Sunderland have been drawn away to AC Milan in the upcoming Europa League campaign, while Bournemouth will welcome the Italian giants at their home ground. The same evening saw Brighton and Hearts learn the sides they will face in the UEFA Conference League. The draws for the group stages of both tournaments were conducted on Friday, setting the schedule for the next few months. Each Europa League participant will contest eight matches – four at home and four away – between September 2026 and January 2027.
Conference League clubs will play six games, also split evenly between home and away fixtures, over the same period. For Sunderland, this marks a historic return to European competition after a 53‑year hiatus. Their first fixture will be a trip to the iconic San Siro, where they will test themselves against the storied AC Milan side. Bournemouth, meanwhile, are embarking on their maiden European adventure and will have the unique experience of hosting Milan in their own stadium, giving their supporters a chance to see one of Italy's most successful clubs on home turf.
Celtic’s group stage itinerary includes a home clash with Marseille and an away trip to Benfica, coached by Marco Silva. Their eight‑match slate also features fixtures against Ferencváros, Union Saint‑Gilloise, Celta Vigo, Omonia, Besiktas and Torreense. Sunderland’s group is equally demanding, with home games against AZ Alkmaar, GNK Dinamo Zagreb, Jagiellonia Białystok, Levski Sofia and Torreense, while they travel to face AC Milan, Anderlecht, and Lech Poznań. Bournemouth’s schedule is packed with high‑profile opponents: they will host AC Milan, then travel to Real Sociedad, and later meet Viktoria Plzeň at home before heading to Sparta Prague.
The remaining fixtures see them host Sturm Graz and travel to Celta Vigo, Hapoel Be’er Sheva and Lillestrøm. Fans can follow the action live via the Sky Sports app, and those without a Sky subscription can gain instant access without a long‑term contract. Crystal Palace, the defending Conference League champions, have drawn a challenging group as well. Their home matches will be against Real Sociedad, while they will travel to face Lyon.
Additional fixtures include home games versus Sparta Prague and Lech Poznań, and away trips to Jagiellonia, Hoffenheim and Besiktas. The group stage dates are set 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 the final two rounds in January 2027 (21 and 28 January). The knockout phase will commence with play‑offs on 18 and 25 February 2027, leading into 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 Stadion Frankfurt in Germany. Brighton are back in European competition for only the second time in their history, having secured a place in the Conference League group stage after defeating Tromsø in the qualifiers.
Their group, drawn by Fabian Hürzeler, pits them against a formidable set of opponents: Monaco at home, with away trips to Panathinaikos and Getafe, plus additional matches versus Universitatea Craiova, Kauno Žalgiris and Jablonec. The Seagulls will face a particularly tough test when they host Ligue 1 side Monaco, a club that boasts a strong squad and European pedigree. Hearts, owned by Brighton chief executive Tony Bloom, have also learned their group fixtures.
They will host Monaco as well, and travel to face Trabzonspor, a side that features Manchester United’s loan goalkeeper André Onana. Their full schedule includes home games versus Pafos and Borac, and away fixtures against Trabzonspor, Nordsjælland and Thun.
The Conference League matchdays for both Brighton and Hearts start on 15 October and run through to 17 December, with the knockout phase mirroring the Europa League timeline but culminating in a final on 2 June 2027 at Besiktas Park in Istanbul, Turkey. These draws set the stage for a thrilling autumn of football, with British clubs poised to test themselves against some of Europe’s most respected teams. Whether it is Sunderland’s nostalgic return to the continent, Bournemouth’s debut on the European stage, or the seasoned campaigns of Celtic, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Hearts, fans can expect a blend of historic moments, challenging encounters, and the chance for clubs to make their mark on the European scene. The schedule offers ample opportunity for travel, tactical battles, and the potential for unforgettable nights in stadiums across the continent, all of which will shape the narrative of British football in the 2026‑27 season.