Ajax and FC Utrecht played out a 0-0 draw in the European football playoff final on May 24, 2026, in Volendam.
The match decided which team advances to the second qualifying round of the Conference League.
FC Utrecht started aggressively, forcing consecutive corners early on.
Siebe Horemans nearly scored with a header, but Ajax midfielder Jente Mokio cleared the ball off the goal line.
Ajax gradually took control of possession but struggled to break through Utrecht's defense.
Lucas Bouwman attempted an overhead kick from a corner that went narrowly wide of the far post.
The best chance of the match came in the 52nd minute when Mokio turned free and struck a left-footed shot off the underside of the crossbar.
He then fell with a groin injury and was replaced by Sean Steur.
Utrecht manager Ron Jans, coaching his 799th professional match, introduced Sébastien Haller and Nick Viergever in the 60th minute to boost his team's attack.
Officials implemented a brief cooling break during the first half due to the 26-degree temperature, a decision that drew criticism from analysts.
Football analyst Kenneth Perez expressed strong dissatisfaction with the lack of off-the-ball movement from both teams. "They say finals are never good matches," Perez said.
"Nobody is doing anything without the ball! Nobody is making runs.
They all come to the ball. Please, start running."
Perez also questioned the quality of the match ball, suggesting it bounced erratically. "It's a bouncing ball!
A dramatic ball to play with. You see it.
They can't all have such poor technique. So it must be the ball."
Presenter Milan van Dongen confirmed that the ball was standard for Ajax home games and jokingly asked if Perez had found the cause of Ajax's season decline.
Perez further criticized the mandatory hydration break, calling it unnecessary pampering. "It's not even hot!
Why do we need drink breaks? What are we, coddling everyone?
We need to create tough men who can handle things. A drink break!
I'm going crazy."
In the final phase, Ajax brought on Wout Weghorst and Carrizo for Kasper Dolberg and Steven Berghuis as both teams pushed for a late winner but neither could find the net.
