Champions League Qualifier Relocated After Pitbull Concert Booking

Lithuanian club FK Kauno Zalgiris, the Toplyga champions, defeated Kosovo’s Dritam 3-2 (4-3 on aggregate) on 17 July 2026, securing a €1.7 million prize and a place in the UEFA Champions League second-qualifying round. The club was slated to host the second leg in Kaunas on 28 or 29 July before travelling to the Faroe Islands to face KI. However, the Darius and Girenas Stadium had already been booked for a Pitbull concert on 31 July, part of the rapper’s European “I’m back!” tour. With the Faroe Islands observing St Olav’s Day on 28-29 July and another Faroese club engaged in a Conference League match on 30 July, swapping the order of legs proved unlikely. Consequently, Zalgiris is expected to move the home fixture to Jonava, a town 30 km away, whose stadium holds just over 2,500 spectators.

The Guardian

Club chair Mantas Kalnietis emphasized that large concerts generate essential revenue for the stadium and the city, helping fund the team’s ambitions. The Lithuanian Football Federation president Edgaras Stankevicius called the double-booking “really unfortunate,” noting that Jonava’s venue is “nice and tidy” but a “big difference” from the home ground and warning that such situations hinder the development of Lithuanian football. He added that the Pitbull event is the only concert scheduled at the stadium this summer, so the clash will not recur in later rounds.

The Guardian

Head coach Zeljko Sopic expressed frustration, stating the team must relocate “because of a concert by some dog or somebody” and that “It’s better I don’t say anything about that. It is what it is.” The club had attempted to reverse the order of the legs to avoid the conflict, but logistical constraints in the Faroe Islands made this improbable.

The Guardian

• “It’s better I don’t say anything about that. It is what it is.” — Zeljko Sopic, head coach, FK Kauno Zalgiris

The Guardian

• “For the stadium, concerts like this are a major source of revenue, and for the city’s residents it’s also a great time,” — Mantas Kalnietis, chair, FK Kauno Zalgiris

The Guardian

• “This will be the only concert at the stadium this summer, so we will not face this issue again in the later rounds this year.” — Edgaras Stankevicius, president, Lithuanian Football Federation

The Guardian

• “ Edgaras Stankevicius, president of the Lithuanian football federation, described the double booking as “really unfortunate”, adding: “Jonava stadium is nice and tidy as well, but it is still a big difference.” — Edgaras Stankevicius

The Guardian

• “It is normal to want to play these big games in your home stadium. Situations like these certainly do not do any good for the development of Lithuanian football as a whole.” — Edgaras Stankevicius

The Guardian