Champions League Qualification Enters its Final Chapter

The long road to the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League group stage is nearing its conclusion this week, with the second legs of the play-off round set to determine the final teams to reach the competition's league phase.
Three of the seven play-off ties will be decided today. In two of them, the outcome already appears to be heavily tilted in one direction. Celtic hold a commanding 3-0 lead over LASK, while Bodø/Glimt are in an equally strong position after beating NEC Nijmegen 3-1 away from home. Barring a remarkable turnaround, both sides are on the brink of securing their place in the next stage.
The tie between Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Sabah remains far more open. The Israeli side take a narrow 2-1 advantage to Azerbaijan after the first leg, but an away trip to Sabah promises a very different test. With everything still to play for, the tie is finely balanced.
The remaining four second-leg fixtures in the Champions League play-offs will be played tomorrow. Once the final qualifiers are confirmed, attention will immediately turn to Thursday's league-phase draw.
