The upcoming draws for the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Europa Conference League will determine the group‑stage opponents for a number of British clubs, including Celtic, Bournemouth, Sunderland and Crystal Palace. The Europa League draw is scheduled for 12:00 pm UK time on Friday, and immediately after that the Conference League draw will take place, potentially involving teams such as Brighton, Hearts, Hibernian, Motherwell and Northern Irish side Larne. ### How the Europa League Group Stage Is Formed A total of twelve clubs gain direct entry into the Europa League group phase.
In addition, the holder of the Conference League title – Crystal Palace – occupies a reserved slot. Another twelve places are filled by clubs that win their way through the Europa League play‑off round. The remaining spots are taken by eleven teams that drop down after losing in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round or the Champions League play‑offs. This creates a 36‑team line‑up that will be split into twelve groups of three, each team playing eight matches – four at home and four away – against the other two clubs in its group.
The clubs that have already secured their places include well‑known names such as AC Milan, AZ Alkmaar, Bayer Leverkusen, Bournemouth, Celta Vigo, Crystal Palace, Hoffenheim, Juventus, Marseille, Olympiacos, Real Sociedad, Rennes, Sparta Prague, Sturm Graz, Sunderland, Torreense and Union Saint‑Gilloise. In addition, Celtic, Hapoel Beer‑Sheva and NEC Breda have entered the competition after falling out of the Champions League play‑offs.
### Potential Entrants From the Champions League Play‑offs If clubs lose in the Champions League play‑off round, they may be placed into the Europa League. Possible candidates include AEK Athens or Levski Sofia, Dinamo Zagreb or Viking, Slovan Bratislava or Celje, and Fenerbahçe or Lyon.
Conversely, clubs that win their Europa League play‑off ties will also join the group stage; this list features Aarhus, Anderlecht, Ararat‑Armenia, Benfica, Beşiktaş, Crvena Zvezda, CSKA Sofia, Egnatia, Ferencváros, Iberia Tbilisi, Jagiellonia, Kairat Almaty, Kauno Žalgiris, Lech Poznań, Lillestrøm, Mjällby, OFI Crete, Omonia, Salzburg, Sint‑Truidense, Thun, Trabzonspor, Union Craiova and Viktoria Plzeň. ### Structure of the Conference League Group Stage The Conference League follows a similar but slightly smaller format. Teams that win their Conference League play‑off round will join the group stage. The roster of possible participants is extensive and includes clubs such as Ajax, Atalanta, Austria Vienna, Borac, Braga, Brann, Brighton, FC Copenhagen, Dinamo City, Drita, Freiburg, Gent, Getafe, Górnik Zabrze, Hapoel Tel‑Aviv, Hajduk Split, Hearts, Hibernian, Hradec Králové, Inter Escaldes, Inter Turku, Jablonec, Klaksvík, KuPS, Lincoln Red Imps, Larne, Lugano, Maccabi Tel‑Aviv, Midtjylland, Monaco, Motherwell, Nordsjælland, Pafos, Panathinaikos, PAOK, Partizan, Qarabağ, Raków, Rangers, Riga, Rijeka, Shamrock Rovers, Sion, SK Rapid, St Gallen, Tromsø, Twente and Víkingur R.
If a club loses in the Europa League play‑off round, it may be transferred to the Conference League, adding further depth to the competition. The same clubs listed for the Europa League play‑off winners are also eligible to appear in the Conference League under this circumstance. ### Match Scheduling and Progression Rules In the Europa League, each club is guaranteed eight group‑stage matches against eight distinct opponents – four matches at home and four away. The Conference League provides each side with six group matches – three at home and three away.
After the group phase, the top eight teams in each competition advance directly to the knockout rounds. Teams finishing ninth to twenty‑fourth enter a two‑legged play‑off to claim the remaining spots in the round of 16. Clubs placed twenty‑fifth to thirty‑sixth are eliminated from European competition for the season.
During the draw, clubs cannot be placed in the same group as another team from their own country, and a maximum of two clubs from a single nation may appear in the same group. ### Calendar of Group‑Stage Matchdays **Europa League** - Matchday 1: 16 / 17 September - Matchday 2: 15 October - Matchday 3: 22 October - Matchday 4: 5 November - Matchday 5: 26 November - Matchday 6: 10 December - Matchday 7: 21 January 2027 - Matchday 8: 28 January 2027 **Conference League** - Matchday 1: 15 October - Matchday 2: 22 October - Matchday 3: 5 November - Matchday 4: 26 November - Matchday 5: 10 December - Matchday 6: 17 December ### Knockout Phase Timeline - Knockout round play‑offs: 18 & 25 February 2027 - Round of 16: 11 & 18 March 2027 - Quarter‑finals: 8 & 15 April 2027 - Semi‑finals: 29 April & 6 May 2027 - Europa League final: 26 May 2027 at Stadion Frankfurt, Germany - Conference League final: 2 June 2027 at Beşiktaş Park, Istanbul, Turkey ### How to Watch Fans with a Sky subscription can stream the draws and subsequent matches via the Sky Sports app.
Those without Sky can obtain instant, contract‑free access through various online platforms, and highlights from the Premier League are also available for free. ### Additional Opportunities UEFA continues to promote fan engagement through initiatives such as the "Play Super 6" competition, which offers participants a chance to win a £1 million prize at no cost. Overall, the draws set the stage for an exciting season of European football, with clubs from across the continent vying for continental glory and the financial rewards that accompany deep runs in the Europa and Conference Leagues.