The 2025/26 UEFA Europa League campaign kicked off on Thursday with several thrilling first-leg encounters in the qualifying rounds. Shakhtar Donetsk provided the standout performance with an emphatic 6-0 win, while Legia Warsaw, AEK Larnaca, and Sheriff Tiraspol all secured crucial home victories. The qualification journey continues with intense second-leg fixtures next week, with teams like Shakhtar and Sheriff making significant strides toward the group stages.
The 2025/26 UEFA Europa League kicked off in thrilling fashion on Thursday as 16 teams entered the first qualifying round. For many of these sides, the journey to European glory began with high stakes and significant pressure, as the competition offers a rare opportunity for clubs to showcase their talents on the continental stage.
Among the early highlights of the first leg, Shakhtar Donetsk stole the show with a dominant 6-0 win over Finland’s Ilves. The Ukrainian side demonstrated their class and superiority, with five different players finding the net. This victory marked their second-largest margin of victory in any UEFA club competition, putting them in a commanding position ahead of next week’s second leg. The result also showcased Shakhtar’s attacking depth and ruthlessness, setting a tone for their campaign.
In a much tighter affair, Legia Warsaw edged Kazakhstan’s Aktobe 1-0 in Poland. The match was a typical Europa League battle, with both teams fighting hard for a crucial first-leg advantage. Legia’s narrow victory will serve as a platform for them to build upon as they look to make a push toward the group stages. The Polish side’s performance was solid, but they will need to improve if they are to hold on to their slim advantage in the second leg.
AEK Larnaca also managed to secure a 1-0 win on home soil, defeating Partizan Belgrade. The match was a tactical battle, with both sides displaying resilience. AEK’s win puts them in a strong position to progress, but the Serbian side will not make it easy in the return leg. Similarly, in a goalless encounter, Levski Sofia and Hapoel Be’er Sheva struggled to break the deadlock, even though the latter had a man advantage for 25 minutes. The match was marred by two red cards, with Maicon and Eliel Peretz both sent off in a frustrating game that leaves everything to play for in the second leg.
Elsewhere, Sheriff Tiraspol impressed with a resounding 4-0 win over Kosovo’s Prishtina. Cyrille Bayala was the standout performer, netting a hat-trick for the Moldovan side. Sheriff’s dominant victory ended a six-match winless streak in European home matches, giving them a much-needed morale boost ahead of their trip to Kosovo next week.
The competition also saw several teams battle to secure their place in the second round of qualifying. Sabah Baku, in their Europa League debut, took a crucial step toward advancing, despite a 3-2 loss to Celje. The Azeri side made an early impact with Pavol Safranko’s quick-fire goal, but Darko Hrka’s dramatic 93rd-minute winner for Celje handed the Slovenians a slight advantage heading into the second leg in Slovenia.
In Hungary, Paks and CFR Cluj played to a goalless draw, with both teams failing to break the deadlock. Neither side could create any meaningful chances, meaning that the second leg in Romania next week is set to be a thrilling, winner-takes-all affair.
Hacken, from Sweden, managed a narrow 1-0 victory over Slovakia’s Spartak Trnava. Severin Nioule’s goal in the 56th minute proved to be the difference in what was a close contest. Hacken will now head back to Sweden with a slender advantage, looking to seal their progression into the next round.
With all eyes on the return fixtures next Thursday, it’s clear that the first qualifying round of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League has already delivered drama and excitement. The second-leg encounters promise to offer even more as teams fight for their place in the prestigious group stages.
