Conference League
2026-08-27 - Brighton vs Tromso
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA Conference League Play Off Round Second Leg
Thursday 27th August 2026 - Kick Off 7:30pm
Brighton
European Football will be returning to the Amex Stadium for the first time since the 2023/24 season and this is only the second time that Brighton will be embarking on such an adventure. Playing in the Conference League would give Brighton a real opportunity to have a very deep run in the competition like rivals, and holders, Crystal Palace managed, but first they have to progress into the League Phase of the competition.
Drawing in Norway last week may have felt like a disappointing result, but it is one that makes Brighton strong favourites to progress. That has to be the main thought and Fabian Hurzeler's team could not have warmed up in better fashion after crushing Aston Villa in the Premier League last Sunday. The Seagulls will also take confidence from the fact they have only ever hosted 4 European ties and won 3 of those.
Brighton have earned consecutive clean sheets to begin this season and the 4-0 victory over Aston Villa should have given all of the players a real jolt of confidence. It is a result that also means Brighton have won 5 of the last 7 home games- all in the Premier League- going back to last season.
The manager gave some younger members of the squad an opportunity out in Norway last week, but a stronger starting lineup is expected on Thursday.
Tromso
It has been over twenty years since Tromso earned their way into the Group Stages of any of the UEFA competitions and the goalless draw at home makes them underdogs in the bid to join the League Phase of the Conference League. However, some confidence will have been picked up when thinking about the chances that Tromso did create in the First Leg, even if they were wasteful when those came about.
Losing both Legs of the Europa League Second Qualifying Round tie dropped Tromso back into the Conference League, but they did crush Cluj in the Third Qualifying Round. They won 0-5 away from home and Tromso have only lost 1 of the last 6 away European ties played, albeit largely at a level or two below what you would expect from an English Premier League team.
Tromso have lost 1 of the last 6 games in all competitions and were making comfortable progress in the Norwegian Cup last weekend. The side have won 4 of the last 6 away games played in all competitions, but the exceptions have both ended in defeat.
Head to Head
This is the first competitive fixture between the clubs hosted by the English one.
Prediction
Big rivals Crystal Palace made heavy weather of the Conference League Play Off Round tie against Norwegian opposition last season, but they made it through and became the latest English Premier League club to win this competition.
There will be a real feeling in Brighton that they can become the next club to do that if they can make it through on Thursday and the goalless draw in Norway makes them big favourites to do that.
A much stronger starting eleven than the one that started the First Leg were able to crush Aston Villa here last Sunday and Fabian Hurzeler may employ a few of those players. The Seagulls do have a big Premier League game coming up on Sunday at Stamford Bridge, but there is no travel involved for the Second Leg and players should be fresh enough to compete twice at this stage of the season.
Eventually the Conference League is likely to become the priority for Brighton and so they will not want to be on the wrong end of a major upset.
Tromso had chances in the First Leg and that will give them some hope, but this is a big step up for the Norwegian club who are behind the likes of Viking and Bodo/Glimt domestically.
They have already been beaten in the Europa League and Tromso could not have asked for too many tougher tests than this one in the Conference League Play Off Round.
You have to imagine they will play with desire and intensity, but Brighton showed plenty of that in beating Aston Villa last time out and can produce a third clean sheet of the season in what is likely going to be a winning effort inside normal time.
The Pick :
Brighton 3-0 Tromso
