Bodo/Glimt and Celtic secure major leads in Champions League playoffs

Bodo/Glimt achieved a commanding 3-1 victory against Nijmegen in the Netherlands during the first leg of their Champions League playoff match on August 19, 2026. The Norwegian side dominated the game with goals from Sondre Fet in the 25th minute, Andreas Halmersen in the 44th, and Haitam Aleesami in the 50th, while Clemens Bischoff managed a late consolation goal for the hosts in the 85th minute.

Simultaneously, Celtic secured a dominant 3-0 home win against LASK, fueled by a brace from Camilo Duran and an opening goal by Benjamin Nygren. Other playoff results on the same day saw Hapoel Beer Sheva defeat Sabah 2-1, while Slovan Bratislava and Celje played to a 1-1 draw. These results follow earlier first-leg matches on August 18, which included a 0-0 draw between Levski Sofia and AEK, a 2-2 tie between Dinamo Zagreb and Viking, and a 1-1 deadlock between Fenerbahce and Lyon.

The teams are now preparing for the return legs scheduled for next week, which will determine who advances to the tournament's League Phase.