On Monday at 15:00, both AEK and Aris will discover their potential opponents for the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League, the continent’s third-tier club competition.
AEK, alongside Hapoel Be’er Sheva-who were recently eliminated on penalties by Levski Sofia and thus drawn into the same pot as the Greek side-will be seeded in the strong teams’ group. Conversely, Aris Thessaloniki will be placed among the unseeded clubs.
Potential Adversaries for AEK in the Third Qualifying Round
AEK’s possible challengers come from a diverse range of European leagues, reflecting the broad competitive landscape of the Conference League. Here are the matchups that could determine their next hurdle:
- Balkani (Kosovo) vs. Floriana (Malta)
- Raków (Poland) vs. Žilina (Slovakia)
- Rosenborg (Norway) vs. Banga (Lithuania)
- Viking (Norway) vs. Koper (Slovenia)
- Ararat (Armenia) vs. Universitatea Cluj (Romania)
- Austria Wien (Austria) vs. Spaeri (Georgia)
- Vaduz (Liechtenstein) vs. Dungannon Swifts (Northern Ireland)
- Dundee United (Scotland) vs. Strassen (Luxembourg)
- AIK (Sweden) vs. Paide (Estonia)
- Larne (Northern Ireland) vs. Prishtina (Kosovo)
- Hafnarfjörður (Faroe Islands) vs. Brøndby (Denmark)
- Silkeborg (Denmark) vs. Akureyri (Iceland)
- Vardar (North Macedonia) vs. Lausanne (Switzerland)
- Aris Limassol (Cyprus) vs. Puskás Akadémia (Hungary)
- Sarajevo (Bosnia) vs. Craiova (Romania)
- Sutjeska (Montenegro) vs. Beitar Jerusalem (Israel)
- St Patrick’s (Ireland) vs. Kalju (Estonia)
- Zalgiris (Lithuania) vs. Valur (Iceland)
- Polissya (Ukraine) vs. Santa Coloma (Andorra)
- Košice (Slovakia) vs. Neman (Belarus)
- Atlètic Escaldes (Andorra) vs. Dinamo City (Albania)
- Midtjylland (Denmark) vs. Hibernian (Scotland) (Loser from Europa League 2nd qualifying round)
- Anderlecht (Belgium) vs. Häcken (Sweden) (Loser from Europa League 2nd qualifying round)
- Celje (Slovenia) vs. AEK Larnaca (Cyprus) (Loser from Europa League 2nd qualifying round)
- Levski Sofia (Bulgaria) vs. Braga (Portugal) (Loser from Europa League 2nd qualifying round)
Aris’ Possible Opponents in the Upcoming Qualifiers
Aris faces a challenging draw with a variety of clubs from across Europe, including some teams dropping down from the Europa League qualifiers. The following pairings highlight the competitive field:
- AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) vs. Tampere United (Finland)
- Rapid Vienna (Austria) vs. Dečić (Montenegro)
- Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) vs. Aktobe (Kazakhstan)
- Chernomorets (Bulgaria) vs. Başakşehir (Turkey)
- Olexandriya (Ukraine) vs. Partizan (Serbia)
- Torpedo-BelAZ (Belarus) vs. Maccabi Haifa (Israel)
- St Joseph’s (Gibraltar) vs. Shamrock Rovers (Ireland)
- Omonia (Cyprus) vs. Torpedo Kutaisi (Georgia)
- Novi Pazar (Serbia) vs. Jagiellonia (Poland)
- Kardzhali (Bulgaria) vs. Helsinki (Finland)
- Varazdin (Croatia) vs. Santa Clara (Portugal)
- Zimbru Chișinău (Moldova) vs. Astana (Kazakhstan)
- Hammarby (Sweden) vs. Charleroi (Belgium)
- Radnički 1923 (Serbia) vs. KÍ Klaksvík (Faroe Islands)
- Vllaznia (Albania) vs. Víkingur (Iceland)
- Zira (Azerbaijan) vs. Hajduk Split (Croatia)
- Riga (Latvia) vs. Dila (Georgia)
- Paksi (Hungary) vs. Maribor (Slovenia)
- Hibernians (Malta) vs. Spartak Trnava (Slovakia)
- Pyunik (Armenia) vs. Győr (Hungary)
- Petrocub (Moldova) vs. Sabah (Azerbaijan)
- Lugano (Switzerland) vs. Cluj (Romania) (Loser from Europa League 2nd qualifying round)
- Beşiktaş (Turkey) vs. Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) (Loser from Europa League 2nd qualifying round)
- Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova) vs. Utrecht (Netherlands) (Loser from Europa League 2nd qualifying round)
- Banik Ostrava (Czech Republic) vs. Legia Warsaw (Poland) (Loser from Europa League 2nd qualifying round)
Context and Significance
The UEFA Conference League continues to grow in prestige, offering clubs from smaller leagues a valuable platform to compete on the European stage. For Greek teams like AEK and Aris, progressing through these qualifiers is crucial not only for sporting success but also for financial gains and international exposure. Recent seasons have seen increased viewership and sponsorship, with UEFA reporting a 20% rise in global audience engagement for the Conference League in 2024.
Moreover, the inclusion of teams dropping from the Europa League qualifiers adds an extra layer of competitiveness, as these clubs often bring higher experience and quality. This dynamic makes the upcoming draw particularly intriguing for fans and analysts alike.
– Football Meets Data (@fmeetsdata) July 17, 2025