Fenerbahçe’s European ambitions are about to face their toughest test yet.
With a second-place finish in the 2024-25 Trendyol Süper Lig, the Yellow Canaries have secured a spot in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round.
The draw, set for July 21 at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, could throw them into the lion’s den of elite European competition.
The Turkish giants must survive two qualifying rounds – third qualifying and playoffs – to earn their place in the 36-team Champions League league phase.
Under Jose Mourinho, who took the reins in June 2024, Fenerbahçe will know their opponent once the draw pairs them with one of five potential teams: Benfica, Club Brugge, Feyenoord, or the winner of Rangers vs. Panathinaikos.
Unseeded due to a UEFA coefficient of 47.250, Fenerbahçe are bracing for a challenging matchup.
Benfica loom largest, with a coefficient of 87.750, followed closely by Club Brugge and Feyenoord, each boasting deep European pedigree and tactical stability.
Rangers, if they overcome Panathinaikos, offer a storyline soaked in recent history after eliminating Fenerbahçe on penalties in last season’s Europa League Round of 16. Panathinaikos, with the weakest coefficient among the pool, would be the most favorable draw.
The Third Qualifying Round legs are scheduled for August 5-6 and 12-13, with the playoff Round following shortly after on Aug. 19-20 and 26-27.
Fenerbahçe’s fortress, Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, will be crucial in the club’s effort to push past their continental challengers.
Benfica, with their Estádio da Luz blazing in red and white, bring the most daunting resume – a quarterfinal finish in 2022-23 and 12 points in the 2024-25 league phase.
Club Brugge are no pushovers either, known for toppling bigger names and finishing 22nd in last year’s Champions League league stage.
Feyenoord’s high-press intensity and prolific striker Santiago Gimenez add a different kind of firepower, while Rangers’ physical edge and familiarity with Mourinho’s tactics could tip the scale in either direction.
Panathinaikos, though less decorated recently, offer a well-drilled and motivated squad.
For Mourinho, the mission is clear: navigate the qualifying gauntlet and return Fenerbahçe to Europe’s grandest stage, something they haven’t achieved since reaching the quarterfinals in 2008.
Key signings like Levent Mercan and the extension of Mert Hakan Yandaş signal intent, while a preseason camp in Austria and a friendly against Bayern Munich aim to fine-tune the squad.
All this unfolds amid a turbulent backdrop in Turkish football. Fenerbahçe recently filed a formal complaint with the TFF over alleged bias within the disciplinary board.
Their archrivals are just as busy: Beşiktaş are set for a Europa League showdown with Shakhtar Donetsk or Ilves Tampere.
The stakes are high and the margin for error is thin. The outcome of the July 21 draw and the Rangers-Panathinaikos qualifier shortly after will define the next chapter in Fenerbahçe’s European story.
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