Tromsø vs Brighton: Conference League Play-off Preview
Brighton travel to the Arctic Circle unbeaten in pre-season to face a Tromsø side that dismantled CFR Cluj, with Heine Åsen Larsen leading the Norwegian charge.
Brighton’s return to European football begins tonight in one of the competition’s most unusual settings. Fabian Hurzeler’s side face Tromsø IL in the first leg of a UEFA Conference League play-off at the Romssa Arena, deep inside the Arctic Circle, with a place in the league phase on the line over two legs.
The Seagulls qualified for Europe’s third tier by finishing eighth in the Premier League last season, their first continental campaign since 2023. Seeded into the play-off round, they bypassed three rounds of qualifying and now meet a Norwegian side that has already fought its way through a demanding summer schedule.
Tromsø’s road to the play-off
Tromsø’s summer tells two stories. They began in Europa League qualifying but were eliminated 4-1 on aggregate by Czech side Hradec Králové, dropping into the Conference League as a result. Since then, Jørgen Vik’s team have been ruthless.
The highlight was a stunning 5-0 first-leg victory away to Romanian giants CFR Cluj, described in some quarters as the heaviest European home defeat in Cluj’s history. Isak Dahlqvist scored a hat-trick that night, but it was Heine Åsen Larsen who set the tone with two early goals. Tromsø completed the job with a 2-1 win at the Romssa Arena to advance 7-1 on aggregate.
Domestically, Vik’s side sit third in the Eliteserien on 34 points from 16 games, tucked behind Viking FK and Bodø/Glimt. They arrive at this tie with genuine momentum: five wins from their last six in all competitions, even if a 2-3 defeat at Molde on Saturday offered a reminder that their league season remains a live concern.
Brighton’s perfect pre-season
If Tromsø have been busy on the continent, Brighton have spent August sharpening their edge at home and abroad. Hurzeler’s squad finished pre-season with four wins from four, a run that included victories over serious opposition.
The campaign opened with a comfortable 4-1 win against Wycombe Wanderers at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre on 18 July, Babis Kostoulas scoring twice and Ibrahim Osman adding an overhead kick for good measure. A training camp in Austria produced a more demanding test: Brighton came from 2-0 down to beat Strasbourg 4-3 in Vienna, Pascal Groß converting from the spot and Olivier Boscagli curling in a superb free-kick as set-piece work paid dividends in punishing heat.
The following week brought a statement result. Roma were beaten 3-0 at the Amex, Georginio Rutter opening the scoring from distance before Yasin Ayari struck twice in the second half. Brighton closed out their friendlies with a 1-0 win over Bologna on 15 August, Jack Hinshelwood’s first-half goal enough to see off the Serie A side.
Hurzeler was broadly satisfied afterwards, noting that his players “felt a little bit tired” after a long pre-season but describing the overall programme as “good.” With the Premier League campaign also underway, the manager will want to carry that confidence into tonight’s tie, the first competitive fixture of Albion’s 2026-27 season.
Player to watch: Heine Åsen Larsen
For all the attention on Brighton’s Premier League pedigree, Tromsø’s most influential figure this summer has been a 24-year-old striker who cost the club next to nothing.
Heine Åsen Larsen has been the spearhead of Vik’s attack in Europe. His brace inside the first 20 minutes in Cluj-Napoca effectively ended that tie before half-time, and he has been just as productive domestically, with five Eliteserien goals to his name this season. Tall, direct and comfortable in both feet, Larsen is not a player who waits for chances to come to him. He creates them with aggressive movement in the box.
Brighton’s back line, likely featuring recent arrival Luka Vuskovic alongside Olivier Boscagli, will need to be alert from the first whistle. Larsen scored twice inside 20 minutes against Cluj; give him the same room against Albion and Hurzeler’s side could find themselves chasing the tie before the Arctic evening is out.
What the tie means
On paper, Brighton are favourites. Their squad value, league standing and pre-season results all point one way. But Tromsø have already shown they can dismantle established European opposition on their own terms, and the Romssa Arena, with its Arctic setting and artificial pitch, is an environment few visiting sides relish.
The first leg kicks off at 6pm UK time tonight at the Romssa Arena. The return fixture follows on Thursday 27 August at the Amex Stadium, with kick-off at 8:30pm. Aggregate winners advance to the Conference League league phase, with the draw scheduled for the following day.
Hurzeler has spoken of his excitement at managing in Europe for the first time, and of the challenge of adapting to unfamiliar opponents and tactics. Tonight, in northern Norway, that adventure begins in earnest. Tromsø, led by a striker in the form of his life, will not make it straightforward.