Finnish Clubs In Europe: UECL Draws Set For Inter, Ilves And HJK

KuPS' Champions League run comes to an end against Sabah Baku

Conference League Draw: HJK could face Freiburg, Inter and Ilves eye Danish ties. Inter Turku, Ilves and HJK discover possible Conference League opponents.

Three Finnish teams learn UECL play-off paths after third qualifying round...

KuPS will play either Ararat-Armenia or Celje in the UEFA Europa League play-off round if they get past Universitatea Craiova, according to the final qualifying round draw procedures.

After exiting the UEFA Champions League qualifiers with a loss to Sabah Baku, KuPS have dropped into the Europa League. They host the Romanian side in the first leg on August 6th, with the return leg in Craiova a week later.

Ararat-Armenia of Yerevan and Slovenian champions Celje are set to meet in the Champions League. The loser of that tie will face either KuPS or Universitatea Craiova in the Europa League play-off for a spot in the UEL group stage.

The Europa League play-off round is scheduled for August 20th and 27th. If KuPS are knocked out by the Romanian side, they will still play in Europe on those dates, but in the Conference League play-off round instead.

Should KuPS lose to Craiova, their next opponents would be the loser of Shamrock Rovers from Ireland and Egnatia from Albania. Beating that team would put KuPS into the Conference League league phase for the second year running.

Finnish clubs learn possible Conference League play-off opponents

If Inter Turku overcome Vaduz of Liechtenstein, they will go on to face the winner of Debrecen from Hungary against Danish heavyweights FC Copenhagen, with a place in the Conference League league phase on the line.

Peliviikko alkaa isolla euroillalla torstaina Väre Areenalla! Viikkoon mahtuvat myös Briotech Kansallisen Liigan mestaruussarjan avaus Helsingissä sekä Veikkausliigan kotiottelu TPS:ää vastaan. 💯 pic.twitter.com/JoASNivBtf

— Kuopion Palloseura (@KuPS1923) August 3, 2026

Ilves could also be up against Danish opposition. Should they beat Croatia’s Rijeka, they would meet the victor of Midtjylland or Dublin’s Bohemians in the next round.

HJK have Scotland’s Motherwell standing in their way in the third qualifying round. Win that, and they face a tough test against last season’s Europa League finalists SC Freiburg from Germany.