Sabah and Bodo/Glimt secure Champions League spots

On August 25, 2026, Azerbaijani club Sabah FK and Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt secured their places in the UEFA Champions League League Phase after successful playoff matches. Sabah achieved a historic comeback against Hapoel Beer Sheva, winning 5-2 after extra time to overcome a 2-1 first-leg deficit. Under coach Valdas Dambrauskas, the team equalized through Nwachukwu (38') and Rakhmanaliev (74') before Mutalimov forced extra time with a goal in the 90+4' minute. Ebina (101') and Mikels (115') then sealed the victory in the extra period.

Simultaneously, Bodo/Glimt solidified their spot by defeating Nijmegen 3-0 in the return leg, following a 3-1 first-leg win, for a 6-1 aggregate score. The Norwegian team benefited from a 3rd-minute red card for Nijmegen goalkeeper Kratz. Bjorkan (45+2'), Auklend (48'), and a Fonville own goal (73') secured the win, marking Bodo/Glimt's second consecutive qualification for the competition. Both clubs now await the official draw for the league phase pairings to determine their next opponents in the tournament.