Brighton Learn Conference League Play-Off Opponent: Cluj or Tromso Await

Brighton & Hove AlbionTeam·Brighton & Hove Albion have learned their potential opponents for the 2026-27 UEFA Conference League play-off round, with the English club set to face the winner of the third qualifying round tie between Romanian side CFR Cluj and Norwegian club Tromso IL. The draw confirms a crucial two-legged fixture that will determine Brighton's entry into the competition's league phase.

Brighton secured their place in European competition by finishing eighth in the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League during the 2025/26 season. Their inaugural competitive fixture of the 2026-27 campaign will be the away leg of the Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League play-off, scheduled for Thursday, August 20. The return leg at the Amex Stadium will follow a week later, on Thursday, August 27.

Before facing Brighton, CFR Cluj and Tromso IL will contest their third qualifying round tie over two legs, on August 6 and August 13. CFR Cluj finished third in Romania's Liga ICompetition·Liga I in the 2025-26 season and participated in the UEFA Europa LeagueCompetition·Europa League, reaching the third qualifying round before dropping into the Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League play-off path. Their current 2026-27 Liga ICompetition·Liga I season has seen a stuttering start, with one win and two losses from their opening three league games. Tromso IL, conversely, finished third in the 16-club Norwegian EliteserienCompetition·Eliteserien in their 2025 season, also securing a European spot. They entered the Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League after a loss in the Europa LeagueCompetition·Europa League second qualifying round. Tromso are currently in strong form in their 2026-27 EliteserienCompetition·Eliteserien season, sitting third in the standings after 16 games, four points behind the leaders.

The financial incentives for progression in the UEFA Conference League are notable. The total prize money pot for the 2026-27 competition stands at €285 million, mirroring the amount from the previous year. Clubs that successfully navigate the play-off round and qualify for the league phase are awarded a base fee of €3.17 million.

Performance-related payouts further enhance the financial rewards. A victory in the league phase earns a club €400,000, while a draw secures €133,000. Teams finishing in the top eight of the league phase receive an additional €400,000, and those placing between ninth and 24th, qualifying for the knockout round play-offs, are awarded €200,000. Advancing through the knockout stages brings increasingly substantial sums: €800,000 for the Round of 16, €1.3 million for the Quarter-finals, and €2.5 million for the Semi-finals. The runners-up in the final receive €4 million, with the eventual winners earning a total of €7 million, which includes an additional €3 million on top of the final qualification prize.