The recent draws for the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Conference League have laid out the fixtures for the British clubs that will be taking part in continental competition next season. Sunderland, making a historic return to European football after a 53‑year absence, have been paired with Italy's storied AC Milan, while Bournemouth, embarking on their maiden European campaign, will also face the Italian giants, this time on home soil. The draws were conducted on Friday and set the schedule for both tournaments, with each team slated to play a total of eight matches in the Europa League and six in the Conference League, split evenly between home and away fixtures, spanning from September 2026 through January 2027. Sunderland's draw marks a momentous occasion for the club, which will travel to the iconic San Siro to meet AC Milan.
This encounter will be the first time the Black Cats have ventured into a European competition in more than half a century, and the atmosphere at the San Siro is expected to be electric. Meanwhile, Bournemouth will host Milan at their own ground, offering the club a chance to showcase its facilities and fan support against a side that has won multiple Serie A titles and European trophies.
In the Europa League, Celtic have been drawn to host French side Marseille before heading to Portugal to face Marco Silva's Benfica. Their eight‑match itinerary also includes fixtures against Ferencváros in Hungary, Union Saint‑Gilloise in Belgium, Celta Vigo in Spain, Omonia in Cyprus, Besiktas in Turkey, and Torreense in Portugal. Sunderland’s Europa League schedule features home games against AZ Alkmaar, GNK Dinamo Zagreb, Jagiellonia Białystok, and Levski Sofia, while they will travel to Milan, Anderlecht, Lech Poznań, and again to Torreense for their away fixtures.
Bournemouth’s Europa League slate is equally demanding: they will welcome AC Milan, then travel to face Real Sociedad in Spain, host Viktoria Plzeň from the Czech Republic, journey to Sparta Prague, host Sturm Graz of Austria, travel to Celta Vigo, host Hapoel Be’er Sheva from Israel, and finish the group stage with an away match against Norway’s Lillestrøm. Crystal Palace, the defending Conference League champions, will host Real Sociedad and Sparta Prague, while also traveling to face Lyon, Salzburg, Jagiellonia, and Besiktas. Their schedule reflects the diversity of opponents that British clubs will encounter across Europe. The competition calendar is clearly laid out.
Matchday 1 for the Europa League will take place on 16 and 17 September, followed by subsequent matchdays on 15 October, 22 October, 5 November, 26 November, 10 December, and the final two rounds in January 2027 on the 21st and 28th. The knockout phase will commence with play‑offs on 18 and 25 February 2027, progressing to the round of 16 in March, quarter‑finals in April, semi‑finals at the end of April and early May, and culminating in a final on 26 May 2027 at the Stadion Frankfurt in Germany. In the Conference League, Brighton & Hove Albion are back in Europe for only the second time in their history, having secured group‑stage qualification by defeating Tromsø in the qualifying rounds. Their group‑stage opponents include Monaco from France, Panathinaikos from Greece, Universitatea Craiova from Romania, Getafe from Spain, Kauno Žalgiris from Lithuania, and Jablonec from the Czech Republic.
Brighton’s schedule pits them against Monaco at home, a challenging fixture given Monaco’s pedigree, and away trips to Panathinaikos and Getafe, among others. Hearts, the Scottish Premiership side owned by Brighton’s chairman Tony Bloom, have also been drawn into the Conference League. They will host Monaco in Scotland and travel to face Pafos from Cyprus, Borac Banja Luka from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Trabzonspor from Turkey, Nordsjælland from Denmark, and Thun from Switzerland. Notably, Hearts will meet Trabzonspor, a club featuring former Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana on loan and led by Mohamed Salah’s former teammate.
The Conference League matchdays are scheduled a little later than the Europa League, beginning on 15 October and concluding with the final on 2 June 2027 at Besiktas Park in Istanbul, Turkey. The knockout phase mirrors the Europa League’s structure, with play‑offs in February, round of 16 in March, quarter‑finals in April, semi‑finals at the end of April and early May, and the championship match in early June.
For fans eager to follow the action, Sky Sports will broadcast the fixtures live via its app, while those without a Sky subscription can obtain instant, contract‑free access through alternative streaming options. The draws not only set the competitive landscape for British clubs but also highlight the growing presence of English and Scottish teams on the continental stage, offering a mix of historic match‑ups, debut appearances, and opportunities for clubs to test themselves against a broad spectrum of European football cultures. The upcoming months promise thrilling encounters, strategic battles, and the chance for clubs like Sunderland and Bournemouth to write new chapters in their histories, while established sides such as Celtic, Crystal Palace, Brighton, and Hearts aim to cement their reputations in Europe.