Panathinaikos will face Brighton, Freiburg, Borac, Kairat, CSKA Sofia and Nordsjaelland in the UEFA Conference League following the league phase draw on August 28, 2026.
The Greek club discovered their six opponents for the newly expanded league stage of Europe's third-tier UEFA tournament during the official draw ceremony held on Friday afternoon.
Responding to the draw outcome, Pavlos Pantelidis warned that the fixture list contained hidden traps, but expressed hope that Panathinaikos would successfully navigate the league phase and advance to the knockout rounds.
Panathinaikos European Opponents
The draw sets up fixtures against teams from across the continent for the Athens-based side. Panathinaikos will take on Premier League club Brighton and Hove Albion, German Bundesliga side SC Freiburg, Bosnian champions Borac Banja Luka, Kazakhstani outfit Kairat Almaty, Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia and Danish club FC Nordsjaelland.
Alongside their European draw, Panathinaikos also confirmed a major squad development off the pitch on Friday. The club officially announced the signing of midfielder Louza on a long-term contract that keeps him at the Greek side until 2029.
Greek Club Performances and Reactions
The Conference League draw follows a dramatic evening of European action on August 27, 2026. Panathinaikos secured a dramatic qualification for the competition, while fellow Greek side OFI Crete made history by earning their own European berth. However, PAOK suffered a painful elimination on the same night.
Speaking after the draw, OFI manager Kontis stated that his side earned their place in European competition because they wanted to play in the Europa League. Meanwhile, Olympiacos head coach Jose Luis Mendilibar noted that his team would test whether they could manage to secure another European trophy.
Reflecting on recent performances, Copenhagen manager Jacob Neestrup said his squad had demonstrated strong character while acknowledging that there were still areas to improve ahead of upcoming matches.
