ŽNK Mura and ŽNK Hajduk SplitTeam·ŽNK Hajduk Split are set to face each other in a crucial third-place playoff on August 8, 2026, at Športni park Radenci. This encounter is part of the UEFA Women's Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League 2026/27 Second Qualifying Round, Mini-tournament 1 (Champions Path), following both teams' defeats in their respective semi-final matches.
Mura, representing Slovenia, enters the contest after a 3-1 extra-time loss to Farul ConstanțaTeam·Farul Constanța in their semi-final on August 5. Croatia's Hajduk Split also fell short, losing 3-2 to Austria Wien in their own semi-final fixture on the same day. The upcoming match offers both clubs an opportunity to secure a more favorable position in European competition, despite missing out on the Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League proper this season.
The stakes for this third-place match are significant. While the winners of the Second Qualifying Round finals advance to the Third Qualifying Round of the UEFA Women's Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League, teams finishing as runners-up and in third place in these mini-tournaments will transfer to the UEFA Women's Europa Cup. A third-place finish ensures entry into the first qualifying round of that competition, providing a continued European journey.
Mura arrives with a strong domestic pedigree, having completed a domestic double in the 2025/26 season by winning their 13th Slovenian League (1. SŽNL) championship and the Slovenian Cup. Their previous UEFA Women's Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League 2025/26 qualification campaign saw them exit after a 0-2 defeat to GKS Katowice (W)Team·GKS Katowice (W) in the second round, though they did participate in the UEFA Women's Europa Cup later that season.
Hajduk Split, from the Croatian Women's League (1. HNLŽ), demonstrated solid form in the 2025/26 season, recording nine wins, one draw, and two losses in 12 fixtures, scoring 41 goals and conceding 12. Their recent results in late May 2026 included a 1-2 loss to Agram Zagreb WTeam·Agram Zagreb W, alongside victories over Medimurje Cakovec W (3-0) and Din. Zagreb WTeam·Din. Zagreb W (0-2). This consistent domestic performance underscores their ambition on the European stage.
As the 2026/27 UEFA Women's Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League qualifying rounds progress, the match between Mura and Hajduk Split represents more than just a consolation fixture. It is a direct battle for European standing and a chance to continue their continental campaigns in the UEFA Women's Europa Cup, highlighting the competitive depth across European women's football.
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