The UEFA Europa League play-off second legs take place on Thursday, 27 August 2026, with 12 places in the 36-team league phase to be decided. Lech Poznań carry the biggest first-leg advantage after beating Thun 7-0, while Jagiellonia Białystok lead Iberia Tbilisi 4-0. Anderlecht, Beşiktaş, Crvena Zvezda and OFI Crete each start their return legs three goals ahead.
The closest ties are Universitatea Craiova vs Ararat-Armenia and Egnatia vs Lillestrøm, which are level after the first legs. Salzburg, Ferencváros and Sint-Truidense each hold one-goal advantages. For the route into these play-offs, see SportPesa South Africa’s Europa League third qualifying round results and play-off fixtures.
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Europa League play-off second legs: fixtures and aggregate scores
All kick-off times below are converted from UEFA’s published CET schedule to South African Standard Time (SAST).
| SAST | Second leg | First leg | Tie entering second leg |
| 19:00 | Ararat-Armenia vs Universitatea Craiova | Craiova 1-1 Ararat-Armenia | Level |
| 19:00 | Iberia Tbilisi vs Jagiellonia Białystok | Jagiellonia 4-0 Iberia | Jagiellonia +4 |
| 20:00 | Omonia vs Sint-Truidense | Sint-Truidense 1-0 Omonia | Sint-Truidense +1 |
| 20:00 | Viktoria Plzeň vs Crvena Zvezda | Crvena Zvezda 3-0 Plzeň | Crvena Zvezda +3 |
| 20:00 | Lillestrøm vs Egnatia | Egnatia 0-0 Lillestrøm | Level |
| 20:00 | Salzburg vs Mjällby | Mjällby 0-1 Salzburg | Salzburg +1 |
| 20:00 | Kauno Žalgiris vs Beşiktaş | Beşiktaş 3-0 Kauno Žalgiris | Beşiktaş +3 |
| 21:00 | Thun vs Lech Poznań | Lech Poznań 7-0 Thun | Lech Poznań +7 |
| 21:00 | Aarhus vs Benfica | Benfica 3-1 Aarhus | Benfica +2 |
| 21:00 | CSKA Sofia vs OFI Crete | OFI Crete 3-0 CSKA Sofia | OFI Crete +3 |
| 21:30 | Ferencváros vs Trabzonspor | Trabzonspor 0-1 Ferencváros | Ferencváros +1 |
| 21:30 | Anderlecht vs Kairat Almaty | Kairat 0-3 Anderlecht | Anderlecht +3 |
Qualification picture before the second legs
| Situation | Ties |
| Level | Ararat-Armenia vs Craiova; Lillestrøm vs Egnatia |
| One-goal lead | Sint-Truidense; Salzburg; Ferencváros |
| Two-goal lead | Benfica |
| Three-goal lead | Crvena Zvezda; Beşiktaş; OFI Crete; Anderlecht |
| Four-goal lead | Jagiellonia Białystok |
| Seven-goal lead | Lech Poznań |
The five ties with the least margin for error
The two level ties have the simplest equation: the team that wins the second leg progresses. If the aggregate score is still level after 90 minutes, the tie goes to extra time and, if necessary, penalties.
Omonia, Mjällby and Trabzonspor each trail by one goal. A one-goal second-leg win would only level the aggregate score, while a two-goal win would overturn the tie. Sint-Truidense, Salzburg and Ferencváros therefore have an advantage, but none has enough margin to manage the return leg passively.
Benfica take a 3-1 lead to Aarhus
Benfica travel to Denmark with a two-goal advantage after winning the first leg 3-1 in Lisbon. They can qualify with a win, draw or one-goal defeat. A two-goal Aarhus win would level the aggregate score and send the tie to extra time.
Benfica reached the play-offs after eliminating Hearts 7-2 on aggregate in the third qualifying round. That route, along with earlier Beşiktaş and Lech Poznań qualifying context, is covered in SportPesa South Africa’s Europa League third qualifying round preview.
Lech, Jagiellonia and four three-goal leaders are close to qualification
Lech Poznań have the strongest position in the round. Their 7-0 first-leg win means they can lose the return match by six goals and still qualify on aggregate. Jagiellonia can lose by three and still progress after their 4-0 first-leg victory.
Anderlecht, Beşiktaş, Crvena Zvezda and OFI Crete each hold 3-0 advantages. Each can lose by two goals in the second leg and still qualify. Those margins shift the attacking burden almost entirely onto Kairat Almaty, Kauno Žalgiris, Viktoria Plzeň and CSKA Sofia.
How are level Europa League play-off ties decided?
UEFA no longer uses the away-goals rule. If the teams are level on aggregate after 90 minutes of the second leg, two 15-minute periods of extra time are played. If the aggregate score remains level after extra time, the winner is decided by a penalty shoot-out.
What happens to the winners and losers?
The 12 aggregate winners qualify for the UEFA Europa League league phase. The 12 defeated clubs transfer directly into the UEFA Conference League league phase.
The Europa League league-phase draw takes place on Friday, 28 August at 14:00 SAST. The 36-team field also includes clubs transferring from the Champions League play-offs. For that crossover, see SportPesa South Africa’s Champions League play-off update.
Each Europa League club will play eight league-phase matches against eight different opponents, with four at home and four away. Matchday 1 is scheduled for 16 and 17 September 2026.
Europa League qualification outlook
Based on the first-leg scorelines, Lech Poznań and Jagiellonia enter the second legs with the largest cushions. Anderlecht, Beşiktaş, Crvena Zvezda and OFI Crete also have substantial three-goal advantages, while Benfica hold a useful but smaller two-goal lead.
The highest uncertainty sits in the two level ties and the three one-goal ties. Those five matches can change with a single goal, which makes them the strongest candidates for extra time, penalties or a late aggregate swing.
Follow the Europa League second legs on SportPesa
Live scores, lineups, match events, H2H data and in-game statistics can be followed through the SP Score App. Current UEFA Europa League markets on SportPesa South Africa are available before kick-off and, where offered, during live play. The SportPesa App also provides access to SportPesa football markets. Odds and market availability can change. 18+ only. Bet responsibly.
UEFA Europa League play-off second legs FAQs
When are the Europa League play-off second legs?
All 12 second legs are scheduled for Thursday, 27 August 2026.
Which Europa League play-off ties are level?
Universitatea Craiova vs Ararat-Armenia is 1-1 on aggregate, while Egnatia vs Lillestrøm is 0-0.
Which team has the biggest first-leg lead?
Lech Poznań hold the largest advantage after beating Thun 7-0 in the first leg.
When is the Europa League league-phase draw?
The draw is scheduled for Friday, 28 August 2026 at 14:00 SAST.
Conclusion
The UEFA Europa League play-off second legs on 27 August 2026 will decide the final 12 qualifying places from Europa League qualifying. Lech Poznań, Jagiellonia, Anderlecht, Beşiktaş, Crvena Zvezda and OFI Crete start with major aggregate advantages, Benfica lead by two, and five ties are either level or separated by one goal. Follow the second legs through SportPesa South Africa and use SP Score for live scores, lineups and match statistics as the qualification picture changes.
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