NEC Nijmegen enjoyed a historic 2025/26 campaign, finishing third in the Eredivisie and securing their first-ever place in the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds. Here is the route they must navigate to reach the league phase.

A third-place finish in the Eredivisie was the best league finish in NEC Nijmegen’s history and earned the club a historic opportunity to compete for a place in Europe’s premier club competition.

The remarkable achievement was masterminded by manager Dick Schreuder, whose aggressive and attacking style of football made NEC one of the standout teams in the Netherlands.

NEC head into their maiden Champions League qualifying campaign with a revamped squad. Former wonderkid Emre Mor and ex-Ajax star Dusan Tadic bring considerable experience, while defenders Perr Schuurs and Tobias Storm and midfielders Jamiro Monteiro and Clement Bischoff add further quality.

Flashscore looks at the exact path NEC must follow if they are to reach the UEFA Champions League league phase for the first time.

NEC Nijmegen’s road to the UEFA Champions League

Third qualifying round

NEC began their historic qualifying campaign against Greek giants Olympiacos.

The 2023/24 UEFA Conference League winners finished second in the 2025/26 Greek Super League, six points behind champions AEK Athens. Olympiacos struggled during the Championship Group, recording just two victories from six matches

They also competed in the UEFA Champions League last season, reaching the first knockout round after defeating Ajax 2-1 on the final matchday of the league phase. Their European run ended against Bayer Leverkusen, who secured a 2-0 aggregate victory.

NEC made a strong start to their own European adventure, holding Olympiacos to a 0-0 draw in Piraeus in their first-ever Champions League match.

The return leg in Nijmegen saw NEC come from behind to secure a dramatic victory. Bryan Linssen and Emre Mor found the net as Schreuder’s side booked their place in the play-off round.

Tuesday, August 4: Olympiacos – NEC Nijmegen (0-0)

Tuesday, August 11: NEC Nijmegen – Olympiacos (2-1, A.E.T.)

Champions League play-offs

After overcoming Olympiacos, NEC advanced to the final qualifying hurdle, where they were drawn against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt.

Bodo/Glimt were one of the surprise packages in last season’s Champions League, reaching the round of 16. They produced a memorable 3-0 first-leg victory over Sporting CP before suffering a 5-0 defeat in the return fixture and bowing out on aggregate.

NEC now face a two-legged tie against the Norwegian champions, with a place in the Champions League league phase at stake.

Wednesday, August 19: NEC Nijmegen – Bodo/Glimt — 21:00 CEST

Tuesday, August 25: Bodo/Glimt – NEC Nijmegen — 21:00 CEST

Should NEC successfully navigate the play-offs, they will make history by reaching the UEFA Champions League league phase for the first time.

However, defeat would not end their European campaign. NEC would drop into the UEFA Europa League, ensuring the club continues its European journey regardless of the outcome.