If they get past Kauno Žalgiris, Dinamo will face Norwegian side Viking in the Champions League play-off, the toughest possible opponent. In case of elimination, a Europa League play-off with very demanding opponents awaits.
GNK Dinamo today got a clearer picture of their path to the Champions League group stage, but before even thinking about the play-off, they must overcome Lithuanian side Kauno Žalgiris. The draw in Nyon decided that the winner of that tie will face the Norwegian champions, Viking from Stavanger, in the final qualifying round. According to Index.hr, this is the toughest possible draw that Dinamo and Kauno Žalgiris could have received.
Dinamo was seeded in the draw, and out of five possible opponents, they drew the one they needed to fear the most. According to Transfermarkt data, Norwegian side Viking is the most valuable team the Zagreb blues could have faced. Their total squad value stands at €47.48 million, while Dinamo's is estimated at €65.61 million. For comparison, the easiest potential opponents, Armenian side Ararat Armenia and Slovenian side Celje, are worth €8.47 million and €13.78 million, respectively.
The biggest threat in the Norwegian champions' ranks is 21-year-old winger Edvin Austbø, whose market value is estimated at €9 million. The club from Stavanger was founded in 1899 and is one of the most decorated in Norway, with nine league titles (the last in 2025) and six cup wins. In European competitions, they are remembered for upsets like knocking Chelsea out of the UEFA Cup in the 2002/03 season.
Viking currently sits second in the Norwegian league with 37 points from 15 matches. Leaders Bodo/Glimt have one point more but have also played one game more, meaning the title race is still wide open.
"We have learned our potential opponent in the UEFA Champions League play-off - Norwegian champions Viking FK!" GNK Dinamo's official Twitter profile announced, accompanied by stadium and star emojis.
Before thinking about Viking, the team led by coach Mario Kovačević faces a two-legged tie against the Lithuanian champions, managed by Croatian coach Željko Sopić. The first leg of the third qualifying round takes place on Tuesday at 8 PM at the Maksimir Stadium, with the return leg a week later at 7 PM in Lithuania. Dinamo eliminated Swiss side Thun in the previous round with an aggregate score of 4:3 after extra time.
The Champions League play-off is scheduled for August 18 and 19, with the return legs set for August 25 and 26, 2026.
In the event of a defeat to the Lithuanian champions, Dinamo's European journey does not end. They would be dropped into the Europa League play-off, where, unfortunately, they would not be seeded. UEFA based this criterion on the coefficient of the weaker club in the tie, which is Kauno Žalgiris. As a result, the 'Blues' could face extremely demanding opponents.
The loser of the Dinamo - Kauno tie will face the winner of one of the third qualifying round pairings in the Europa League play-off: Benfica - Hearts, Maccabi Tel-Aviv - CSKA Sofia, Lech Poznan - Klaksvik, or Hradec Kralove - Bešiktaš. The first legs of this play-off are on August 20, with the return legs on August 27, 2026. The winner secures a place in the Europa League group stage, while the loser drops into the Conference League group stage, Europe's third-tier competition.
