To help you follow every step on the road to the final in May, we explain all you need to know about the upcoming 2026/27 Europa League season below, from the key dates to the draws, teams, and format of the competition.
How did the qualifying phase work?
17 teams qualified automatically for the league phase. The remaining 19 spots were decided in a variety of ways. 12 teams joined the league phase via the qualifying phase, which ended with the play-offs in late August, played over two legs, while seven clubs dropped down into the Europa League after losing in the Champions League play-offs.
Which teams qualified?
The following 36 teams qualified for the Europa League proper:
Anderlecht (BEL); Ararat-Armenia (ARM); AZ (NED); Benfica (POR); Besiktas (Turkey); Bournemouth (ENG); Celje (SLO); Celta Vigo (ESP); Celtic (SCO); Crystal Palace (ENG); Dinamo Zagreb (CRO); Ferencvaros (HUN); Hapoel Beer Sheva (ISR); Hoffenheim (GER); Jagiellonia (POL); Juventus (ITA); Bayer Leverkusen (GER); Lech Poznan (POL); Levski Sofia (BUL); Lillestrom (NOR); Lyon (FRA); Marseille (FRA); AC Milan (ITA); Nijmegen (NED); OFI Crete (GRE); Olympiacos (GRE); Omonia (CYP); Plzen (CZE); Real Sociedad (ESP); Rennes (FRA); Salzburg (AUT); Sparta Prague (CZE); Sturm Graz (AUT); Sunderland (ENG); Torreense (POR); Union Saint-Gilloise (BEL)
The format of the Europa League
The teams that finish in the top eight of the league phase after the eight Matchdays qualify for the Europa League's Round of 16. Those between ninth and 24th will enter the play-off knockout round. The 12 teams ranked between 25th and 36th will exit the competition when the league phase is concluded.
When are the league phase matchdays?
Matchday 1: September 16th-17th, 2026
Matchday 2: October 15th, 2026
Matchday 3: October 22nd, 2026
Matchday 4: November 5th, 2026
Matchday 5: November 26th, 2026
Matchday 6: December 10th, 2026
Matchday 7: January 21st, 2027
Matchday 8: January 28th, 2027
When are the knockout rounds played?
Knockout play-offs: February 18th and 25th, 2027
Round of 16: March 11th and 18th, 2027
Quarter-finals: April 8th and 15th, 2027
Semi-finals: April 29th and May 6th, 2027
Final: May 26th, 2027
When and where is the Europa League final?
The final will be staged on Wednesday, May 26th, 2027, at Frankfurt's Waldstadion in Germany, currently known as Deutsche Bank Park for sponsorship purposes; it is a retractable-roof stadium and the home ground of Eintracht Frankfurt.
When are the various Europa League draws?
First qualifying round: June 16th, 2026
Second qualifying round: June 17th, 2026
Third qualifying round: July 20th, 2026
Play-offs: August 3rd, 2026
League phase: August 28th, 2026
Knockout round play-offs: January 29th, 2027
Round of 16 and final bracket: February 26th, 2027
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How did the league phase draw work?
The draw for the main phase of the Europa League took place from 13:00 CET on Friday, August 28th, in Monaco. The ceremony was a combined event for the Europa and Conference League draws and was streamed on UEFA.com.
For the draw, the 36 teams that qualified for the tournament were placed into four pots, with one being the highest-ranked and four being the lowest. The pot placements were based on UEFA's club coefficient ranking from the five-season period ending at the conclusion of 2025/26.
The draw determined each side's eight fixtures for the league phase, with every team drawing two teams from each of the four pots. However, they couldn't face a team from the same country as themselves.
Read about the results of the league phase draw here!
Which teams were in each pot for the main draw?
Pot 1: Bayer Leverkusen; Benfica; Juventus; AC Milan; Lyon; AZ Alkmaar; Olympiakos; Real Sociedad; Marseille
Pot 2: Ferencvaros; Viktoria Plzen; Union Saint-Gilloise; Dinamo Zagreb; Red Bull Salzburg; Celtic; Sparta Prague; Rennes; Anderlecht
Pot 3: Sturm Graz; Lech Poznan; Crystal Palace; Bournemouth; Sunderland; Celje; Jagiellonia Bialystok; Omonia; Celta Vigo
Pot 4: Hoffenheim; Besiktas; Torreense; Hapoel Be'er Sheva; NEC Nijmegen; OFI Crete; Lillestrom; Aarat-Armenia; Levski Sofia
UEFA Europa League
The UEFA Europa League pits European clubs against each other in the continent's second-tier cup competition. The 2026/27 edition follows the same format as last season, with 36 teams participating in the league phase before the top 24 progress to the knockout rounds. Want to know more? Follow the links below!
All you need to know | Latest Europa League news | The full Europa League draw
