FC Lugano - Maccabi Tel Aviv

Lugano enter this final round of Conference League qualification riding a wave of clinical attacking form. Their recent schedule has been defined by high-scoring displays, highlighted by a dominant 10-1 victory over Vedeggio Calcio and a commanding 5-0 win against FC Zuerich. Having successfully navigated their previous qualifying ties against NSI Runavik and Dukagjini, the Swiss side appears to have found a rhythm that makes them a formidable opponent at AIL Arena on 20 August 2026.

Maccabi Tel Aviv arrive at this stage following a turbulent run in European competition. After sweeping aside FC Sheriff with an aggregate 6-0 scoreline, they suffered a challenging exit from the Europa League qualification against CSKA Sofia, despite a spirited 3-1 win in the second leg. They regained some momentum with a narrow victory over Maccabi Netanya in the Toto Cup, but they will need to tighten their defensive structure to withstand the hosts in this decisive encounter.