Potential Clash Between Shelbourne and Linfield in Conference League Playoff Offers €4 Million Reward
The UEFA Conference League playoff round for the 2025/26 season is shaping up to be an enthralling competition, with several teams vying for a spot in the group stage. This round consists of two paths: the Champions Path and the Main Path, each offering a unique challenge for the participating clubs.
Champions Path
The Champions Path involves ten teams, forming five pairings. Four winners from the Conference League third qualifying round Champions Path and six teams dropping down from the Europa League third qualifying round Champions Path make up this group. There are five seeded teams, and five matches to be played over two legs on August 21st and 28th, 2025.
Some of the teams confirmed or seeded for the playoff round include Fiorentina, Crystal Palace, Rayo Vallecano, Mainz 05, Strasbourg, Anderlecht, FC Lugano, Rapid Wien, Partizan Belgrade, and Besiktas, among others.
Main Path
The Main Path involves 38 teams, with five entering directly, 26 winners from the Conference League third qualifying round Main Path, and seven dropping from the Europa League third qualifying round Main Path. There are 19 seeded teams and 19 ties in total, also played over two legs on August 21st and 28th, 2025.
Irish Teams in the Spotlight
Several Irish teams are making waves in the Conference League playoffs. Joey O'Brien's squad, Shelbourne, must overcome Croatian champions Rijeka to reach the Europa League. If they are successful, they could face either PAOK or Wolfsberger AC in the playoff round.
Shamrock Rovers could face an all-island contest against Larne to reach the Conference League. Larne must beat Santa Clara to progress in the Conference League, with the first-leg at the Ballymena Showgrounds on Thursday and the second leg in Ponta Delgada on August 14th. The winners of Larne v Santa Clara will play the winners of Ballkani v Shamrock Rovers in the Conference League playoffs.
If Shelbourne is eliminated, they will drop to the Conference League to play the winners of Linfield and Vikingur. Linfield is expected to see off Vikingur of the Faroe Islands.
Prizes and Advancement
The Conference League playoffs will determine which teams reach the group stage and compete for additional prize money. Reaching the group stage in the Conference League guarantees each club over €4 million in prize money. The 24 winners of these playoff ties will qualify for the Conference League group stage, alongside 12 teams dropping from the Europa League.
The playoff ties are knockout, played over two legs home and away, with the aggregate winner on goals advancing to the league phase.
This covers the scope of teams and fixtures for the UEFA Conference League 2025/26 playoff round as per the latest data available. The excitement is building, and football fans across Europe are eagerly awaiting the start of the playoffs.
- The Champions Path competition in the UEFA Conference League 2025/26 playoff round includes several teams, such as Fiorentina, Crystal Palace, and Partizan Belgrade, among others, who are fighting for a spot in the group stage.
- The Main Path of the UEFA Conference League 2025/26 playoff round features Irish teams like Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers, with Shelbourne needing to overcome Rijeka to have a chance at the Europa League, while Shamrock Rovers could face an all-island contest against Larne.
- The winners of the Conference League playoffs will not only secure a place in the group stage but also receive over €4 million in prize money each, making it a significant achievement for participating clubs.
