Europa League and Conference League Qualifiers Kick Off July 16

The journey towards European club football glory begins anew on Thursday, July 16, 2026, as the qualifying rounds for the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League officially get underway. Fans can look forward to a packed schedule of matches as teams from across the continent battle for a place in the prestigious tournaments.

This opening phase marks the first step for many clubs aiming to compete at the highest levels of European football. The first round of qualifiers will see a total of 34 matches played across both competitions, offering an early glimpse at the form and ambitions of various national league participants.

Europa League First Qualifying Round (Second Leg)

The Europa League kicks off its first qualifying round with several second-leg fixtures. These matches will determine which clubs advance to the next stage of the competition.

Key matches include Derry City of Northern Ireland hosting CSKA Sofia from Bulgaria, and Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv traveling to Romania to face U. Cluj. Other notable ties see Slovenian outfit Aluminij taking on S. Tiraspol of Moldova, and Hungarian champions Ferencvaros playing host to Serbia’s Vojvodina.

The schedule also features Zilina of Slovakia against Hajduk Split from Croatia, and Vestri of Iceland facing Qarabag of Azerbaijan in later kick-offs. These games are crucial for teams looking to make an early impact and progress in Europe’s second-tier club competition.

Conference League First Qualifying Round (Second Leg)

The UEFA Europa Conference League, Europe’s newest club competition, also begins its qualifying journey with a substantial number of first-round, second-leg matches. This tournament provides a platform for a wider range of clubs to compete on the European stage.

The day’s action starts early with multiple games at 17:00 CET. FC Astana from Kazakhstan will play their second leg against Dinamo Tirana of Albania, while Finnish club Inter Turku hosts Sarajevo from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Yelimay Semey, also from Kazakhstan, faces Alashkert of Armenia.

As the afternoon progresses, matches in Finland, Estonia, Armenia, Gibraltar, Georgia, Luxembourg, Lithuania, and Latvia will take place. Ilves (Finland) plays Differdange (Luxembourg), Paide (Estonia) faces Hegelmann (Lithuania), and Pyunik (Armenia) meets Marsaxlokk (Malta).

Further fixtures include St Josephs (Gibraltar) against Bohemians (Ireland), Torpedo Kutaisi (Georgia) playing Zira (Azerbaijan), and Levadia (Estonia) hosting Caernarfon (Wales). RFS (Latvia) will compete against Glentoran (Northern Ireland).

Later evening matches will see BATE of Belarus host AF Elbasani (Albania), while Dinamo Tbilisi (Georgia) plays Mondorf (Luxembourg). FC Santa Coloma (Andorra) faces Penybont (Wales), and Milsami (Moldova) takes on Velez Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Vikingur (Faroe Islands) plays Stjarnan (Iceland), and Zalgiris (Lithuania) is set to face Petrovac (Montenegro).

The final set of Conference League fixtures for the day includes Hamrun (Malta) versus Runavik (Faroe Islands), FC Ballkani (Kosovo) against Connah’s Quay (Wales), Shkendija (North Macedonia) playing Europa FC (Gibraltar), and Sileks (North Macedonia) hosting Dinamo Minsk (Belarus). The day concludes with Linfield (Northern Ireland) facing Kalju (Estonia), Mornar (Montenegro) playing Athletic Escaldes (Andorra), and San Marino’s Virtus taking on Dila Gori (Georgia).

This extensive list of fixtures highlights the broad reach of European club football and the opportunities available for clubs from various national associations to compete internationally.

Key Facts

The start of these qualifying rounds is significant for FootballGames10 readers as it marks the beginning of the European club football season. For fans and followers of these clubs, these early matches are crucial for understanding team form, potential new signings, and the overall landscape of European competitions leading up to the group stages. The results from these early qualifying rounds will shape the narrative for the season ahead and provide early indicators of which teams might emerge as contenders.

Source: TuttoMercatoWeb – https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/altre-notizie/i-le-partite-oggi-i-programma-giovedi-16-luglio-2254106