The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round concluded on 11 August 2026, locking in the final teams for the play-off round after 20 teams battled it out across the first and second legs.
The most staggering upset of the round unfolded in Serbia, where Israeli underdogs Hapoel Be’er Sheva pulled off a masterclass against local heavyweights FK Crvena zvezda.
Holding a slim 1-0 advantage from the first leg, Hapoel travelled to Belgrade and completely silenced the infamous atmosphere at the Rajko Mitic Stadium. They secured a commanding 2-0 victory on the night, wrapping up a 3-0 aggregate triumph.
In doing so, the Israeli side ended a remarkable streak of 15 consecutive home Champions League qualifying matches in which Crvena zvezda had managed to score.
ALSO READ: 2026/27 UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round: Results, talking points & return-leg fixtures
Another monumental shock came from the Netherlands, where NEC Nijmegen knocked out European veterans Olympiacos.
Following a tense 0-0 stalemate in Greece, the second leg in Nijmegen turned into an absolute war of attrition. Olympiacos buckled under the pressure, picking up a flurry of yellow cards and a decisive red card in the 80th minute.
Sensing an opportunity, the Dutch side pushed the match into extra time and dragged themselves across the finish line with a 2-1 victory, sending the Greek giants crashing out of the tournament.
In another intriguing fixture, Sabah FK delivered the ultimate turnaround against Danish outfit Aarhus Gymnastikforening. Sabah entered their home leg in Azerbaijan trailing 2-1 and looking vulnerable.
However, the return leg turned into a historic party at the Bank Respublika Arena. Sabah played completely unburdened, ripping Aarhus apart to score four unanswered goals through four different players.
The 4-0 demolition stood as Sabah’s largest-ever victory in European football history, sending them into the play-offs with a 5-2 aggregate win.
French powerhouse Olympique Lyonnais also had to dig deep to save their campaign against AC Sparta Praha.
Lyon had put themselves in a dangerous position by losing the first leg 2-1 in Prague. Back on home soil, they left absolutely nothing to chance.
Lyon suffocated Sparta Praha from the opening whistle, and their task became considerably easier when the Czech side picked up a red card in the 34th minute.
Lyon capitalized brilliantly, cruising to a comfortable 3-0 victory on the night to complete a 4-2 aggregate comeback.
When is the UEFA Champions League play-off round?
The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League play-off round will take place over two weeks, from 18 August to 26 August 2026.
The high-stakes, two-legged ties will kick off with the first legs on Tuesday, 18 August and Wednesday, 19 August, followed by the decisive second legs a week later on Tuesday, 25 August and Wednesday, 26 August.
What is the format for the play-offs, who will take part, and who will qualify for the league phase draw?
The seven aggregate winners from the play-off round will advance directly to the Champions League league phase draw on 27 August 2026, taking the final open spots alongside the 29 powerhouse clubs that qualified automatically.
This elite group will enter the tournament’s newly revamped league phase, which replaces the traditional group-stage format.
On the other hand, the seven teams that suffer heartbreak and lose in the play-offs will drop straight into the UEFA Europa League league phase, ensuring their European campaigns continue.
Here is the full overview of the 2026 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round results and play-off pairings.
Third Qualifying Round Results
Teams involved
- Champions path: 12 (the 12 winners of the second qualifying round)
- League path: 8 (6 enter at this stage, along with the 2 winners of the second qualifying round)
First legs – Tuesday, 4 August
Champions path
- Mjällby 1-2 Slovan Bratislava
- Ararat-Armenia 2-1 Celje
- Levski Sofia 1-0 Kairat Almaty
- Hapoel Beer-Sheva 1-0 Crvena zvezda
- GNK Dinamo 5-0 Kauno Žalgiris
League path
- Olympiacos 0-0 N.E.C.
- Union SG 3-3 Bodø/Glimt
- Sparta Praha 2-1 Lyon
Wednesday, 5 August
Champions path
- Aarhus 2-1 Sabah
League path
- Fenerbahçe 2-0 Sturm Graz
Second legs – Tuesday, 11 August
Champions path
- Kairat Almaty 0-1 Levski Sofia (agg: 0-2)
- Sabah 4-0 Aarhus (agg: 5-2)
- Kauno Žalgiris 1-2 GNK Dinamo (agg: 1-7)
- Crvena zvezda 0-2 Hapoel Beer-Sheva (agg: 0-3)
- Slovan Bratislava 2-0 Mjällby (agg: 4-1)
- Celje 2-0 Ararat-Armenia (agg: 3-2)
League path
- Bodø/Glimt 3-2 aet Union SG (agg: 6-5)
- N.E.C. 2-1 aet Olympiacos (agg: 2-1)
- Sturm Graz 0-1 Fenerbahçe (agg: 0-3)
- Lyon 3-0 Sparta Praha (agg: 4-2)
How does it work?
- The winners of each tie advance to the play-off round of their respective path.
- Defeated sides in the Champions Path switch to the UEFA Europa League play-off round.
- Defeated sides in the League Path switch to the UEFA Europa League league phase.
Play-Off Round Fixtures
Teams involved
- Champions Path: 10 (four teams join the six third qualifying round winners)
- League Path: 4 (the four winners of the third qualifying round)
Kick-off times – East Africa Time
First legs -Tuesday, 18 August
Champions Path
- Levski Sofia vs AEK Athens (22:00)
- GNK Dinamo vs Viking (22:00)
League Path
- Fenerbahçe vs Lyon (22:00)
Wednesday, 19 August
Champions Path
- Hapoel Beer-Sheva vs Sabah (22:00)
- Celtic vs LASK (22:00)
- Slovan Bratislava vs Celje (22:00)
League Path
- N.E.C. vs Bodø/Glimt (22:00)
Second legs – Tuesday, 25 August
Champions Path
- Sabah vs Hapoel Beer-Sheva (19:45)
- LASK vs Celtic (22:00)
League Path
- Bodø/Glimt vs N.E.C. (22:00)
Wednesday, 26 August
Champions Path
- AEK Athens vs Levski Sofia (22:00)
- Viking vs GNK Dinamo (22:00)
- Celje vs Slovan Bratislava (22:00)
League Path
- Lyon vs Fenerbahçe (22:00)
How does it work?
- The winners of each tie advance to the league phase.
- All defeated sides switch to the league phase of the UEFA Europa League.