2025/26 European Overview: Possible opponents and dates

F.C. Copenhagen will enter into the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round (Q2) this summer, courtesy of winning the Danish Superliga title last season.

The Q2 draw will be made on Wednesday 18 June. This will set in motion our path to potentially competing in a European group stage this season.

The Lions will need to navigate three qualifying rounds to make a European group stage: Q2, Q3 and the playoffs.

The only way FCK won't play in Europe in 2025/26 is if the team loses all three qualifying rounds.

European qualification 2025

Who can we face in Champions League Q2?
FCK are seeded in Q2 - and will be so in all qualifying rounds (in all tournaments).

Assuming that the seeded teams in Q1 win their matches, the list of our possible Q2 opponents can be reduced to:

NK Rijeka (Croatia)
Zalgiris Vilnius* (Lithuania)
Pafos FC (Cyprus)
RFS Riga* (Latvia)
Zrinjski Mostar* (Bosnia)
Lincoln Red Imps* (Gibraltar)
KuPS Kuopio* (Finland)
The New Saints* (Wales)
FC Drita* (Kosovo)
Breidablik* (Iceland)
Linfield F.C.* (Northern Ireland)
Buducnost Podgorica* (Montenegro)

(Teams with * must first qualify from the first qualifying round)

There are several old names from our previous European encounters (NK Rijeka, Lincoln Red Imps, KuPS Kuopio, The New Saints, Breidablik, Linfield F.C.) on the list of possible Q2 opponents. During Wednesday's draw, teams will be divided into smaller groups based on geography and coefficient.

The match calendar looks like this:

18 June
Draw for Q2 in the Champions League (FCK enter at Q2 stage)

8/9 and 15/16 July
Q1 matches in the Champions League are played

21 July
Draw for Q3 in all competitions

22/23 and 29/30 July 
Q2 matches in the Champions League are played

4 August
Draw for the playoff round in all competitions

5/6 and 12 August
Q3 matches in the Champions League are played

7 and 14 August
Q3 matches in the Europa League are played

19/20 and 26/27 August
Playoff matches in the Champions League are played

21 and 28 August
Playoff matches in the Europa League and Conference League are played

28 August
Draw for the league phase of the Champions League

29 August
Draw for the league phase of the Europa League and Conference League