Women's Champions League third qualifying round: Inter, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Real Madrid among teams into league phase

The league phase line-up for the UEFA Women's Champions League is complete after the third qualifying round concluded on Wednesday.

Inter earned their debut in the competition proper after a dramatic penalty shoot-out success against two-time champions Wolfsburg. Fellow past winners Eintracht Frankfurt also fell in extra time at Paris Saint-Germain.

Chelsea and Real Madrid won to keep up their records of playing in the league phase/group stage in all six seasons of the format and were joined by HB Køge, OH Leuven, Juventus and Servette from Wednesday's other ties. On Tuesday, Austria Wien earned a league phase debut with Modesta Uka's hat-trick key to overturning a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Brann with a 4-0 win.

The winners of the nine third qualifying round ties join the nine clubs directly qualified for the league phase, while the nine defeated teams will transfer to the UEFA Women's Europa Cup second qualifying round. Fixtures for the league phase will be set by the draw at 12:00 CET on Friday.

Second legs

Wednesday 2 September

Inter 3-1 Wolfsburg (aet, agg: 3-3, Inter win 5-4 on penalties)

Inter overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit, equalised at the end of extra time and then won on penalties to reach the league phase in only their second European campaign and eliminate last season's quarter-finalists.

Wolfsburg led 2-0 from the first leg but Elisa Bartoli halved the aggregate deficit just before the 40-minute mark, setting off on a run down the left wing and darting into the box before slotting neatly past Stina Johannes. Inter kept up pressure and levelled the tie in the 84th minute when Elisa Polli struck first time from substitute Lina Magull's cross.

In extra time, Cecilía Rúnarsdóttir made two outstanding saves to deny Kessya Bussy and Ella Peddemors, before Weronika Araśniewicz edged Wolfsburg back in front. However, Marija Milinković's last-gasp leveller forced a shoot-out.

Both teams converted their first four penalties but, after Rúnarsdóttir saved from Mara Alber, Ivana Andrés stepped up to score the deciding spot kick for Inter.

Paris Saint-Germain 5-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (aet, agg: 6-2)

Four extra-time goals ensured Paris were able to find their way past four-time European champions Frankfurt. Resuming the tie at 1-1, Merveille Kanjinga opened the scoring in the 36th minute by latching onto Tara Elimbi Gilbert's pass midway inside the Frankfurt half and surging forward, hitting the post then following up on the rebound.

The visitors determinedly chased an equaliser and although they had Hayley Raso dismissed midway through the second half for a second yellow card, they levelled the tie ten minutes later when Rebecka Blomqvist finished off a neat team move with a low strike to force extra time.

However, PSG then took control. Kanjinga pounced on a loose ball to regain the lead early in the additional half-hour and Sakina Karchaoui scored twice – her second from the penalty spot – before Rasheedat Ajibade wrapped up the victory. Frankfurt, like last season, transfer to the Women's Europa Cup, having got to the semi-finals in 2025/26.

Real Sociedad 0-1 Chelsea (agg: 2-6)

Chelsea ensured they kept up their record of reaching the league phase/group stage in all six seasons of the format, having had to come through qualifying for the first time. A late burst of first-leg goals had put Chelsea in control of the tie, and they looked comfortable before the break in San Sebastián, with Ellie Carpenter again a particular threat for the Blues down the right.

Early in the second half the visitors increased their aggregate lead with Keira Walsh’s long-range lob to open her European account for the Blues. Real, who scored first in London last week, kept pushing but Chelsea held on comfortably.

Chelsea celebrate Keira Walsh's first Champions League goal for the clubGetty Images

Real Madrid 2-1 Ajax (agg: 4-1)

Real Madrid maintained their unique record of coming through qualifying in all six seasons of the league phase/group stage format, making the most of their 2-0 first-leg win in the Netherlands.

There was little between the teams in the first half of this meeting between former quarter-finalists. Ajax gave themselves hope two minutes into the second period, Katja Snoeijs meeting Ella Touon's cross with a smart volley.

But the home side restored their two-goal aggregate cushion 11 minutes later as Eva Navarro's centre was headed in by Felicia Schröder, the teenage star of Häcken's 2025/26 Women's Europa Cup triumph before her summer move to Madrid, adding to her goal on her club competitive debut in the first leg and weekend Liga F double against Atleti.

In added time, Madrid confirmed their progress as Linda Caicedo advanced and shot home from just outside the box.

Juventus 1-1 St. Pölten (agg: 4-1)

Juventus are into the league phase/group stage for the fifth time after ending St. Pölten's run of four straight qualifications.

Having brought a formidable 3-0 lead back from Austria, Juventus again had the better of the play. Their goal came five minutes before half-time from Tatiana Pinto, who, having scored twice in the first leg and also against St. Pölten in last season's league phase, found the target again with a half-volley after Remina Chiba chipped the ball into the box.

St. Pölten levelled on the night 11 minutes into the second half as Alma Aagaard was sent clear by Lisa Ebert, rode Cecilia Salvai's challenge and shot in from a tight angle.

Servette 3-0 Sparta Praha (agg: 5-3)

Servette, who played in the inaugural group stage in 2021/22, overturned a first-leg deficit to book a league phase slot five years on. Both teams had early chances but Sparta’s one-goal advantage was wiped out on 20 minutes when Magdalena Sobal, who also scored last week in Prague, shot past visiting keeper Nikola Harantová.

Michaela Khýrová came close to responding and Sobal headed off target before Servette edged ahead on aggregate through Gloria Marinelli just before half-time. Not long after the interval, Khýrová was denied by Jacintha Weimar in the Servette goal and Franny Černá put the rebound on to the crossbar.

Weimar also saved from Kess Elmore but towards the end Servette tightened things by looking to play on the counter and the hosts clinched their progress in added time, meaning Sparta return to the Women's Europa Cup, in which they reached the semi-finals last season.

HB Køge 1-1 PSV Eindhoven (agg: 2-1)

HB Køge emulated Servette in returning to the competitive proper having previously been in the inaugural 2021/22 group stage.

They held a 1-0 advantage after a tight first leg in the Netherlands and although PSV had more of the ball in the opening half tonight, it was the Danish side who had the better chances, notably through Nadia Nadim and last week’s scorer Kyra Carusa.

Within a minute of the restart HB Køge did find the target, Mille Gejl’s delightful chipped pass met with an assured finish by Cassandra Korhonen. PSV’s Chimera Ripa then had an effort deflected just past the post and they were level on the night in the 63rd minute as Liz Rijsbergen’s effort squeezed past Alberte Vingum, but HB Køge held on to qualify.

OH Leuven 2-1 Czarni Sosnowiec (agg 6-2)

OH Leuven successfully progressed through qualifying for a second consecutive season by building on their first-leg advantage.

The Belgian side, who on debut last year became the first club from their nation to reach a Women's Champions League group stage or league phase and then reached the knockout phase play-offs, led 4-1 from the first leg. Zofia Burzan reduced the deficit for Czarni Sosnowiec just before half-time but Julie Biesmans struck for the home side 12 minutes into the second half.

OHL's Jada Conijnenberg had a 76th-minute penalty saved by goalkeeper Anna Palińska, but she followed up with a goal eight minutes later to get on the scoresheet with a late winner.

Tuesday 1 September

Austria Wien 4-0 Brann (agg: 5-2)

Austria earned a league phase/group stage debut as they overturned a 2-1 first-leg deficit against the 2023/24 quarter-finalists. The home side took the game to Brann from the start and, on 19 minutes, took the lead through Modesta Uka's penalty.

The pressure continued and five minutes into the second half Uka struck again, exchanging passes from a free-kick with first-leg scorer Patricia Pfanner and then looping in a shot. Now Brann trailed overall for the first time in the tie and, after Katharina Schiechtl hit the underside of the bar with a free-kick, the Norwegian side did fall further behind in the 66th minute when Josefine Birkelund's back-pass was sliced into her own goal by keeper Sunniva Skoglund.

It was 4-0 with 12 minutes left as after Haugland was sent off and Uka completed her hat-trick direct from the free-kick.

2026/27 UEFA Women's Champions League match dates

League phase

Draw: 4 September, Nyon
Matchday 1: 22/23 September
Matchday 2: 30 September/1 October
Matchday 3: 28/29 October
Matchday 4: 10/11 November
Matchday 5: 18/19 November
Matchday 6: 16 December

Knockout phase draw

Draw: 18 December, Nyon (date subject to change)

Knockout phase play-offs

First leg: 3/4 February
Second leg: 10/11 February

Quarter-finals

First leg: 23/24 March
Second leg: 31 March/1 April

Semi-finals

First leg: 1/2 May
Second leg: 8/9 May

Final (Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw)

28, 29 or 30 May