The 2025/26 UEFA Conference League season is just around the corner, promising intense matchups and fresh drama in European football’s newest club competition. From confirmed participants to important draw procedures and a packed schedule of fixtures, here’s a comprehensive breakdown of everything fans need to keep an eye on ahead of kickoff.
When and How to Watch the Conference League Draw
The eagerly awaited draw for the Conference League’s league phase will be held in Monaco on August 29th at 13:00 CET, immediately following the Europa League draw. This event will be broadcast live on UEFA.com, allowing fans worldwide to catch the official groupings as they unfold.
Unlike last season’s manual draw, the 2025/26 version will feature a fully computer-generated process. The 36 qualified teams will be divided into six pots of six based on UEFA’s club coefficient rankings. Teams will then be paired with opponents from different pots, with each matchup including one home and one away game. Notably, clubs cannot face opponents from their own national association and are limited to playing no more than two teams from the same country during the league phase.
Teams Locked In and Those on the Brink
So far, six clubs have sealed their spot in the Conference League’s league phase: AEK Larnaca (Cyprus), Crystal Palace (England), KuPS (Finland), Noah (Armenia), Sigma Olomouc (Czech Republic), and Sparta Prague (Czech Republic). These teams will be joined by 22 winners emerging from the playoff qualifying rounds, as well as eight teams dropping down from the Europa League playoff qualifiers.
Important Dates for the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League
- League Phase Draw: August 29, 2025
- League Phase Kickoff: October 2, 2025
- League Phase Conclusion: December 18, 2025
- Knockout Playoffs Draw: January 16, 2026
- Knockout Playoffs Matches: February 19 (first legs), February 26 (second legs), 2026
- Round of 16 Draw: February 27, 2026
- Round of 16 Matches: March 12 and 19, 2026
- Quarter-finals: April 9 and 16, 2026
- Semi-finals: April 30 and May 7, 2026
- Final: May 27, 2026
The Grand Finale: Location and Stakes
The 2026 UEFA Conference League final will take place at Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena, also known as the RB Arena during UEFA matches due to sponsorship rules. With a seating capacity of 47,800, it stands as the largest stadium in Eastern Germany. The winner of the final will secure a place in the 2026/27 Europa League league phase—unless they have already qualified for the Champions League through other means.
Understanding the Competition Format
Since last season, UEFA revamped the structure of its club competitions, replacing the traditional group phase with a single 36-team ‘League Phase’ format. Each club plays six matches (compared to eight in the Champions League and Europa League).
At the conclusion of the league phase, the top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16, while the bottom eight are eliminated from the competition. Teams finishing between ninth and 24th enter the knockout playoff round, vying for the remaining eight spots in the round of 16. The knockout stages proceed with seeded and unseeded draws, culminating in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final showdown in Leipzig.
