How NEC Nijmegen can qualify for the first time
How NEC Nijmegen can qualify for the league phase
NEC Nijmegen are embarking on the biggest European campaign in the club’s history after securing a place in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers for the very first time. Here’s every hurdle the Dutch side must overcome to reach the league phase.
A historic third-place finish in the 2025/26 Eredivisie secured NEC Nijmegen’s highest-ever league finish and, with it, a first appearance in UEFA Champions League qualifying.
The achievement is largely down to head coach Dick Schreuder, whose high-intensity, attack-minded philosophy transformed NEC into one of the surprise packages of Dutch football.
Despite the departure of star winger Basar Onal, NEC have assembled an exciting squad featuring experienced names such as Emre Mor and former Ajax captain Dusan Tadic, alongside Perr Schuurs, Tobias Storm, Jamiro Monteiro and Clement Bischoff.
Now, the Nijmegen club stand just two rounds away from making history by reaching the Champions League league phase for the first time.
NEC Nijmegen’s route to the Champions League
Third qualifying round
NEC’s European adventure begins with a daunting tie against Greek heavyweights Olympiacos.
The 2023/24 UEFA Conference League winners finished second in last season’s Greek Super League, six points behind champions AEK Athens. Although Olympiacos reached the Championship Group, they struggled for consistency during the title run-in, winning only two of their final six league matches.
Last season, Olympiacos also impressed in the UEFA Champions League, progressing to the knockout stage after defeating Ajax on the final matchday of the league phase. Their campaign eventually came to an end with a 2-0 aggregate defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Round of 16.
NEC held their own in their first-ever Champions League fixture, producing a disciplined defensive display to earn a goalless draw away in Piraeus and leave the tie finely balanced ahead of the return leg in Nijmegen.
Fixtures
- August 4: Olympiacos 0-0 NEC Nijmegen
- August 11: NEC Nijmegen vs Olympiacos (19:00 CEST)
Play-off round
Victory over Olympiacos would move NEC within one tie of the Champions League league phase.
Their play-off opponents would be either Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt or Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise.
Bodo/Glimt were among last season’s biggest European success stories, reaching the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. The Norwegians stunned Sporting CP with a 3-0 first-leg victory before eventually crashing out after a heavy defeat in Lisbon.
Union Saint-Gilloise, meanwhile, finished second in the Belgian Pro League behind Club Brugge before lifting the Belgian Super Cup earlier this month. They narrowly missed out on the Champions League knockout rounds last season after finishing 27th in the league phase.
- NEC Nijmegen vs Bodo/Glimt or Union Saint-Gilloise (dates and kick-off times to be confirmed)
What happens if NEC are eliminated?
Even if NEC fail to overcome Olympiacos, their European journey would continue.
A defeat in the third qualifying round would send the Dutch side into the UEFA Europa League play-offs, where they would get another opportunity to qualify for a league phase.
Should they lose in the Champions League play-offs, they would automatically drop into the Europa League league phase. If they were then eliminated from the Europa League play-offs, they would instead take their place in the UEFA Conference League.
One step closer to history
NEC have already written a new chapter in the club’s history simply by reaching Champions League qualifying, but the biggest prize remains within reach.
Two successful ties would see the Nijmegen side reach the UEFA Champions League league phase for the first time ever, completing one of the most remarkable rises in Dutch football.
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