SL Benfica has advanced to the third preliminary round of the UEFA Europa League, where the club will face Scotland’s Heart of Midlothian FC, according to club announcements. Following the fixture against Hearts, the Portuguese side coached by Marco Silva already knows its potential path in the competition’s playoff round, carrying the highest coefficient among all clubs in the preliminary stages.
Benfica’s Potential Europa League Playoff Opponents
According to UEFA tournament data, Benfica holds the top seed position for the upcoming draw scheduled for Monday, August 3. If the Lisbon club overcomes Hearts in the third preliminary round, it will face one of 20 possible opponents in the final qualification hurdle before the league phase.
Four teams enter the competition directly at this playoff stage, according to tournament scheduling: Sint-Truiden from Belgium, Trabzonspor from Turkey, OFI Crete from Greece, and Lillestrom from Norway. The remaining 16 potential matchups will be determined by eight upcoming two-legged ties spanning the third preliminary rounds of both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.
Did you know? Benfica holds the highest club coefficient among all participants in the Europa League preliminary rounds, guaranteeing seeded status in every draw leading up to the league phase.
Full List of Possible Playoff Opponents
The draw on August 3 will establish the complete bracket of potential fixtures before the third preliminary round matches conclude. According to tournament regulations, defeated teams from specific Champions League qualifiers drop directly into the Europa League playoff path.
- Hapoel Beer Sheva (Israel) or Red Star Belgrade (Serbia) – *Champions League path
- Sint-Truiden (Belgium)
- Víkingur Reykjavík (Iceland) or Thun (Switzerland) – **Europa League path
- Trabzonspor (Turkey)
- OFI Crete (Greece)
- Larne (Northern Ireland) or Iberia 1999 (Georgia) – **Europa League path
- Lillestrom (Norway)
- Levski Sofia (Bulgaria) or Kairat (Kazakhstan) – *Champions League path
- Ararat-Armenia (Armenia) or Celje (Slovenia) – *Champions League path
- Sabah (Azerbaijan) or AGF Aarhus (Denmark) – *Champions League path
- Kauno Zalgiris (Lithuania) or Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) – *Champions League path
- Mjallby (Sweden) or Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) – *Champions League path
*Denotes third preliminary round ties in the UEFA Champions League, where defeated sides transfer to the Europa League playoff.
**Denotes third preliminary round ties in the UEFA Europa League, where winners advance to the playoff.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the UEFA Europa League playoff draw?
According to UEFA scheduling, the playoff draw takes place on Monday, August 3, which occurs before Benfica plays its third-round match against Hearts.
Who does Benfica play in the third preliminary round?
Benfica faces Scottish club Hearts in the third preliminary round after securing qualification.
How many potential opponents does Benfica have in the playoff?
According to tournament matrices, Benfica faces 20 possible opponents in the playoff round, combining direct entrants and teams advancing from Champions League and Europa League preliminary ties.
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