Champions League Play-Off Drama Ends: The Battle of 36 Teams Begins

The qualifying phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League has come to an end. The demanding journey that began on July 7 concluded with the second legs of the play-off round on August 26. Attention now turns to the league phase, where 36 teams will compete for European football's most prestigious club title.

Fenerbahçe Return to the Champions League After 18 Years

One of the most notable results of the play-off round came from Fenerbahçe.

After drawing 1-1 with Lyon in the first leg in Istanbul, the Turkish side traveled to France for the decisive second leg. Fenerbahçe won 2-1 at Groupama Stadium, securing a 3-2 aggregate victory and a place in the Champions League league phase.

Vedat Muriqi and Archie Brown gave Fenerbahçe a 2-0 lead at half-time, before Malick Fofana pulled one back for Lyon in the second half. Despite sustained pressure from the French side, Fenerbahçe held on to secure their return to the main stage of the Champions League after many years.

According to UEFA, Fenerbahçe have reached the Champions League league phase for the first time since the 2008/09 season after successfully coming through the qualifying rounds.

Sabah FK Make Azerbaijani Football History

Another major story of the play-off round came from Azerbaijan.

After losing 2-1 away to Israeli side Hapoel Beer-Sheva in the first leg, Sabah FK produced a historic comeback in the second leg in Baku.

Sabah led 4-2 after 90 minutes and then scored twice in extra time to complete a remarkable 5-2 victory. With a 6-4 aggregate win, the Azerbaijani side secured its place in the Champions League league phase.

The achievement has special significance for Sabah. UEFA notes that the club successfully came through four Champions League qualifying ties, becoming the second Azerbaijani club after Qarabağ to reach the league phase.

The comeback against Hapoel Beer-Sheva has already established itself as one of the most memorable stories of the play-off round.

LASK Complete Incredible Comeback

Another remarkable result came in the tie between LASK and Celtic.

Celtic had won the first leg 3-0. In the second leg, the Scottish side scored again in the first half to establish a 4-0 aggregate lead.

However, LASK refused to give up. The Austrian side won the match 5-1 to force extra time, before scoring again to win the tie 5-4 on aggregate and qualify for the Champions League league phase.

Seven Teams Qualify From the Play-Offs

Following the final matches played on August 26, the seven teams advancing from the play-off round to the league phase are:

• 🇦🇿 Sabah FK
• 🇦🇹 LASK
• 🇳🇴 Bodø/Glimt
• 🇹🇷 Fenerbahçe
• 🇬🇷 AEK Athens
• 🇳🇴 Viking
• 🇸🇰 Slovan Bratislava

The teams eliminated in the play-offs will continue their European campaigns in the UEFA Europa League league phase.

All Eyes Now on the League Phase

With the qualifying rounds complete, a new chapter of the Champions League is about to begin.

In the 2026/27 season, 36 teams will compete in a single league phase instead of the traditional group-stage format. Each team will play a total of 8 matches against different opponents. Alongside Europe's biggest clubs, Fenerbahçe and Sabah FK will also take their places on this prestigious stage.

The draw will determine the opponents Fenerbahçe and Sabah FK will face in the league phase.

The first matches of the Champions League league phase will be played between September 8 and 10, 2026.

A new chapter in European football is now beginning. Alongside giants such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, PSG, Liverpool and Inter, Fenerbahçe and Sabah FK will also face some of Europe's biggest clubs.

And for Turkish and Azerbaijani football in particular, this season promises to be a very special one.