The wait is over. Almost three years after work began, FC Lugano played their first official match at the AIL Arena and kicked off the 2026/27 season with a 1-0 victory over KF Dukagjini in the first leg of the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.
In front of 5,917 spectators, on an evening full of excitement for the whole city, the bianconeri controlled the game for long periods, created numerous chances and scored the decisive goal through captain Renato Steffen. However, qualification remains to be decided, and it will be next Wednesday’s return leg in Pristina that will determine which of the two teams progresses to the third qualifying round.
STEFFEN BREAKS THE DEADLOCK IN THE FIRST HALF
The excitement of the debut at the AIL Arena marked the opening minutes of the match, but FC Lugano immediately took to the pitch with confidence, maintained control of possession and tried to impose their own rhythm against an aggressive Dukagjini side ready to launch counter-attacks.
The bianconeri found the net twice in the first half-hour, but both Cimignani and Dos Santos were ruled offside. The deserved lead finally came in the 31st minute: Alioski sent in a low cross from the left and Renato Steffen fired home with his right foot to score Lugano’s first historic official goal at the AIL Arena.
Croci-Torti’s side continued to press after the goal and, in the 43rd minute, Dos Santos came close to doubling the lead with a left-footed shot from the edge of the box that went just wide. Dukagjini, meanwhile, had their first real chance just before half-time, when, following a free-kick, Merlaku, from an excellent position, fired the ball high over the crossbar.
NO SECOND
GOAL FC Lugano came back from the dressing room with the same intensity and, in the 51st minute, immediately came close to making it 2–0: after Lekaj came out poorly to challenge Behrens, Lukas Mai found himself with a virtually open goal, but captain Basriu cleared off the line. Three minutes later, Papadopoulos threatened with a header from a set-piece, only to be denied by the Kosovar goalkeeper.
The visitors, however, showed they were still very much in the game. First, Pefqeli came close to hitting the crossbar with a long-range effort; then, in the 64th minute, Dukagjini created their clearest chance: Stevenson broke away on the counter-attack, rounded Zanotti and fired a left-footed shot from the edge of the box, only to hit the post.
Lugano responded immediately. In the 57th minute, Steffen, played through by Cimignani, rounded Lekaj but found another defender to clear off the line. In the 74th minute, it was the visiting goalkeeper who denied the bianconeri captain a second goal, whilst Moncada struck the crossbar with the rebound, narrowly missing out on a goal on his official debut for the club.
In the closing stages, Dukagjini were reduced to ten men following the sending-off of substitute Rexhaj, but before stoppage time, it was Pefqeli again who gave the AIL Arena a scare with a shot from 35 metres, which was saved by an excellent save from von Ballmoos. In the closing minutes, FC Lugano continued to attack and created further chances through Moncada and Bichsel, but were unable to find a second goal.
The first official match at the AIL Arena thus ended with a narrow victory, giving the bianconeri a head start ahead of the return leg, scheduled for Wednesday 29 July in Pristina. Before their European fixture, however, Mattia Croci-Torti’s side will be back in action as early as Sunday at 4.30 pm, again at the AIL Arena, for their Brack Super League opener against FC Vaduz.
MATCH REPORT
FC LUGANO – KF DUKAGJINI 1–0
UEFA Conference League – Second Qualifying Round, first
leg, 23 July 2026 – AIL Arena
Attendance: 5,917
Goalscorers: 31’ Steffen.
FC LUGANO (3-4-2-1): von Ballmoos; Papadopoulos, Mai, Alioski (69’ Moncada); Zanotti, Grgić, Bislimi, Dos Santos (80’ Kendouci); Steffen, Cimignani (89’ Pihlström); Behrens (80’ Bichsel).
Substitutes: Gebhardt, Ndiaye, Kelvin, Castro, Ajdin, Puddu.
Manager: Mattia Croci-Torti.
KF DUKAGJINI (4-4-2): Lekaj; Basriu, Sinani, Bardhoku, Merlaku (69’ Maliqi); Gashi (80’ Rexhaj), Stevenson (89’ Bytyqi), Isufi, Pefqeli; Zulfiu, Hugo.
Substitutes: Haxhihamza, Hyseni, Zenunaj, Luan, Elezaj, Hoti, Sylejmani, Thaci, Krasniqi.
Manager: Arsim Thaqi.
Referee: Viktar Shymusik (BLR).
Assistant referees: Siarhei Kasavets (BLR) and Anton Paluyanau (BLR).
Fourth official: Dzmitry Dzmitryieu (BLR).
Booked: Zanotti (LUG), Basriu (DUK), Elezaj (DUK), Behrens (LUG).
Sent off: Rexhaj (DUK).