The 2025/26 UEFA Europa League season is on the horizon, promising thrilling matchups and high-stakes football across Europe. From the confirmed teams and upcoming draws to crucial dates and the revamped competition format, here’s everything football fans need to know ahead of kick-off.
When and How to Watch the Next Europa League Draw
The league phase draw for the Europa League is scheduled for August 29th at 13:00 CET, taking place in Monaco. This year, the draw process has shifted to a fully computer-generated system, a departure from the manual team-by-team approach used previously. All 36 teams’ opponents and home/away fixtures will be drawn simultaneously but revealed gradually, pot by pot.
Teams are divided into four pots based on UEFA’s club coefficient rankings. Each club will face two opponents from each pot, playing one match at home and one away. The draw ensures teams from the same national association cannot face each other more than twice and avoids same-association clashes in individual pairings.
Fans can stream the live draw on UEFA.com, making it easy to stay up-to-date with the latest matchups.
Confirmed Teams and Potential Entrants
As of now, 27 clubs have secured their places in the 2025/26 Europa League. They represent a diverse range of European football powers, including:
- Aston Villa (ENG)
- Basel (SUI)
- Bologna (ITA)
- Brann (NOR)
- Celta Vigo (ESP)
- Celtic (SCO)
- Crvena Zvezda (SRB)
- Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
- Fenerbahce (TUR)
- Ferencvaros (HUN)
- Feyenoord (NED)
- Freiburg (GER)
- Go Ahead Eagles (NED)
- Lille (FRA)
- Malmo (SWE)
- Midtjylland (DEN)
- Nice (FRA)
- Nottingham Forest (ENG)
- Olympique Lyonnais (FRA)
- Porto (POR)
- Real Betis (ESP)
- Red Bull Salzburg (AUT)
- Rangers (SCO)
- Roma (ITA)
- Sturm Graz (AUT)
- Stuttgart (GER)
- Viktoria Plzen (CZE)
They will be joined by nine winners from the upcoming playoff qualifiers, completing the 36-team lineup for the league phase.
Key Dates to Mark in Your Calendar
- League Phase Draw: August 29, 2025
- First Matchday: September 24-25, 2025
- Final Matchday of League Phase: January 29, 2026
- Knockout Playoff Draw: January 30, 2026
- Knockout Playoffs: First legs February 19, second legs February 26, 2026
- Round of 16 Draw: February 27, 2026
- Round of 16 Matches: First legs March 12, second legs March 19, 2026
- Quarter-finals: First legs April 9, second legs April 16, 2026
- Semi-finals: First legs April 30, second legs May 7, 2026
- Final: May 20, 2026
Venue and Stakes for the 2025/26 Final
The grand finale will take place on May 20, 2026, at Istanbul’s Besiktas Stadium, a modern arena boasting a seating capacity of around 42,590. Victory in the Europa League not only secures continental glory but also grants direct entry into the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase, raising the stakes for all competing sides.
Understanding the New Europa League Format
Since the 2024/25 season, UEFA has revamped its competition structure, ditching traditional group stages for a ‘League Phase’ featuring 36 teams. Each team plays eight matches against a range of opponents from different pots, creating a dynamic and unpredictable schedule.
At the end of this phase, the top eight teams earn automatic qualification to the round of 16. The bottom eight teams are eliminated outright without a fallback to the UEFA Conference League. Those finishing between 9th and 24th enter a knockout playoff round, where they battle for the remaining eight spots in the round of 16.
Following these playoffs, the knockout stage draws occur, pairing the top-ranked teams (seeded) against the playoff winners (unseeded). The competition then progresses through the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and concludes with the final showdown.
