UEFA Champions League Play-Offs: Fenerbahçe vs Lyon, Celtic vs LASK Headline Seven Decisive Ties
The final seven places in the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase will be decided this week as 14 clubs battle through the play-off round.
The first legs are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, August 18 and 19, with the decisive second legs taking place on August 25 and 26.
Among the standout ties is Fenerbahçe vs Lyon, while Celtic face LASK and Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt take on Dutch side N.E.C.
Champions League Play-Off Fixtures
First Legs
Tuesday, August 18
Levski Sofia vs AEK Athens
GNK Dinamo vs Viking
Fenerbahçe vs Lyon
Wednesday, August 19
Hapoel Beer-Sheva vs Sabah
Celtic vs LASK
Slovan Bratislava vs Celje
N.E.C. vs Bodø/Glimt
Second Legs
Tuesday, August 25
Sabah vs Hapoel Beer-Sheva
LASK vs Celtic
Bodø/Glimt vs N.E.C.
Wednesday, August 26
AEK Athens vs Levski Sofia
Viking vs GNK Dinamo
Celje vs Slovan Bratislava
Lyon vs Fenerbahçe
All kick-offs are scheduled for 21:00 CET unless otherwise stated.
Fenerbahçe vs Lyon
Fenerbahçe and Lyon headline the play-off round as both clubs look to return to the Champions League league phase.
Fenerbahçe reached this stage after overcoming Górnik Zabrze and Sturm Graz, while Lyon entered in the third qualifying round and recovered from a first-leg defeat to eliminate Sparta Praha.
The clubs have met four times previously in the Champions League, with Lyon winning all four encounters. Their most recent meeting came in the Europa League in January 2025, when they played out a goalless draw.
Lyon will also draw confidence from their last Champions League campaign, when they reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual champions Bayern Munich.
Levski Sofia vs AEK Athens
Levski Sofia are targeting their first Champions League league-phase appearance since 2006 but face an AEK Athens side with considerable recent European experience.
AEK enjoyed an impressive campaign last season, winning the Greek league title and reaching the quarter-finals of the UEFA Conference League.
Levski, meanwhile, have struggled in recent European play-offs, suffering elimination in the Conference League qualifying rounds in 2023 and 2025.
GNK Dinamo vs Viking
Viking return to the Champions League qualifying rounds after winning the Norwegian title for the first time in 34 years.
Their opponents, GNK Dinamo, are far more accustomed to European competition and are appearing in continental football for the 21st consecutive season.
The tie represents a major test for Viking, who have lost all seven of their previous European Cup or Champions League ties.
Celtic vs LASK
Celtic enter the tie against Austrian champions LASK hoping to end a frustrating run in Champions League qualifying.
The Scottish champions enjoyed a remarkable turnaround after Martin O’Neill took charge in January, eventually completing a domestic league and cup double.
However, Celtic have failed to negotiate Champions League qualifying in their last five attempts. Their most recent play-off success came in 2017/18, when they defeated Astana 8-4 on aggregate.
LASK, meanwhile, will be seeking a historic first appearance in the Champions League league phase.
N.E.C. vs Bodø/Glimt
Bodø/Glimt have emerged as one of Europe’s most impressive underdog stories and arrive at the play-offs after another memorable continental campaign.
The Norwegian side recorded notable victories over Manchester City, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan and Sporting CP during last season’s Champions League campaign.
N.E.C., who have never reached the Champions League league phase, will be hoping to produce another upset after stunning Olympiacos in the previous round.
The Dutch club can call on experienced players including Dušan Tadić and Emre Mor.
Slovan Bratislava vs Celje
Slovan Bratislava face Celje in another intriguing play-off contest.
Celje are enjoying a period of growing European prominence and are guaranteed at least a place in the Europa League league phase.
Benjamin Verbič has returned to his boyhood club and scored the decisive goal that sent Celje into the play-offs.
Slovan, however, have already shown their superiority against Celje, defeating the Slovenian side 6-1 on aggregate two years ago.
The Slovakian champions will also rely on the experience of coach Yaya Touré, a member of Manchester City’s 2009/10 Champions League-winning side.
Hapoel Beer-Sheva vs Sabah
History will be made in the tie between Hapoel Beer-Sheva and Sabah, with neither club having previously reached the Champions League league phase.
Sabah, founded only nine years ago, produced an impressive comeback against Aarhus, scoring four unanswered second-half goals to reach the play-offs.
Hapoel Beer-Sheva also impressed in the previous round, eliminating Serbian giants Crvena Zvezda 3-0 on aggregate.
The first leg will be played in Bucharest, Romania.
Sabah are bidding to become only the second Azerbaijani club to reach the Champions League league phase, following Qarabağ’s previous appearances.
How the Champions League Play-Off Round Works
Fourteen clubs are involved in the play-off round.
Ten teams come through the Champions Path, with four entering at this stage and six advancing from the third qualifying round. The remaining four clubs form the League Path.
The seven winners will secure places in the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase.
Teams eliminated in the play-offs will not leave European competition altogether. Instead, they will drop into the UEFA Europa League league phase.
With only seven Champions League places remaining, the two-legged ties promise another decisive week of European football.
