Conference League
2026-08-20 - Tromso vs Brighton
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA Conference League Play Off Round First Leg
Thursday 20th August 2026 - Kick Off 6pm
Tromso
They may not have the experience of some of the other clubs playing in Norwegian Football, but Tromso will head into this Conference League Play Off Round tie as the club with the most European experience. It could be a factor, although the reality is that Tromso are going to be significant underdogs and they will be under pressure to deliver a strong First Leg result to have any real hope of upsetting the odds.
This European campaign actually began in the Europa League in the Second Qualifying Round, but Tromso were beaten by Hradec Kralove as they lost both Legs of that tie. A win over Cluj in the Conference League Third Qualifying Round has given Tromso this opportunity, but it remains a tall task for the Norwegian club who failed to reach the Conference League Group Stage last season.
Tromso had won 5 of the last 7 games in all competitions with the two outliers being the defeats to Hradec Kralove, but that run of success ended last time out in a 3-2 loss at Molde. The side have won 3 of the last 5 games at home in all competitions.
Brighton
After competing in European Football for the first time in the 2023/24 season, Brighton's owners had kept Fabian Hurzeler under pressure to deliver a return to that stage. Finishing 8th in the English Premier League table for a second season in a row was this time rewarded with a return to European competition and Brighton will be considered one of the favourites to win the Conference League if they can negotiate the Play Off Round.
Fans of the club will have noted how rivals Crystal Palace performed in the Conference League last season and The Eagles winning trophies in back to back campaigns has moved them into the Europa League. That is the path that Brighton will be hoping to travel, while The Seagulls reached the Europa League Last 16 in their sole previous campaign abroad.
Brighton had been pushing for a Europa League berth at the back end of the 2025/26 season, but 3 losses in the last 4 Premier League games pushed them down into 8th place. The Seagulls failed to win any of the last 3 away Premier League games and suffered consecutive defeats, but Brighton did win 2 of the 4 away Europa League games in 2023/24.
A number of players look set to miss out on Thursday and the beginning of the Premier League campaign on Sunday. The manager will still be expected to pick a strong Brighton team for the first competitive fixture of the season and there is plenty of depth to call upon.
Head to Head
This is the first competitive game between these two clubs.
Prediction
The Conference League is about to enter the sixth season and three of the last four winners have come from the English Premier League.
That means Brighton will automatically be considered one of the favourites, but they are the one English club that does not get a direct place in the League Phase of a European competition.
Instead, Brighton have to find a way to manage this Play Off Round in the Conference League, but they should be too strong for Tromso.
Credit has to be given to the Norwegian club for finding a way into the Play Off Round, but they were already dumped out of the Europa League and two years ago Tromso were losing to Kilmarnock of the Scottish Premiership in the Third Qualifying Round.
Tromso can take heart from the fact they are in the midst of the Norwegian season and so may have a match fitness edge, but Brighton have a stronger squad and the likelihood is that shows up in the First Leg.
Fabian Hurzeler's men cannot take anything for granted and they should remember the difficulties Crystal Palace faced in progressing past Fredrikstad from Norway last year. The Eagles won 1-0 on aggregate, but Brighton should use that result to just focus them for this First Leg and the expectation is that they return to the South Coast of England with a lead.
The Pick :
Tromso 0-1 Brighton
