Mohamed Salah set for first Europa League tie as Trabzonspor draw Ferencvaros

Mohamed Salah’s first Europa League opponents with Trabzonspor have been confirmed after Ferencvaros advanced to the final qualifying round by eliminating Gornik Zabrze.

The Hungarian side secured their place in the final round with a 2-1 aggregate victory over the Polish club. Ferencvaros won the first leg 1-0 at home on Wednesday, 5 August, before the teams drew 1-1 in the second leg in Poland on Thursday evening.

That result means Ferencvaros will face Trabzonspor in a two-legged tie for a place in the league phase of the 2026-27 Europa League.

The first leg will be played at Papara Park in Turkey on Thursday, 20 August. The return match is scheduled for Thursday, 27 August, in Hungary.

Salah joined Trabzonspor on a two-year contract as a free agent after terminating his agreement with Liverpool. The Egypt international is expected to make his competitive debut for the Turkish club within days.

Trabzonspor begin their Turkish league campaign against Kasımpasa on Saturday, 15 August. The match is scheduled to kick off at 19:00 and will be broadcast on beIN Sports 2.

Salah was not included in Trabzonspor’s squad for their friendly against Goztepe on Saturday. His omission came at his own request, with the match taking place only a few days after he joined the club.

The forward’s arrival at Trabzonspor has therefore come just before the start of the club’s domestic and European campaigns. His first opportunity to play an official match for the Turkish side is expected to come against Kasımpasa, before the club’s attention turns to their Europa League tie with Ferencvaros.

Ferencvaros’ progress was secured after they held their nerve in the return match in Poland. Having taken a one-goal advantage from the opening fixture, the Hungarian team drew the second game 1-1 to move through to the decisive qualifying round.

Trabzonspor must now overcome Ferencvaros over two matches to reach the league phase of the competition. The Turkish club will have home advantage in the opening game, while the tie will be decided in Hungary one week later.

For Salah, the fixtures will mark the beginning of a new chapter after his departure from Liverpool. His involvement in the Europa League will depend on his selection for Trabzonspor’s squad, with the club’s first European match against Ferencvaros coming shortly after his expected domestic debut.