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 group‑stage draw is scheduled for 12:00 pm UK time on Friday, and it will be followed immediately by the Conference League draw, which could see clubs such as Brighton, Hearts, Hibernian, Motherwell and Northern Irish side Larne learn their fate. **How the Europa League field is assembled** A total of twelve clubs earn a direct place in the Europa League group stage.
In addition, the winners of the previous season’s Conference League – Crystal Palace – automatically qualify, occupying a special slot reserved for the title‑holders. Another twelve places are filled by clubs that win their way through the Europa League play‑off round.
The remaining ten spots are taken by teams that are eliminated from the UEFA Champions League at the third qualifying round or the play‑off round, giving them a second chance in Europe. The final list of 36 participants therefore includes a mixture of direct qualifiers, play‑off survivors and Champions League drop‑outs. The confirmed participants for this season’s Europa League are: - 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. Teams that have already dropped into the competition after losing in the Champions League play‑off round are Celtic, Hapoel Beer‑Sheva and NEC Breda.
**Potential entrants from the Champions League play‑off round** Clubs that lose their Champions League play‑off ties may still find themselves in the Europa League. The possible entrants in that scenario include AEK Athens or Levski Sofia, Dinamo Zagreb or Viking, Slovan Bratislava or Celje, and Fenerbahçe or Lyon.
**Pathways through the Europa League play‑off round** If a club wins its Europa League play‑off, it secures a spot in the group stage. The pool of clubs that could achieve this includes 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. All 36 clubs must progress through the qualifying phase; none receive a direct group‑stage berth without first navigating a qualifying round.
**How the Conference League field is built** The Conference League follows a similar structure but with a broader set of clubs entering through its own play‑off system. Potential participants that could win their Conference League play‑off ties include 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, Vikingur Rökr. Clubs that lose in the Europa League play‑off round may also drop into the Conference League, creating a second chance for many of the same teams listed above. **Group‑stage format and match schedule** In the Europa League, each club is guaranteed eight matches – four at home and four away – against eight different opponents.
The Conference League groups are slightly smaller; each team plays six matches – three at home and three away – against six distinct opponents. The competition rules prevent clubs from being drawn against a team from the same national association in the group stage, and a maximum of two clubs from the same country may appear in a single group. After the group stage, the top eight teams in each league progress directly to the knockout phase.
Teams finishing ninth through twenty‑fourth enter a two‑legged play‑off round to vie for the remaining spots in the round of 16. Clubs that finish twenty‑fifth to thirty‑sixth are eliminated from European competition for the season. **Key dates for the group stage** - Matchday 1 (Europa League): 16–17 September 2026 - Matchday 2: 15 October 2026 - Matchday 3: 22 October 2026 - Matchday 4: 5 November 2026 - Matchday 5: 26 November 2026 - Matchday 6: 10 December 2026 - Matchday 7: 21 January 2027 - Matchday 8: 28 January 2027 For the Conference League the schedule is slightly shifted: - Matchday 1: 15 October 2026 - Matchday 2: 22 October 2026 - Matchday 3: 5 November 2026 - Matchday 4: 26 November 2026 - Matchday 5: 10 December 2026 - Matchday 6: 17 December 2026 **Knock‑out phase timetable** Both competitions converge on a similar knockout calendar. The play‑offs for the round of 16 take place on 18 and 25 February 2027.
The round of 16 itself is scheduled for 11 and 18 March 2027, followed by the quarter‑finals on 8 and 15 April 2027. Semi‑final legs are set for 29 April and 6 May 2027. The Europa League final will be contested on 26 May 2027 at the Stadion Frankfurt in Germany, while the Conference League final is slated for 2 June 2027 at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul, Turkey. **How to watch** Fans with a Sky Sports subscription can stream the draws live via the Sky Sports app.
Those without Sky can still access the action through a variety of free or contract‑free streaming options, and Premier League highlights remain available at no cost. **Additional opportunities** Beyond the on‑field action, UEFA and its partners often run promotional contests.
For example, participants can enter a “Super 6” competition for a chance to win a £1 million prize, with entry typically free of charge. In summary, the Europa League and Conference League draws not only set the stage for a thrilling series of group‑stage fixtures but also outline the pathways clubs must navigate to reach the knockout rounds and ultimately the finals in Frankfurt and Istanbul.
The detailed schedule, qualification mechanisms, and broadcasting options ensure that supporters across the UK and Europe can follow their teams every step of the way.