Conference League 2026/27 Play-Offs: Second-Leg Results, Key Ties & League Phase Draw

The Conference League 2026/27 play-offs reach their decisive stage on Thursday, 27 August, with 23 second-leg ties still to determine who reaches the 36-team league phase.

Hearts have already secured their place after eliminating Rapid Wien on penalties following a 4-4 aggregate draw, while Ajax, Brighton, Monaco, Freiburg, Rangers, Getafe, Braga and several other clubs take leads or level ties into the remaining second legs.

The 24 Conference League play-off winners will be joined by 12 teams eliminated from the Europa League play-offs, completing the field for the league-phase draw in Monaco on Friday, 28 August.

Here is the current play-off picture, the ties still to be decided and what happens next.

READ ALSO: UEFA Europa League Play-Off Second Legs 2026/27: Fixtures, Aggregates & Qualification Outlook

Conference League 2026/27 Play-Off Second Legs

The play-off round is the final qualifying hurdle before the league phase.

Twenty-four two-legged ties determine the Conference League qualifiers, with the winners advancing and defeated clubs ending their campaigns in the competition.

Champions Path

Several of the Champions Path ties remain completely open.

Riga and Klaksvík begin their second leg level after a goalless first meeting, while Drita and Inter Club d’Escaldes are also tied after a 2-2 draw.

Larne and Borac hold two-goal advantages and therefore begin their return fixtures in stronger positions, although qualification is not secured until the second legs are completed.

Main Path: Current Aggregate Picture

Six first-leg matches finished level, leaving qualification completely open in those ties.

Ajax, Freiburg, Braga, Midtjylland and Getafe enter their second legs holding two-goal advantages, while Monaco, Rangers, Qarabağ, Lugano and Nordsjælland have narrower leads to protect.

Follow the latest European football scores and match developments through SP Score.

Hearts Become the First Confirmed Conference League Play-Off Winner

Hearts are already through to the league phase after one of the closest ties of the round.

The Scottish club drew 2-2 with Rapid Wien in the first leg before another 2-2 scoreline in the return match left the teams level at 4-4 on aggregate.

Extra time could not separate them, taking the tie to penalties.

Hearts eventually won the shootout 4-3 to secure their place in the Conference League league phase.

Their qualification means 23 Conference League play-off places remain to be decided before the complete league-phase field is known.

Ajax Take a Two-Goal Advantage into the Second Leg

Ajax are one of the best-positioned clubs entering Thursday’s deciding matches after beating Sion 4-2 away from home.

The Dutch side now return to Amsterdam with a two-goal advantage.

Sion still have the opportunity to overturn the deficit, but Ajax have given themselves a strong platform after scoring four times in Switzerland.

This is also an important correction to early coverage of the tie: the 4-2 score was the first-leg result, not the aggregate score of a completed play-off.

The second leg determines which club qualifies for the league phase.

Brighton and Tromsø Start Again at 0-0

Brighton’s first Conference League play-off meeting with Tromsø ended goalless.

That leaves the tie finely balanced before the return match in England.

Unlike teams carrying significant advantages into their second legs, Brighton have no aggregate cushion and therefore need the result at home to determine their European future.

It is one of several ties where the first leg failed to establish a clear favourite for qualification.

Monaco Hold a Narrow Lead

Monaco take a 3-2 advantage into their second leg against Górnik Zabrze.

Five goals in the first meeting created one of the more open play-off contests, but a single-goal lead leaves the tie far from settled.

Monaco’s position is different from clubs such as Ajax or Freiburg, who have two-goal margins to defend.

One goal can immediately level this tie on aggregate, making the second leg particularly important.

Freiburg and Braga Carry Two-Goal Cushions

Freiburg beat Motherwell 3-1 in the opening leg, giving the German club a strong position ahead of the return fixture.

Braga also established a two-goal advantage with a 2-0 victory over Austria Wien.

Midtjylland hold the same margin against Rijeka, while Getafe take a 3-1 lead into their second leg against Partizan.

These teams begin Thursday closer to qualification than many of the clubs involved, but the remaining 90 minutes still determine whether their advantages become confirmed league-phase places.

Several Major Ties Remain Level

Some of the most interesting second legs begin with neither side ahead.

Copenhagen and Inter Turku drew 0-0, while Atalanta and Hapoel Tel-Aviv also failed to score in their first meeting.

Brann and PAOK are level at 1-1.

Raków and Hajduk Split drew 2-2, as did Panathinaikos and Hradec Králové.

Pafos and Dinamo City also enter their return fixture level after a 1-1 first leg.

With no aggregate advantage to protect, these matches effectively become single-game contests for a place in the league phase.

How Are the 36 Conference League Teams Confirmed?

The Conference League qualification route differs from the Champions League because no club qualifies directly for the league phase through an automatic entry at that stage.

The final 36 clubs come through UEFA’s qualifying system.

The league-phase field consists of:

The 12 clubs eliminated from the Europa League play-offs do not leave European competition. Instead, they move directly into the Conference League league phase.

This means Thursday’s Europa League results are also important for determining the final Conference League lineup.

Our Europa League qualifying coverage provides more background on the qualification pathway between UEFA’s competitions.

When Is the Conference League 2026/27 League Phase Draw?

The Conference League 2026/27 league phase draw takes place in Monaco on Friday, 28 August.

UEFA will confirm the seedings and complete draw procedure before the ceremony.

The full fixture list, including match dates and kick-off times, will then be published separately no later than Sunday, 30 August.

How the Conference League League Phase Works

The Conference League does not use traditional four-team groups.

All 36 clubs compete in a single league table.

Each club plays six matches against six different opponents, with three matches at home and three away.

That differs from the Champions League and Europa League, where clubs play eight league-phase matches.

After six Conference League fixtures:

• The top eight teams qualify directly for the Round of 16.
• Teams finishing 9th to 24th enter the knockout phase play-offs.
• Teams finishing 25th to 36th are eliminated from European competition.

There is no further drop into another UEFA competition after elimination from the Conference League league phase.

Conference League 2026/27 League Phase Matchdays

The league phase begins later than the Champions League and Europa League.

The final league standings will determine which clubs progress directly to the Round of 16 and which must continue through February’s knockout phase play-offs.

Conference League 2026/27 Knockout Schedule

The 2027 Conference League final will be played at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul.

The eventual champions also earn a place in the 2027/28 Europa League league phase if they have not already qualified for the Champions League or Europa League through their domestic competition.

Follow Conference League Results and Fixtures

The final play-off results will establish the last clubs qualifying directly through the Conference League route before Friday’s league-phase draw.

Once the league phase begins, SP Score provides live football scores, match updates, fixtures, statistics, team form and results across European competitions.

Users can also review available UEFA football markets and make their own selections through SportPesa Global.

Conclusion

The Conference League 2026/27 play-offs enter their decisive stage with Hearts already qualified and 23 ties still to determine the remaining play-off winners. Those 24 qualifying clubs will join the 12 Europa League play-off losers in Friday’s 36-team league-phase draw. Follow the latest results, fixtures and competition updates through SP Score. Available football markets can be reviewed on SportPesa Global.

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