The 2026/27 UEFA Conference League began on October 15 with an opening round full of goals, unexpected results and encouraging performances from several contenders. Atalanta started their European campaign with a 3-1 home victory over Pafos, while Brighton delivered the most emphatic result of the round, beating Kauno Žalgiris 4-0 to take first place in the early standings.
The biggest surprise came in Croatia, where Hajduk Split defeated Ajax 2-1. Elsewhere, Trabzonspor scored four goals away from home against KuPS, Copenhagen beat Braga 3-0 and Lugano edged Crvena Zvezda 3-2 in a competitive encounter.
These results provide the first indications of how the league phase might develop, although it is far too early to identify the eventual favourites with confidence. Every club has played only once, and the new format rewards consistency across several fixtures rather than a single impressive evening.
For Italian football, the main story was Atalanta's positive opening. The Bergamo side established a three-goal advantage before half-time and secured three valuable points, even though Pafos managed to score late in the match.

Atalanta 3-1 Pafos: a productive first half sets the tone

Atalanta made an excellent start to their European campaign with a 3-1 victory over Pafos at the New Balance Arena. The Italian side settled the contest during the first half, scoring three times and putting the visitors under considerable pressure.
The opening goal arrived after just one minute. Giacomo Raspadori provided the delivery, and Eljif Elmas finished to give Atalanta an immediate advantage. Scoring so early allowed the home side to approach the remainder of the first half with greater confidence.
Raspadori then doubled the lead from the penalty spot in the 18th minute. His contribution was central to Atalanta's strong opening, with the forward involved in the attacking sequences that helped the Italian team establish control.
Gianluca Scamacca added the third goal in the 44th minute. Atalanta went into the break with a comfortable lead and a clear advantage in the scoreline.
Pafos improved its position only near the end of the match. Biel scored in the 88th minute, reducing the deficit to 3-1, but there was not enough time to change the outcome.
The late goal was a reminder that even a match with a substantial margin can require concentration until the final whistle. Nevertheless, Atalanta completed the task and collected three points in their opening fixture.

What Atalanta can take from the performance

The most encouraging aspect was the speed with which Atalanta imposed themselves on the game. An early goal, followed by a penalty and another strike before half-time, gave the team a platform from which to manage the second period.
The result also provides a positive starting point for the remainder of the league phase. However, one victory cannot establish whether the team will maintain the same level against different opponents.
Atalanta will need to combine their attacking efficiency with defensive concentration, particularly when matches become tighter. The goal conceded in the closing minutes did not affect the points gained, but it shows why game management remains important even when the result appears secure.
For now, the Bergamo club can be satisfied with its opening performance while keeping its attention on the next challenge.

Brighton dominate Kauno Žalgiris to claim first place

Brighton produced the most convincing scoreline of the opening round, defeating Kauno Žalgiris 4-0 in England. The result placed the Seagulls at the top of the standings, thanks to their four goals and clean sheet.
Georginio Rutter was one of the main figures in the victory, scoring twice. He opened the scoring in the 41st minute, before Hinshelwood added a second goal in first-half stoppage time.
Brighton continued to attack after the interval. In the 53rd minute, Ibrahim Osman helped create another opportunity for Rutter, who completed his brace. Matt O'Riley then headed home the fourth goal in the 67th minute from a cross delivered by Younes Ibrahim.
The final score reflected Brighton's attacking effectiveness and their ability to turn possession into clear opportunities. A four-goal victory also gives the English side an early advantage in goal difference, a factor that can become important in a competition where several clubs may finish level on points.
There is still a long way to go, however. Brighton's opening performance was impressive, but the real test will be whether the team can reproduce that efficiency against stronger or tactically different opponents.
For the moment, the club has made the kind of start that can build confidence and establish early momentum.

Hajduk Split 2-1 Ajax: a major European statement

Hajduk Split delivered one of the most memorable results of the first matchday by beating Ajax 2-1. The Croatian club combined aggressive pressing with an immediate response to the visitors' equaliser, earning a victory that attracted particular attention from UEFA.
Hajduk took the lead in the 37th minute when Abdoulie Sanyang converted an opportunity created by Marin Šotiček. The home side went into half-time ahead and had demonstrated that Ajax would not enjoy an easy evening.
Ajax responded in the 53rd minute through Davy Klaassen. The equaliser appeared to give the Dutch side an opportunity to regain control, but Hajduk answered just three minutes later.
Michele Šego helped create the decisive move, allowing Šotiček to score the winning goal and restore the home team's advantage. Šotiček therefore contributed directly to both goals, finishing the match as one of the standout performers of the round.
UEFA subsequently selected Hajduk Split's 2-1 victory over Ajax as its Performance of the Week for the opening matchday. The recognition reflected both the significance of the result and the way Hajduk used pressing and direct attacking play to trouble their opponents.
For Hajduk, the victory was especially meaningful because it marked a return to European competition after 16 years, according to UEFA's match report.
Ajax, meanwhile, must respond quickly. A single defeat does not define an entire campaign, but dropping points in the opening round means that the next fixture becomes an opportunity to recover lost ground.

Trabzonspor and Copenhagen deliver strong performances

Trabzonspor also made a significant impression by defeating KuPS 4-2 away from home. Scoring four times on the road is an encouraging achievement, especially in a competition where away matches can prove difficult.
According to UEFA's round-up, Mohamed Salah contributed a goal and an assist, while Djú Franculino scored twice. Their involvement helped Trabzonspor secure three points and finish the opening round in third place.
Copenhagen were equally convincing in their 3-0 victory over Braga. The Danish side secured a comfortable result, while the Portuguese club were left without points and with a negative goal difference of three.
Lugano claimed a 3-2 win against Crvena Zvezda in another entertaining match. The Swiss team earned three points, while the Serbian side began its campaign with a defeat.
Monaco won 2-1 away to CSKA Sofia, and Gent defeated Aarhus 1-0. Twente also won by a single goal, beating Thun 1-0, while Mjällby recorded a 2-0 victory over Inter Escaldes.
Freiburg had to work hard to overcome Jablonec 3-2, while Brann defeated Lincoln Red Imps by the same 2-1 margin recorded by Panathinaikos against Borac Banja Luka.
Four matches ended in draws: Egnatia against Midtjylland, Hearts against Nordsjælland, Riga FC against Kairat Almaty, and Universitatea Craiova against Getafe all finished 1-1.
The distribution of results illustrates how varied the opening round was. Some teams immediately established themselves through convincing victories, while others will need more time to find their rhythm.

All Conference League matchday one results

The opening round took place on Thursday, October 15, 2026. The schedule featured 18 matches, split between the 18:45 and 21:00 kick-off windows.
Match Result
CSKA Sofia vs Monaco 1-2
Egnatia vs Midtjylland 1-1
Gent vs Aarhus 1-0
Hajduk Split vs Ajax 2-1
KuPS vs Trabzonspor 2-4
Lugano vs Crvena Zvezda 3-2
Mjällby vs Inter Escaldes 2-0
Panathinaikos vs Borac Banja Luka 2-1
Riga FC vs Kairat Almaty 1-1
Universitatea Craiova vs Getafe 1-1
Atalanta vs Pafos 3-1
Brann vs Lincoln Red Imps 2-1
Brighton vs Kauno Žalgiris 4-0
Copenhagen vs Braga 3-0
Freiburg vs Jablonec 3-2
Hearts vs Nordsjælland 1-1
St. Truiden vs Iberia Tbilisi 2-0
Twente vs Thun 1-0

Conference League standings after the first matchday

Brighton lead the table with three points and a goal difference of plus four. Copenhagen are second on plus three, while Trabzonspor and Atalanta follow with plus two.
The standings remain provisional because every team has played only once. The following table reflects the first-round results and the supplied ordering for teams with identical records.
Pos. Team P W D L Goals GD Pts
1 Brighton 1 1 0 0 4-0 +4 3
2 Copenhagen 1 1 0 0 3-0 +3 3
3 Trabzonspor 1 1 0 0 4-2 +2 3
4 Atalanta 1 1 0 0 3-1 +2 3
5 Mjällby 1 1 0 0 2-0 +2 3
6 St. Truiden 1 1 0 0 2-0 +2 3
7 Freiburg 1 1 0 0 3-2 +1 3
8 Lugano 1 1 0 0 3-2 +1 3
9 Monaco 1 1 0 0 2-1 +1 3
10 Hajduk Split 1 1 0 0 2-1 +1 3
11 Panathinaikos 1 1 0 0 2-1 +1 3
12 Brann 1 1 0 0 2-1 +1 3
13 Gent 1 1 0 0 1-0 +1 3
14 Twente 1 1 0 0 1-0 +1 3
15 Getafe 1 0 1 0 1-1 0 1
16 Midtjylland 1 0 1 0 1-1 0 1
17 Nordsjælland 1 0 1 0 1-1 0 1
18 Kairat Almaty 1 0 1 0 1-1 0 1
19 Hearts 1 0 1 0 1-1 0 1
20 Egnatia 1 0 1 0 1-1 0 1
21 Universitatea Craiova 1 0 1 0 1-1 0 1
22 Riga FC 1 0 1 0 1-1 0 1
23 Jablonec 1 0 0 1 2-3 -1 0
24 Crvena Zvezda 1 0 0 1 2-3 -1 0
25 Ajax 1 0 0 1 1-2 -1 0
26 Borac Banja Luka 1 0 0 1 1-2 -1 0
27 Lincoln Red Imps 1 0 0 1 1-2 -1 0
28 CSKA Sofia 1 0 0 1 1-2 -1 0
29 Aarhus 1 0 0 1 0-1 -1 0
30 Thun 1 0 0 1 0-1 -1 0
31 KuPS 1 0 0 1 2-4 -2 0
32 Pafos 1 0 0 1 1-3 -2 0
33 Inter Escaldes 1 0 0 1 0-2 -2 0
34 Iberia Tbilisi 1 0 0 1 0-2 -2 0
35 Braga 1 0 0 1 0-3 -3 0
36 Kauno Žalgiris 1 0 0 1 0-4 -4 0

Understanding the league-phase format

The Conference League features 36 teams in its league phase, with each club playing six matches against six different opponents. Teams play three matches at home and three away.
At the end of this stage, the top eight clubs qualify directly for the round of 16. Teams finishing between ninth and 24th enter the knockout play-offs, while clubs in positions 25 to 36 are eliminated.
This format makes goal difference an important consideration. Brighton's four-goal margin provides an early advantage, while Copenhagen have also started strongly. Trabzonspor and Atalanta are close behind, although the Italian side will need to maintain its performance level over the coming weeks.
It is too early to make reliable predictions about the final standings. Six matches offer plenty of opportunities for teams to recover from a poor start or lose ground after an encouraging opening result.

Atalanta's next challenge: a trip to Ajax

Atalanta's next Conference League fixture is away to Ajax on Thursday, October 22. The Dutch club will be looking to respond after losing 2-1 at Hajduk Split, while the Italian side will aim to build on its victory over Pafos.
The match could be an important early test for both teams. Atalanta will want to preserve its momentum and demonstrate that its attacking efficiency can travel beyond Bergamo. Ajax, meanwhile, must find a response to its opening defeat if it wants to avoid putting itself under pressure in the early standings.
The match should not be approached as a foregone conclusion. Ajax remain a club with considerable European experience, and their first-round defeat does not automatically make them less dangerous.
Other fixtures to watch include Jablonec against Brighton, Monaco against Freiburg, Braga against Gent and Trabzonspor against Hearts. The second round should provide a clearer picture of which teams can sustain their early momentum.

A competition that remains wide open

The first matchday offered a mixture of convincing victories, close contests and surprising results. Brighton made the strongest start in terms of goal difference, Trabzonspor impressed away from home, and Hajduk Split earned a memorable victory against Ajax.
Atalanta also have good reason to be satisfied. Their 3-1 win over Pafos gives them three points and a positive goal difference, while leaving room for further improvement as the campaign develops.
Ajax, Braga and Crvena Zvezda face an early need to recover, but one defeat is not enough to determine their European fate. The next fixtures will be important opportunities to regain confidence and improve their positions.
The 2026/27 Conference League has only just begun. Its opening round has produced several compelling stories, but the final hierarchy will depend on consistency, tactical flexibility and the ability to collect points across six matches.
For Atalanta, the immediate objective is to turn a positive home performance into a convincing away result. For Brighton, the challenge is to protect their early advantage. And for Hajduk Split, the victory over Ajax offers a memorable foundation on which to build the rest of their European campaign.

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