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Fenerbahce, Besiktas, Trabzonspor learn possible European playoff paths

The UEFA Champions League logo is displayed on a smartphone screen in this photo illustration, May 6, 2024. (Adobe Stock Photo)
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The UEFA Champions League logo is displayed on a smartphone screen in this photo illustration, May 6, 2024. (Adobe Stock Photo)
August 03, 2026 03:23 PM GMT+03:00

Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Trabzonspor have learned the final obstacle they could face on the road to the league phase after UEFA held the Champions League and Europa League playoff draws at its headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

The draw comes with all three Turkish clubs still alive in European qualifying, although each is at a different stage of its campaign.

Fenerbahce and Besiktas must first negotiate third qualifying round ties before they can book their places in the playoffs, while Turkish Cup winner Trabzonspor enters the Europa League directly at the playoff stage.

Fenerbahce eyes final Champions League hurdle

Fenerbahce began its Champions League campaign in the second qualifying round after finishing runner-up in the Turkish Super Lig.

Istanbul club advanced to the third qualifying round with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Poland's Gornik Zabrze after a 1-0 home win and a 1-1 draw away.

If Yellow Canaries get past Sturm Graz, they will meet the winner of the tie between Sparta Prague and Olympique Lyon in the playoff round, the final hurdle before the league phase. The two-legged playoffs are scheduled for Aug. 18-19 and Aug. 25-26.

Table shows the UEFA Champions League playoff bracket on Aug. 3, 2026. (Image via UEFA)
Table shows the UEFA Champions League playoff bracket on Aug. 3, 2026. (Image via UEFA)

In other Champions League playoff ties, Celtic will face LASK, while the winner of Dinamo Zagreb's tie against Kauno Zalgiris will take on Viking.

The winner of Mjallby's clash with Slovan Bratislava will meet the winner of the Ararat-Armenia versus Celje tie, and the winner of Hapoel Beer-Sheva against Red Star Belgrade will face the winner of the Aarhus-Sabah matchup.

The winner of Olympiakos' tie against NEC Nijmegen will play the winner of Union Saint-Gilloise versus Bodo/Glimt, while the winner of Levski Sofia's clash with Kairat will take on AEK Athens.

Talisca (94) of Fenerbahce in action during the UEFA Champions League second leg of the second qualifying round between Gornik Zabrze and Fenerbahce at Arena Zabrze in Zabrze, Poland, July 29, 2026. (AA Photo)
Talisca (94) of Fenerbahce in action during the UEFA Champions League second leg of the second qualifying round between Gornik Zabrze and Fenerbahce at Arena Zabrze in Zabrze, Poland, July 29, 2026. (AA Photo)

Besiktas, Trabzonspor map out Europa League route

Besiktas opened its Europa League campaign in the second qualifying round after finishing third in the 2025-26 Turkish Super Lig. The Istanbul club eliminated Denmark's Midtjylland 2-1 on aggregate to set up a third qualifying round clash with Czech side Hradec Kralove.

Victory would send Besiktas into the playoffs against the team dropping from the Champions League tie between Dinamo Zagreb and Kauno Zalgiris.

Besiktas' Hyeon-gyu Oh (2nd R) plays during the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round second-leg match between Midtjylland and Besiktas at MCH Arena in Herning, Denmark, July 30, 2026. (AA Photo)
Besiktas' Hyeon-gyu Oh (2nd R) plays during the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round second-leg match between Midtjylland and Besiktas at MCH Arena in Herning, Denmark, July 30, 2026. (AA Photo)

Unlike its domestic rivals, Trabzonspor earned direct entry into the Europa League playoff round by winning the Turkish Cup, bypassing the earlier qualifying stages.

The Black Sea club awaits the winner of the third qualifying round matchup between Hungary's Ferencvaros and Poland's Gornik Zabrze, with the two-legged tie scheduled for Aug. 20 and Aug. 27.

Table shows the UEFA Europa League playoff bracket on Aug. 3, 2026. (Image via UEFA)
Table shows the UEFA Europa League playoff bracket on Aug. 3, 2026. (Image via UEFA)

Elsewhere, KuPS Kuopio or Universitatea Craiova will be paired with the side eliminated from the Champions League tie between Ararat-Armenia and Celje, while Sint-Truidense or Lincoln Red Imps will meet Omonoia.

Viktoria Plzen awaits the loser of the Hapoel Beer-Sheva-Red Star Belgrade qualifier, and Lillestrom will take on either Shamrock Rovers or Egnatia.

Jagiellonia or Rangers will square off against Larne or Iberia, while Mjallby or Slovan Bratislava will be matched with the team dropping from the Salzburg-Pafos tie.

Levski Sofia or Kairat will take on the loser of PAOK versus Anderlecht, Lech Poznan or Klaksvik will face the team dropping from Thun against Vikingur, Benfica or Hearts will meet Aarhus or Sabah, and OFI Crete or Maccabi Tel Aviv will play CSKA Sofia.

August 03, 2026 03:23 PM GMT+03:00
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