AEK Athens secures historic Champions League League Phase spot
AEK Athens has officially qualified for the Champions League League Phase after a dominant 4-0 victory against Levski Sofia in the playoff second leg at the Allwyn Arena on August 26, 2026. Following a goalless draw in the first leg, Luka Jovic opened the scoring in the 7th minute, followed by a brace from Barnabas Varga and a penalty from Razvan Marin, marking the club's return to Europe's premier competition after an eight-year absence.
The qualification brings significant financial rewards, including a base participation fee of 18.62 million euros, with additional bonuses for performance and market pool shares. Club owner Marios Iliopoulos has further rewarded the players with a 2 million euro bonus for the achievement. AEK, placed in Pot 4, participated in the league phase draw held in Monaco on August 27, 2026, where they were assigned eight unique opponents.
This success highlights the tactical progress under coach Marko Nikolic, who continues his strong European record. Other teams, including Fenerbahce, Viking, and Slovan Bratislava, also secured their spots in the revamped 36-team tournament. The first matchday is scheduled for September 8-10, 2026, with the full schedule expected by August 29.