What channel is Dundee United v AZ Alkmaar on? Match info, kick-off time, team news, AZ missing key men

Dundee United begin their European campaign on Thursday evening when they welcome Dutch side AZ Alkmaar to Tannadice.

It is the first-leg of the Europa Conference League third qualifying round.

The game is United's first in Europe in a decade, when they played and lost over two legs to Russian outfit Dynamo Moscow in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.

Jack Ross led Hibs into Europe last season and is close to adding to his squad with the signing of Jamie McGrath on loan from Wigan Athletic.

AZ, who last won the Eredivisie in 2009, finishing runners-up in 2020, start their league season this weekend. They have played competitively twice, defeating Tuzla City in the second round of qualifying. The club sold their best player to Ajax this summer, the Dutch giants paying £9million for left-back Owen Wijndal.

Match details

Who: Dundee United v AZ Alkmaar

What: Europa Conference League third qualifying round, first-leg

Tannadice hosts Dundee Uniited and AZ Alkmaar in the Conference League. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

Where: Tannadice Park, Dundee

When: Thursday, August 4. Kick-off 8pm

Referee: Vitor Jorge Fernandes Ferreira (Portugal)

How to watch

The BBC announced they will televise the home tie on BBC Scotland with coverage beginning at 7.45pm. The match will also be available on BBC iPlayer with Sportsound commentary on both Radio Scotland and BBC Sounds.

Last meeting

This will be the first meeting between the two sides. United have played Dutch opposition twice before, beating PSV Eindhoven over two legs in the 1982/83 UEFA Cup and losing to Vitesse Arnhem in the 1990/91 UEFA Cup.

Team news

Ian Harkes will be available after being sent off in the draw with Kilmarnock at the weekend. There could be a debut for new boy Aziz Behich. The Australian international’s work permit has been cleared with Ross revealing he was left out of the league opener due to having trained a lot on his own prior to arriving.

AZ will be without Jens Odgaard, a £3.69million summer signing, has not travelled, nor has Jesper Karlsson, who scored 21 goals last season.

What next?

If United were to progress across two-legs they would play either Riga FC from Latvia or Portuguese side Gil Vicente.

Anything else?

The game is heading for a sell-out. Dundee United announced on Tuesday evening there were "only a few hundred tickets” remaining for the encounter.