Europa Conference League play-offs: First-leg shocks and the ties to finish next week

The europa conference league returned on Thursday, February 26, with first legs of the knockout round play-offs producing upsets, late heartbreak and a string of tight ties that set up decisive return matches next week.

Europa Conference League: results that mattered

Lech Poznań opened a clear advantage by beating KuPS Kuopio 2-0 in Finland, a game in which KuPS spent 78 minutes with one player fewer and failed to score for the eighth time this campaign; Lech’s goals came from Antoni Kozubał and Taofeek Ismaheel, and the visitors have now scored in each of their last 11 away games. At AZ Alkmaar, Noah pulled off a surprise 1-0 victory that handed the Armenians a realistic chance of progressing; that win marked Noah’s 10th clean sheet this season and their ninth at home. AZ suffered their fourth loss in Europe this season and have conceded 12 goals on the road in 2025/26, qualifiers included.

Zrinjski held Crystal Palace to a 1-1 draw in Mostar when Karlo Abramović cancelled out Ismaila Sarr’s opener 10 minutes after the break; Palace finished the match with 71% possession and still failed to secure a win, the second time they have failed to win a continental clash after taking the lead. In Slovenia, Celje edged out Drita 3-2 after a 94th-minute strike ended Drita’s comeback and left the Kosovo side having conceded 24 goals this season. Celje snapped a three-game winless run to close their league phase before the knockout play-offs.

Two ties finished level. Sigma Olomouc and Lausanne-Sport played to a 1-1 draw in Czechia when Nathan Butler-Oyedeji opened the scoring for Lausanne and Danijel Sturm levelled for Sigma; it was the seventh 1-1 result in Sigma’s European history, while Lausanne outshot their opponents 21-9 and remain without a win against Czech opposition (0-3-2). The mix of narrow away leads, home draws and late goals left several ties finely poised heading into the return legs.

Thursday fixtures and where the second legs land

Matches scheduled for Thursday, February 26, offered a range of outcomes that will determine who finishes the job next week. The fixtures and kickoff times were listed for February 26 as follows:

• Fiorentina vs Jagiellonia (3-0 agg) - 18: 45 CET, 17: 45 GMT
• Rijeka vs Omonoia (1-0 agg) - 18: 45 CET, 17: 45 GMT
• Celje vs Drita (3-2 agg) - 18: 45 CET, 17: 45 GMT
• Samsunspor vs Shkëndija (1-0 agg) - 18: 45 CET, 17: 45 GMT
• AZ Alkmaar vs Noah (0-1 agg) - 21: 00 CET, 20: 00 GMT
• Crystal Palace vs Zrinjski (1-1 agg) - 21: 00 CET, 20: 00 GMT
• Lausanne-Sport vs Sigma Olomouc (1-1 agg) - 21: 00 CET, 20: 00 GMT
• Lech Poznań vs KuPS Kuopio (2-0 agg) - 21: 00 CET, 20: 00 GMT

What’s next and when ties resume

The immediate consequence of Thursday’s scores is a compact second leg schedule and a draw that will follow: the europa conference league round of 16 is set for March 12 and March 19, with quarterfinals on April 9 and April 16, semifinals on April 30 and May 7, and the final on May 27 in Leipzig. The draw for the next stage is scheduled to be held live on February 27 at 14: 00 CET, and teams will know their round-of-16 opponents ahead of the return matches next week.

Return legs next week will decide who advances to the round of 16 on March 12 and 19; the draw on February 27 at 14: 00 CET is the next confirmed public event tied to these play-offs.