Ajax
In the opening match of the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round, Dutch side Ajax host Irish side Shelbourne 6 August 2026 at 19:00 BST at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
Ajax will start the third qualifying round of the Conference League at home, and in Amsterdam they could already put themselves in position to reach the decisive qualifying round.
Ajax have gone into the Conference League, a minor tournament by their standards, at full tilt. They barely noticed Vojvodina, brushing them aside 4:1 twice. Is the same fate really waiting for Shelbourne?
It is not only the level of the tournament and the opponents that matters, but also the arrival of Michel as head coach. Under the Spaniard, Ajax regularly score at least once. They have already played enough friendlies against clubs who are far from weak. Even Burnley, relegated to the English Championship, should be stronger than Vojvodina, yet they were still beaten (2:1). When players with Germany national team experience, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Julian Brandt, join them for free, their rivals can only be envious. The Amsterdam side will be among the contenders to at least reach the final of the tournament. The qualifying round goes without saying. They will fail to reach the league phase only if they do not want to.
Shelbourne may want the same, but with a squad worth EUR3.7 million they are unlikely to be able to do much against a giant with a EUR230 million roster. Even in Ireland, Shels cannot compete with the dominant side of recent years, Shamrock Rovers: the Dublin team are only fifth after almost three rounds of fixtures. In the previous Conference League qualifying round they scored as many as six goals, but against whom? Estonian side Nomme Kalju, who are clearly not the main force in their own league. Of course, the visitors will sit deep and hold on with everything they have, but they clearly will not last long.
We should be ready for plenty of Ajax goals of every kind. A penalty cannot be ruled out either. Choosing between the Ajax to win + Over 3.5 goals combo and the Ajax handicap, the better choice is the second. Four goals from the Amsterdam side may not happen, but a 3:0 rout looks almost certain. The odds are only slightly lower.
Atilla Karaoğlan (Turkey)
Matches – 5 (International matches, 2025–2026);
Average fouls per match – 31;
Average yellow cards per match (including second yellow cards) – 7.4;
Matches with a red card – 0 of 5;
Matches with a penalty – 1 of 5.
|
Michel
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Maarten Vincent Paes
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Aaron Bouwman
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Anton Gaaei
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Daley Blind
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Owen Colin Wijndal
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Davy Klaassen
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Oscar Gloukh
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Youri Pieter Regeer
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kasper Dolberg Rasmussen
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Mika Marcel Godts
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Steven Berghuis
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Abdellah Ouazane
|
0 | 0 | |
|
Joeri Jesse Heerkens
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Marc-André ter Stegen
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Caio Henrique Oliveira Silva
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jorthy Mokio
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Lucas Oliveira Rosa
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Youri Pieter Baas
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Julian Brandt
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Maher Mauricio Carrizo
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Marcos Leonardo Santos Almeida
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Oliver Valaker Edvardsen
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Toluwalase Emmanuel Arokodare
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
John Russell
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Edward James Beach
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
James Barry Norris
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kameron Malcolm Ledwidge
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Milan Bernhard Mbeng
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Patrick Barrett
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Samuel Bone
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Evan Caffrey
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jack Henry-Francis
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kerr McInroy
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Daniel Kelly
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Sean Ryan Moore
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Finn Moylan
|
0 | 0 | |
|
Joey Ikala Wuna
|
0 | 0 | |
|
Murray Johnson
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
James Roche
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Odhrán Casey
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Seán Gannon
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Alistair Michael Coote
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jonathan Lunney
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ademipo Ibrahim Odubeko
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Daniel Ring
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rodrigo Costa Freitas
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
William Robert Jarvis
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
Ajax
Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Ajax
Ajax
Olympiacos Piraeus
Villarreal
Ajax
Qarabağ
Ajax
Ajax
Benfica
Ajax
Galatasaray
Chelsea
Ajax
Marseille
Ajax
Ajax
Inter Milan
Nomme Kalju
Shelbourne
Shelbourne
Nomme Kalju
NK Celje
Shelbourne
Shelbourne
Crystal Palace
AZ Alkmaar
Shelbourne
Shelbourne
Drita
Shkendija
Shelbourne
Shelbourne
BK Häcken
Linfield
Shelbourne
Shelbourne
Linfield
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Lugano
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11:4 | 9 |
|
2
|
Panathinaikos
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9:3 | 9 |
|
3
|
Twente
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8:2 | 9 |
|
4
|
Monaco
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7:1 | 9 |
|
5
|
Brighton and Hove Albion
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5:0 | 7 |
|
6
|
Brann
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7:3 | 7 |
|
7
|
Copenhagen
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7:3 | 7 |
|
8
|
Universitatea
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6:2 | 7 |
|
9
|
Mjällby
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5:1 | 7 |
|
10
|
Sint-Truidense
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4:1 | 7 |
|
11
|
Ajax
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9:3 | 6 |
|
12
|
Trabzonspor
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6:3 | 6 |
|
13
|
Hajduk Split
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3:2 | 6 |
|
14
|
Freiburg
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4:5 | 6 |
|
15
|
Crvena Zvezda
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6:6 | 4 |
|
16
|
Atalanta
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4:4 | 4 |
|
17
|
Sporting Braga
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2:3 | 4 |
|
18
|
Gent
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1:2 | 4 |
|
19
|
FC Riga
|
|
3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3:3 | 3 |
|
20
|
FC Thun
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:3 | 3 |
|
21
|
Borac Banja Luka
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:4 | 3 |
|
22
|
Lincoln Red Imps
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:6 | 3 |
|
23
|
Jablonec
|
|
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3:4 | 2 |
|
24
|
Aarhus
|
|
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1:2 | 2 |
|
25
|
Nordsjælland
|
|
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3:5 | 2 |
|
26
|
Egnatia Rrogozhine
|
|
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2:4 | 2 |
|
27
|
Kairat
|
|
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3:7 | 2 |
|
28
|
CSKA Sofia
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4:6 | 1 |
|
29
|
Iberia 1999
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2:5 | 1 |
|
30
|
Pafos
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3:7 | 1 |
|
31
|
Getafe
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3:7 | 1 |
|
32
|
Hearts
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2:6 | 1 |
|
33
|
KuPS
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2:6 | 1 |
|
34
|
Midtjylland
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2:8 | 1 |
|
35
|
Inter Club d'Escaldes
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2:7 | 0 |
|
36
|
FK Kauno Zalgiris
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1:11 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Lugano
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6:2 | 6 |
|
2
|
Panathinaikos
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4:2 | 6 |
|
3
|
Twente
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 6 |
|
4
|
Monaco
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5:0 | 6 |
|
5
|
Copenhagen
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5:1 | 6 |
|
6
|
Mjällby
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4:0 | 6 |
|
7
|
Universitatea
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3:1 | 4 |
|
8
|
Sint-Truidense
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3:1 | 4 |
|
9
|
Crvena Zvezda
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4:3 | 4 |
|
10
|
Atalanta
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4:2 | 4 |
|
11
|
Brighton and Hove Albion
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:0 | 3 |
|
12
|
Brann
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
13
|
Ajax
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
14
|
Trabzonspor
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
15
|
Hajduk Split
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
16
|
Freiburg
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
17
|
Sporting Braga
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
18
|
Gent
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
19
|
FC Thun
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
20
|
Borac Banja Luka
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
21
|
Lincoln Red Imps
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:4 | 3 |
|
22
|
FC Riga
|
|
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2:2 | 2 |
|
23
|
Aarhus
|
|
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1:1 | 2 |
|
24
|
Jablonec
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0:0 | 1 |
|
25
|
Nordsjælland
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2:2 | 1 |
|
26
|
Egnatia Rrogozhine
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
27
|
Iberia 1999
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
28
|
Pafos
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
29
|
Hearts
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
30
|
KuPS
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2:4 | 1 |
|
31
|
Kairat
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:5 | 0 |
|
32
|
CSKA Sofia
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
33
|
Getafe
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2:6 | 0 |
|
34
|
Midtjylland
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:7 | 0 |
|
35
|
Inter Club d'Escaldes
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
36
|
FK Kauno Zalgiris
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Brighton and Hove Albion
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1:0 | 4 |
|
2
|
Brann
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5:2 | 4 |
|
3
|
Lugano
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:2 | 3 |
|
4
|
Panathinaikos
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:1 | 3 |
|
5
|
Twente
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
6
|
Monaco
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
7
|
Universitatea
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
8
|
Sint-Truidense
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
9
|
Ajax
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7:3 | 3 |
|
10
|
Trabzonspor
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:2 | 3 |
|
11
|
Hajduk Split
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1:1 | 3 |
|
12
|
Freiburg
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 3 |
|
13
|
Kairat
|
|
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2:2 | 2 |
|
14
|
Copenhagen
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2:2 | 1 |
|
15
|
Mjällby
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
16
|
Sporting Braga
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0:3 | 1 |
|
17
|
Gent
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0:2 | 1 |
|
18
|
FC Riga
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
19
|
Jablonec
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3:4 | 1 |
|
20
|
Nordsjælland
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1:3 | 1 |
|
21
|
Egnatia Rrogozhine
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1:3 | 1 |
|
22
|
CSKA Sofia
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3:4 | 1 |
|
23
|
Getafe
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
24
|
Midtjylland
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
25
|
Crvena Zvezda
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
26
|
Atalanta
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
27
|
FC Thun
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
28
|
Borac Banja Luka
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
29
|
Lincoln Red Imps
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
30
|
Aarhus
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
31
|
Iberia 1999
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
32
|
Pafos
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2:6 | 0 |
|
33
|
Hearts
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:5 | 0 |
|
34
|
KuPS
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
35
|
Inter Club d'Escaldes
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
36
|
FK Kauno Zalgiris
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0:7 | 0 |
