The latest draws for the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Conference League have been completed, and British clubs now know who they will face in the upcoming group stages. Sunderland will embark on a historic trip to the San Siro to take on AC Milan in the Europa League, while Bournemouth, making their debut in European competition, will host the Italian giants in a home fixture.
At the same time, Brighton & Hove Albion and Hearts have learned the teams that will challenge them in the Conference League. Both draws were conducted on Friday, setting the schedule for the league phase of each tournament. In the Europa League, each club will contest eight matches – four at home and four away – between September 2026 and January 2027.
The Conference League will follow a similar format, with six matches per side – three at home and three away – over the same period. These fixtures will determine which clubs progress to the knockout stages later in the season. Sunderland’s qualification marks a remarkable milestone: it is the club’s first appearance in a European competition in 53 years. Their first test will be an away game at the iconic San Siro, where they will meet AC Milan, a side with a storied history in continental football.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, are experiencing European football for the very first time. Their opening home match against AC Milan will be a showcase event for the club and its supporters, offering a rare chance to host one of Italy’s most celebrated teams. Celtic have also secured their Europa League fixtures.
The Scottish champions will host Olympique de Marseille in their first home game and then travel to face Benfica, managed by Marco Silva, in an away encounter. Their full Europa League itinerary includes matches against Ferencváros (home), Union SG (away), Celta Vigo (home), Omonia (away), Beşiktaş (home) and Torreense (away). Sunderland’s schedule features home ties against AZ Alkmaar and GNK Dinamo, as well as away games versus AC Milan, Anderlecht, Jagiellonia, Lech Poznań, Levski Sofia and Torreense.
Bournemouth’s group in the Europa League is a demanding one. After hosting AC Milan, they will travel to Real Sociedad in Spain, then host Viktoria Plzeň before heading to Sparta Prague for an away match.
The remaining fixtures pit them against Sturm Graz at home, Celta Vigo away, Hapoel Be’er Sheva at home and Lillestrøm away. Crystal Palace, the reigning Conference League champions, have been drawn against Real Sociedad at home and will travel to Lyon, with additional matches against Sparta Prague, Salzburg, Lech Poznań, Jagiellonia, Hoffenheim and Beşiktaş. The timetable for the Europa League group stage is as follows: Matchday 1 on 16–17 September, Matchday 2 on 15 October, Matchday 3 on 22 October, Matchday 4 on 5 November, Matchday 5 on 26 November, Matchday 6 on 10 December, followed by two final matchdays in January 2027 (21 January and 28 January).
The knockout phase will commence with play‑offs on 18 and 25 February 2027, then the round of 16 in March, quarter‑finals in April, semi‑finals at the end of April and early May, and the final scheduled for 26 May 2027 at the Stadion Frankfurt in Germany. In the Conference League, Brighton & Hove Albion are making their second ever appearance in European competition after progressing through qualifying by defeating Tromsø. Their toughest group‑stage challenge will be a home game against Monaco, the French Ligue 1 side, while they also face away fixtures against Panathinaikos of Greece and Getafe from Spain. Additional matches include home ties versus Universitatea Craiova and Kauno Žalgiris, and away games against Jablonec.
Hearts, owned by Brighton’s chairman Tony Bloom, will also compete in the Conference League. They will host Monaco at Tynecastle and travel to face Trabzonspor, a club featuring former Liverpool and Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana on loan. Their group also contains Pafos, Borac, Nordsjælland and Thun, providing a varied set of opponents from Cyprus, Bosnia, Denmark and Switzerland.
The Conference League schedule mirrors the Europa League’s structure: Matchday 1 on 15 October, Matchday 2 on 22 October, Matchday 3 on 5 November, Matchday 4 on 26 November, Matchday 5 on 10 December and Matchday 6 on 17 December. The knockout phase will follow the same calendar as the Europa League, with play‑offs in February 2027, round of 16 in March, quarter‑finals in April, semi‑finals at the end of April and early May, and the final set for 2 June 2027 at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul, Turkey. Fans of the British clubs can catch the action via the Sky Sports app if they have a subscription, or they can sign up for instant access without a contract to watch live coverage.
The draws have generated excitement across the UK, as clubs of varying size and experience now prepare for a demanding European campaign that will test squad depth, tactical flexibility and the ability to travel across the continent. The upcoming months promise a blend of historic match‑ups, debut appearances and the chance for British sides to make a mark on the European stage.