The upcoming draws for the Europa League and the UEFA Conference League will determine the match‑ups for a host of British clubs, including Celtic, Bournemouth, Sunderland and Crystal Palace. The Europa League draw, which features those four sides, is scheduled for 12:00 pm UK time on Friday.
Immediately after, the Conference League draw will take place, potentially involving teams such as Brighton, Hearts, Hibernian, Motherwell and Northern Irish club Larne. ### Structure of the Europa League Phase A total of twelve clubs qualify automatically for the Europa League group stage. In addition, the holder of the UEFA Conference League title – Crystal Palace – occupies a dedicated slot.
Another twelve places are filled by teams that emerge victorious from the Europa League play‑off round. The final component of the 36‑team roster comes from the eleven clubs that are eliminated in the UEFA Champions League third‑qualifying round and play‑offs, allowing them a second chance in the secondary competition.
The confirmed participants for this season’s Europa League group phase 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. Three additional clubs have dropped into the Europa League after losing in the Champions League play‑off round: Celtic, Hapoel Beer‑Sheva and NEC Breda. ### Potential Entrants from the Champions League Play‑offs If certain clubs are defeated in the Champions League play‑off round, they will be transferred into the Europa League.
The possible candidates include: - AEK Athens or Levski Sofia - Dinamo Zagreb or Viking - Slovan Bratislava or Celje - Fenerbahçe or Lyon Conversely, clubs that win their Europa League play‑off ties will also secure a place in the group stage. This list comprises a wide array of teams from across Europe, such as Aarhus, Anderlecht, Benfica, Besiktas, Crvena Zvezda, CSKA Sofia, Ferencváros, Jagiellonia, Kairat Almaty, Lech Poznan, Lillestrom, OFI Crete, Omonia, Salzburg, Trabzonspor, Union Craiova and many others. ### Conference League Composition The Conference League draw follows the Europa League draw and will feature clubs that have either qualified directly or progressed through the Conference League play‑off round. Potential participants include well‑known sides like Ajax, Atalanta, Austria Vienna, Braga, Brighton, FC Copenhagen, Dinamo City, Gent, Getafe, Hapoel Tel‑Aviv, Hearts, Hibernian, Inter Escaldes, Inter Turku, Rangers, and a host of clubs from smaller footballing nations.
Teams that lose in the Europa League play‑off round may also be placed into the Conference League, creating a fluid movement of clubs between the two competitions based on their performance in the qualifying stages. ### Match Format and Scheduling In the Europa League, each club is guaranteed a minimum of eight group‑stage matches – four at home and four away – against eight distinct opponents. The Conference League follows a slightly different model: each team plays six matches, split evenly between home and away fixtures, against six different clubs.
Both tournaments employ a similar progression system. The top eight teams in each group automatically advance to the knockout phase.
Teams finishing ninth through twenty‑fourth enter a two‑legged play‑off 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.
A further restriction applies during the group stage: clubs cannot be drawn against another team from the same national association, and a maximum of two clubs from the same country may appear in a single group. ### Key Dates for the Group Stage **Europa League Matchdays** - 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 Matchdays** - 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 - **Final (Europa League):** 26 May 2027 at Stadion Frankfurt, Germany - **Final (Conference League):** 2 June 2027 at Beşiktaş Park, Istanbul, Turkey ### Viewing Options Fans with a Sky Sports subscription can stream the draws and subsequent matches via the Sky Sports app. Those without Sky can still access live coverage through various pay‑per‑view services that do not require a long‑term contract. Additionally, free Premier League highlight reels are available for those who want a quick recap of domestic action.
### Summary The draws for the Europa League and Conference League are pivotal moments that set the stage for the rest of the European season. They determine which clubs will face each other, outline the schedule of matches, and ultimately shape the pathways to the prestigious finals in Frankfurt and Istanbul.
Whether you are supporting a British side like Celtic or following a club from a smaller league such as Larne, the upcoming draws promise excitement, drama, and the chance for under‑dogs to make a deep run in Europe. For those looking to add a little extra thrill, there is also a promotional Super 6 competition where participants can enter for free and compete for a £1 million prize.