Euro Wrap: LOI clubs learn potential play-off opponents

UEFA Europa League Conference League Trophy during the UEFA Europa Conference League Play-off Round Draw at the UEFA headquarters, The House of European Football, in Nyon

UEFA Europa League Conference League Trophy during the UEFA Europa Conference League Play-off Round Draw at the UEFA headquarters, The House of European Football, in Nyon Credit: Kristian Skeie/UEFA/Getty Images

On Tuesday UEFA made the draw for the play-off round of the Europa League and Europa Conference League. 

Shamrock Rovers were involved in both the Europa League draw and Europa Conference League draw, while St. Patrick’s Athletic and Sligo Rovers were involved in the latter draw.

All the ties will be played on Thursdays 18th August and Thursday 25th August. 

extratime.com has set out the various permutations and potential prize money for each club below.

Shamrock Rovers

The Hoops play the first leg of their Europa League third round qualifier against Shkupi in Tallaght Stadium on Thursday evening. The second leg will take place in Skopje in North Macedonia on Tuesday 9th August (kick-off 8pm Irish time).

So who do the Hoops come against in the play-off round of the Europa League qualifiers if they win and who do they play in the Europa Conference League play-off round if they lose?

Europa League route 

Whoever emerges victorious from the Rovers/Shkupi tie will play the loser of the Champions League third round qualifier between Qarabag (Azerbaijan) and Ferencvarosi (Hungary) away first on August 18th, with the second leg at home on August 25th. 



Winner of that play-off will enter the Europa League (worth €3.63m to Rovers), while the loser of the Europa League play-off will go straight into the group stages of the Europa Conference League (earning Rovers €3.3m minimum).

Europa Conference League route

The loser from the Rovers/Shkupi tie will drop into the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) playoff. There they will play home first against the winner of the Ballkani (Kosovo) and Klaksvik (Faroe Island) UECL third round qualifier.

Elimination in the UEFCL playoff would see the Hoops bank €1.41m from their European run this year. 

St. Patrick’s Athletic

The Saints play CSKA Sofia this week and should they progress to the UECL play-off round they will face either Brondby (Denmark) or Basel (Switzerland).



The first leg against CSKA takes place in the 43,000 capacity Vasil Levski National Stadium on Thursday (6pm Irish time). The second leg is fixed for Tallaght Stadium on Thursday 11 August (kick-off 7.45pm).

Should the Saints be eliminated by CSKA, they will earn €0.75m from their European campaign this season. Progression one further round to the play-off would guarantee the Athletic €1.05m. Group stage qualification would earn a minimum of €3.3 m.

Sligo Rovers

After getting by British opponents in the first two rounds (Bala Town and Motherwell), Sligo Rovers travel to Norway this week to take on Stavanger. Should they win they will play either Dunajská Streda (Slovakia) or FCSB (Romania). 

The first leg against Stavanger is on Thursday (6pm Irish time) with the second leg confirmed for the Showgrounds on Thursday 11 August (kick-off 7pm). If the Bit O’ Red exit at this stage, they will bank €0.85m.

Progression to the play-off, would guarantee them €1.15m. Group stage qualification would earn them a minimum of €3.3 m.

About Macdara Ferris

Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile