On July 21, 2026, Croatian clubs learned their potential opponents for the upcoming third qualifying rounds in European competitions, including the Europa League, Champions League, and Conference League.

Hajduk's Path in the Europa League

Hajduk Split faces a crucial matchup against Cypriot team Pafos in the second qualifying round of the Europa League. If they succeed, Hajduk will meet Austria's Salzburg in the third round. The first leg of their tie against Pafos will take place on Thursday in Split, with the return leg scheduled for the following Thursday in Cyprus. Should they advance, Hajduk will again play at home in the first leg of the third round, with the second leg set to occur in Salzburg. The third qualifying round matches are slated for August 6 and 13.

However, if Hajduk is unable to overcome Pafos, they will drop into the Conference League third qualifying round, where they will face the winner of the matchup between Dinamo Tbilisi from Georgia and Lithuania's Žalgiris. The first leg of this potential tie will be played away from home.

Dinamo Zagreb's Champions League Journey

Dinamo Zagreb, the reigning champions, also discovered their possible route forward. If they are eliminated by Switzerland's Thun in the Champions League second qualifying round, Dinamo will drop into the Europa League third qualifying round, where they could face either Iceland's Vikingur or Israel's Hapoel Beer Sheva. Conversely, if Dinamo advances past Thun, they will enter the Champions League third qualifying round, where they will meet the winner of the tie between Klaksvik from the Faroe Islands and Lithuania's Kauno Žalgiris, managed by Željko Sopić. The first legs of this round are scheduled for August 4 and 5, with second legs on August 11.

Notably, UEFA has changed the format for this season's "champions' path" draw, allowing Dinamo to encounter a broader range of potential opponents compared to previous years. Before focusing on the third qualifying round, Dinamo will first compete against Thun in the second qualifying round's first leg on Tuesday in Switzerland, starting at 8 pm, with the return leg set for July 28.

Rijeka and Varaždin's Conference League Prospects

Rijeka and Varaždin also identified their potential opponents in the Conference League. Rijeka, if they manage to defeat Ireland's Derry City in the second round, will face the winner of the tie between Iceland's Stjarnan and Finland's Ilves. Meanwhile, Varaždin, if they overcome Czech side Jablonec, will take on the winner of the matchup between Latvia's RFS and Iceland's Vestri. The third qualifying round fixtures in the Conference League are also set for August 6 and 13.

As the Croatian clubs prepare for these pivotal matches, the upcoming weeks promise to be crucial for their European ambitions.