How NEC Nijmegen could reach the UEFA Champions League for the first time

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nijmegen/nRluRF0T/"]NEC Nijmegen[/a]'s third-place finish in the 2025/26 Eredivisie was the best in club history and earned them their first-ever spot in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers.[/p][p]The success is all self-made, engineered by manager Dick Schreuder, who rocked the Eredivisie with his aggressive attacking brand of football.[/p][p]Without star winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/basar-onal/E5J0klxS/"]Basar Onal[/a] but with former wunderkind [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mor-emre/Kd02fMXo/"]Emre Mor[/a], as well as defenders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schuurs-perr/ARdXOcOJ/"]Perr Schuurs[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/storm-tobias/SvtNrNY2/"]Tobias Storm[/a] and midfielders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monteiro-jamiro/QXkjtqYd/"]Jamiro Monteiro[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bischoff-clement/jwJHH4rb/"]Clement Bischoff[/a], NEC enter their first Champions League campaign with a fresh look.[/p][p]Flashscore maps out the exact route NEC will have to take to enter the main draw of the UEFA Champions League for the first time.[/p][h2]NEC's road to the UEFA Champions League[/h2][p][b]Third qualifying round[/b][/p][p]NEC will open their qualifying campaign against Greek giants [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/olympiacos-piraeus/hnzvnHPS/"]Olympiacos[/a][/b].[/p][p]The 2023/24 UEFA Conference League winners finished second in the 2025/26 Greek Super League, six points behind champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aek/ANpZncAM/"]AEK Athens[/a]. Olympiacos struggled in the Championship Group, only managing two wins in six games.[/p][p]Olympiacos reached the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League last season after beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ajax/8UOvIwnb/"]Ajax[/a] 2-1 on the final matchday of the League Phase, but were eliminated by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayer-leverkusen/4jcj2zMd/"]Bayer Leverkusen[/a] after a 2-0 aggregate loss.[/p][p][b]Tuesday, August 4th: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/nijmegen-nRluRF0T/olympiacos-piraeus-hnzvnHPS/?mid=z35yaRcf"]Olympiacos (GRE) - [b]NEC Nijmegen[/b][/a] (19.00 CEST)[/p][p][b]Tuesday, August 11th[/b]: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/nijmegen-nRluRF0T/olympiacos-piraeus-hnzvnHPS/?mid=8G3qc5S6"][b]NEC Nijmegen[/b] - Olympiacos (GRE)[/a] (19.00 CEST)[/p][embed guid="d44cc7ac-8bd2-46a9-b98c-4b54bf18d7ae" url="https://x.com/necnijmegen/status/2079163753740783782?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]Play-offs[/b][/p][p]If NEC qualify for the play-offs of the UEFA Champoins League, they will know who they'll face after the draw on [b]Monday, August 3rd[/b].[/p][p]If NEC lose to Olympiacos, they'll enter the play-offs of the UEFA Europa League and find out their opponents from the same draw.[/p][p]If NEC lose in the UEFA Champions League play-offs, they'll enter the UEFA Europa League. Similarly, if they lose in the UEFA Europa League play-offs, they'll enter the UEFA Conference League.[/p][infobox id="383e2abc-afe3-4139-8e06-aa4254ac57ee" /]