The upcoming Europa League and UEFA Conference League group-stage draws will determine the fixtures for several British clubs, including Celtic, Bournemouth, Sunderland and Crystal Palace in the Europa League, and Brighton along with Scottish Premiership side Hearts in the Conference League. The Europa League draw is scheduled for 12:00 pm UK time on Friday, and immediately after, the Conference League draw will take place. ### How the Europa League Group Phase is Shaped A total of twelve clubs gain direct entry into the Europa League group stage. In addition, the holder of the UEFA Conference League title – Crystal Palace – occupies a reserved slot, bringing the count of automatically qualified teams to thirteen.
Another twelve places are filled by clubs that triumph in the Europa League play‑off round. The remaining spots are taken by eleven teams that fall out of the UEFA Champions League during its third qualifying round or its play‑off round, completing a 36‑team roster. The clubs that have already secured a place in the Europa League group stage 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. Those that earned their spots by winning the Europa League play‑off round include Anderlecht, Ararat‑Armenia, Benfica, Besiktas, Ferencvaros, Jagiellonia, Lech Poznan, Lillestrom, OFI Crete, Omonia, Salzburg and Viktoria Plzen.
Clubs that arrived in the competition after losing in the Champions League play‑off round are Celtic, Hapoel Beer‑Sheva, NEC Breda, Levski Sofia, Viking, Celje and Lyon. All thirty‑six teams will start the league phase on an equal footing; none receive a direct bye to later stages. ### 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 join the group stage, and those that drop out of the Europa League play‑off round also gain entry.
The list of clubs that have qualified by winning their play‑off ties includes Ajax, Atalanta, Borac, Braga, Brann, Brighton, FC Copenhagen, Freiburg, Gent, Getafe, Hajduk Split, Hearts, Inter Escaldes, Jablonec, KuPS, Lincoln Red Imps, Lugano, Midtjylland, Monaco, Nordsjælland, Pafos, Panathinaikos, Riga and Twente. Teams that entered after losing in the Europa League play‑off round are Aarhus, Crvena Zvezda, CSKA Sofia, Egnatia, Iberia Tblisi, Kairat Almaty, Kauno Zalgiris, Mjällby, Sint‑Truidense, Thun, Trabzonspor and Union Craiova. ### Match Guarantees and Scheduling In the Europa League each club is assured a minimum of eight group‑stage matches – four at home and four away – against eight distinct opponents.
The Conference League provides each side with six matches – three at home and three away – against six different teams. The fixtures are spread across several 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). ### Progression Rules Both competitions adopt a similar progression system. After the group stage, the top eight teams in each group advance directly to the knockout phase.
Teams finishing ninth to twenty‑fourth enter a two‑legged play‑off to vie for 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 club from their own country, although a maximum of two clubs from the same nation may appear in a single group.
### Knockout Phase Timeline The knockout rounds are scheduled as follows: - **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**: 26 May 2027 at Stadion Frankfurt, Germany (Europa League) and 2 June 2027 at Beşiktaş Park, Istanbul, Turkey (Conference League). ### Viewing Options Fans with Sky Sports can stream the draws live via the Sky Sports app.
Those without a Sky subscription can still watch through instant‑access options that require no long‑term contract. Additionally, free Premier League highlights and fixture lists are available online for supporters wanting to keep up with domestic action. ### Additional Engagement UEFA also promotes a "Super 6" competition where participants can enter for free for a chance to win a £1 million prize, adding an extra layer of excitement for the football‑loving audience. In summary, the Europa League and Conference League draws not only set the stage for an exciting series of matches across Europe but also outline a clear pathway from group play to the ultimate finals in Frankfurt and Istanbul.
The detailed schedule, qualification routes, and viewing options ensure that fans and clubs alike can follow the journey from the first whistle to the crowning of the champions.