Benfica open their European season in Switzerland against St. Gallen this Thursday
Benfica kick off their 2026/27 campaign on Thursday the 23rd away at St. Gallen, at 7pm Lisbon time. It is the Europa League second qualifying round, and the Portuguese side are heavy favourites.
The domestic season is still weeks away, but Benfica’s European journey starts now. On Thursday the 23rd the Lisbon side travel to Switzerland to face St. Gallen in the Europa League second qualifying round — their first competitive game of 2026/27 and the opening step on a road that still has three rounds to go before the league phase.
Benfica are firm favourites. St. Gallen are the Swiss runners-up and cup holders, but they have little European pedigree and a squad a world away from Benfica’s budget. Even so, a mid-July tie against a team still in pre-season, with the line-up far from settled, is always a banana skin — and Benfica know it from past European openers that turned awkward early.
What time is Benfica vs St. Gallen and where to watch?
The first leg is Thursday the 23rd at 7pm Lisbon time in St. Gallen. The return is set for 30 July at 8pm at the Estádio da Luz. Whoever comes through next meets the loser of Sturm Graz vs Hearts, in a Champions League qualifying round — so there is a long way to go before autumn European football is secured.
What is at stake for Benfica
More than the opponent, what matters to Benfica is starting on the front foot and avoiding a scare that clogs an already busy calendar. There is a notable absentee to manage and a transfer market still in motion — the squad has already been reinforced and should change again before the window shuts, as we saw when the club wrapped up Jhon Durán on loan.
For anyone who wants the full details, the official match page is on UEFA’s site. The rest gets settled on the pitch, from 7pm.
By Vasco Almada
Image: Vincenzo.togni / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
