- In this piece, SportPesa Blog Kenya takes a look at the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League play-off predictions, previews, and betting odds.
- The first-leg clashes are set for Thursday, 20 August.
- The winners of each two-legged tie will advance to the league phase of the Europa League.
After weeks of gruelling qualifying rounds, the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League enters its final play-off round before the ultimate competition.
The high-stakes play-offs are set to kick off on Thursday, 20 August, with the action-packed first legs, while the second-leg matches will follow quickly on 27 August.
A total of 24 clubs are taking part in this final qualification stage, with 12 blockbuster two-legged ties deciding who moves forward.
ALSO READ: 2026/27 UEFA Europa League: Third qualifying round results, talking points & playoffs fixtures
How did teams qualify for this UEFA Europa League play-off round?
The teams reached this elite checkpoint through three different qualifying avenues.
The group is made up of 13 triumphant survivors who fought their way through the intense third qualifying round.
They are joined by six clubs seeking redemption after being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, and five high-ranking domestic cup or league finishers entering the tournament directly for the first time.
How will the UEFA Europa League play-off format work?
The stakes could not be higher because the 12 aggregate winners will officially punch their ticket to the newly expanded, 36-team single-league phase, where they join the 13 sides already guaranteed entry, plus the seven losers from the Champions League playoff round (five from the Champions Path and two from the League Path), as well as the four defeated sides from the Champions League third qualifying round’s League Path.
Meanwhile, the 12 losing clubs will see their Europa League dreams crushed, though they will receive a safety net by dropping directly into the UEFA Conference League league phase.
ALOS READ: 2026/27 UEFA Champions League: Third qualifying round results, talking points & playoffs fixtures
2026/27 UEFA Europa League play-off predictions
Here are the preview predictions for the first-leg key matches to look out for in the 2026/27 Europa League play-off round.
Besiktas vs Kauno Zalgiris prediction
One of the key fixtures to watch this week will see Besiktas welcome Kauno Zalgiris to Tupras Stadyumu from 7pm East African Time.
This maiden European encounter pits the mighty Turkish outfit against Lithuania’s champions, who plummeted here following a heartbreaking Champions League exit.
The Black Eagles soared into this round via a composed 1-0 win (2-0 on aggregate) over Hradec Kralove, courtesy of Vaclav Cerny, stretching their qualifying clean-sheet streak to four.
Vincenzo Italiano’s charges began their Super Lig campaign with a slender victory over 10-man Eyupspor, building on last season’s third-place finish.
With home fervour and superior pedigree, Besiktas should seize a commanding lead.
Meanwhile, Kauno Zalgiris arrive bruised, demolished 7-1 on aggregate by Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League third qualifying round, losing 5-0 away before suffering a 2-1 defeat at home.
Their path here featured triumphs over Drita and KI Klaksvik, yet Zagreb brutally exposed their frailties.
Benfica vs Aarhus prediction
Benfica will host this first leg at Estadio da Luz on Thursday when they welcome Aarhus from 9pm East African Time.
The Eagles cruised past St. Gallen and Hearts thanks to emphatic wins in Lisbon, while the Danish champions dropped here after Champions League elimination.
Marco Silva has responded well whenever tested since replacing Jose Mourinho. A 2-1 away defeat to St. Gallen was avenged with a 5-0 thrashing, while a 6-1 demolition of Hearts all but sealed their progress before a draw in Scotland finished the job.
In addition, Benfica arrive full of confidence after thrashing Casa Pia 7-0 on Monday, with Vangelis Pavlidis grabbing a hat-trick to shake off an opening-weekend draw with Academico de Viseu.
Aarhus, Danish champions for the first time in 40 years, saw their Champions League hopes crushed despite a heroic comeback against Lech Poznan.
A 2-1 first-leg lead over Sabah Baku was undone by a 4-0 away defeat, dropping them into this round.
Poulsen’s men have lost two of three Superliga matches and three of their last four against Benfica. Thursday looks ominous.
ALSO READ: Timothy Ouma set for action as Lech Poznan host Shakhtar Donetsk in Conference League clash
Mjallby AIF vs Red Bull Salzburg prediction
Another intriguing fixture will see Mjallby AIF host Red Bull Salzburg at Strandvallen from 6pm EAT, with both sides seeking a ticket to the league phase.
The Swedish champions, who lifted their maiden Allsvenskan title last season after finishing 13 points clear, dropped into this competition following a Champions League defeat by Slovan Bratislava.
They did edge past Lincoln Red Imps earlier, but their domestic form has been alarming. Karl Marius Aksum’s men sit 11th, just four points above relegation, despite a morale-boosting 4-3 win over leaders Sirius last weekend.
Salzburg, having missed out on the Bundesliga title for a third straight year, are in Europa League qualifying for the first time in 11 seasons.
Danny Rohl’s outfit overcame Pafos FC with a dramatic 3-3 comeback after trailing 2-0 away, and they have started their domestic campaign brightly, collecting seven points from three matches and recording a 7-1 cup thrashing.
Though they have never met Mjallby, their Swedish record is miserable: two previous visits, both ending in 3-0 losses to Malmo.
Lech Poznan vs Thun prediction
Lech Poznan will host Thun at Enea Stadium from 7pm EAT, standing just one step away from the league phase.
Niels Frederiksen’s men arrive in red-hot form, riding four straight wins after thrashing KI Klaksvik 6-0 on aggregate, following a narrow 1-0 away victory with a 5-0 demolition at home.
That result stretched their clean-sheet run to three, defensive steel that will serve them well.
Lech boast real European pedigree, having reached the Conference League round of 16 last term, though they will remember being dumped out at this very play-off stage a year ago.
Thun, the Swiss champions, have stumbled through their domestic campaign, managing only three wins in eight matches, alongside four defeats and a draw.
They did smash Saxon Sports 6-0 in the cup on Sunday, but that masked worrying away form, with three consecutive losses on the road, conceding at least three goals each time.
Their continental inexperience is glaring, having not reached any UEFA group phase since 2013.
2026/27 UEFA Europa League play-off round fixtures and kick-off times
Teams involved
- 24 teams: five direct entrants, six defeated sides from the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round Champions Path, and the 13 winners of the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round – Champions Path and Main Path.
Kick-off times – East Africa Time
Play-off ties – first legs: Thursday, 20 August
- Kairat Almaty vs Anderlecht (18:00)
- Jagiellonia Białystok vs Iberia Tbilisi (19:00)
- Mjällby vs Salzburg (19:00)
- Trabzonspor vs Ferencváros (20:00)
- Universitatea Craiova vs Ararat-Armenia (20:00)
- Egnatia vs Lillestrøm (20:00)
- Beşiktaş vs Kauno Žalgiris (20:00)
- Sint-Truidense vs Omonia (21:00)
- Crvena Zvezda vs Viktoria Plzeň (21:00)
- OFI Crete vs CSKA Sofia (21:00)
- Benfica vs Aarhus (22:00)
- Lech Poznań vs Thun (1900)
Second legs – Thursday, 27 August
- Ararat-Armenia vs Universitatea Craiova (19:00)
- Iberia Tbilisi vs Jagiellonia Białystok (19:00)
- Omonia vs Sint-Truidense (20:00)
- Viktoria Plzeň vs Crvena Zvezda (20:00)
- Lillestrøm vs Egnatia (20:00)
- Salzburg vs Mjällby (20:00)
- Kauno Žalgiris vs Beşiktaş (20:00)
- Thun vs Lech Poznań (21:00)
- Aarhus vs Benfica (21:00)
- CSKA Sofia vs OFI Crete (21:00)
- Ferencváros vs Trabzonspor (21:30)
- Anderlecht vs Kairat Almaty (21:30)
How does it work?
- The winners of each tie qualify for the league phase.
- Defeated sides enter the league phase of the UEFA Conference League.