. CSKA Sofia counter with goalkeeper Fyodor Lapoukhov, defenders Pastor, Teodor Ivanov and Ángelo Martino, midfielders Bruno Jordão, Max Ebong and Stefano Sensi, and forwards Ioannis Pittas, Santiago Godoy and Joël Zwarts, led by coach Hristo Yanev.

St. Truiden host Omonia Nicosia in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League qualifying play-off on Thursday, 20 August 2026, at the Daio Wasabi Stayen Stadium. Both sides enter this tie eager to secure a group-stage berth, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 CET. The Canaries have enjoyed a strong start to their 2026/2027 campaign and will look to leverage home advantage against a well-travelled Omonia side that has already navigated several rounds of European qualifying this summer.

The St. Truiden squad for the 2026/2027 season features a blend of returning talent and fresh faces under head coach Frédéric De Meyer. Key performers include captain Shōgo Taniguchi in defence, midfield anchor Abdoulaye Sissako, and attacking threats Ilias Sebaoui and Kaito Matsuzawa. The team comes into this fixture on the back of a thrilling 3-3 draw away to Cercle Brugge in the Belgian Pro League, preceded by a commanding 2-0 home victory over Anderlecht earlier this year. That momentum, combined with the arrivals of Joedrick Pupe and Nelson Ishiwatari, gives the home side genuine depth heading into European competition.

Trabzonspor and Ferencvárosi TC meet in the UEFA Europa League 2026/2027 Play-off Round first leg on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at Papara Park in Trabzon, with the return fixture scheduled for August 27 at the Groupama Arena in Budapest. Both clubs have assembled competitive squads for the 2026/2027 season, setting the stage for a compelling tie between Turkish and Hungarian representatives.

Trabzonspor's squad for the 2026/2027 season has been shaped by manager Fatih Tekke to compete on multiple fronts. The roster features goalkeeper André Onana, defenders Stefan Savić and Cenk Özkacar, midfielders Okay Yokuşlu, Ruslan Malinovskyi and John Lundstram, and an attack led by Paul Onuachu, Ernest Muçi and Denis Dragus. Recent domestic results have been mixed, as highlighted by a 2-1 defeat away to Konyaspor and a hard-earned 0-1 victory at Eyüpspor.