Hajduk on the Brink of Million-Euro Windfall: Here's What the Play-Off Is Worth
The Split side all but secured a play-off spot with a convincing 5:2 win in Vilnius, along with a significant financial boost from UEFA.
The Split side all but secured a play-off spot with a convincing 5:2 win in Vilnius, along with a significant financial boost from UEFA.
Hajduk dismantled Lithuanian side Žalgiris 5:2 in Vilnius last night in the first leg of the third qualifying round for the Conference League, taking a giant step toward the play-offs. The return leg at Poljud is scheduled for August 13, 2026, at 9 PM, with the Split side defending a commanding three-goal advantage.
Michele Šego opened the scoring for the hosts in the fifth minute and doubled the lead in the 44th. In the second half, Adrion Pajaziti (56'), Dalisson (73'), and Rokas Pukštas (75') added to the tally. The Lithuanian side's consolation goals came from Nikola Petković in the 35th minute and former Hajduk player Marko Capan in the 86th.
This is Hajduk's first away win in European competition in nearly six years, since a 1:0 victory at Renova in the second qualifying round for the Europa League.
The winner of the Hajduk-Žalgiris tie will face the winner of the clash between Polish side Raków and Swedish side Hammarby in the final qualifying round. Their first leg ended goalless, and both clubs have a market value nearly identical to Hajduk's. According to Transfermarkt, Hajduk is valued at €34 million, Hammarby at €35 million, and Raków at €33 million.
Raków finished last season's Polish league in fourth place, just five points behind champions Lech, and entered the third qualifying round of the Conference League with a convincing 7:1 aggregate win over Maltese side Valletta. Interestingly, the Polish club features familiar names from the Croatian football scene: former Dinamo players Mahir Emreli and Marko Bulat, as well as former Hajduk player Fran Tudor.
By merely reaching the play-offs, Hajduk will secure a guaranteed fee even if they lose at that stage. Under UEFA's financial model for the 2025/26 season, clubs eliminated in the Conference League play-offs receive €925,000. To that amount, revenue from ticket sales, television rights, and commercial sources should be added.
The real financial reward, however, comes with advancing to the group stage. Simply qualifying for the league phase guarantees at least €3.17 million, with additional bonuses for wins and draws, final group placement, and shares from market pool and UEFA coefficient. This is why the two-legged tie against Žalgiris is financially one of the most important for the Split club in recent seasons.
