Europa League and Conference League Draws: Dates, Format, and British Clubs Involved

European Draws Set for British Contenders

The league phase draws for the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League are scheduled for Friday at 12:00 PM UK time, determining the fixture schedules for British sides including Bournemouth, Sunderland, and Crystal Palace. The Conference League draw will follow immediately afterward, featuring potential places for Brighton, Rangers, Hearts, Hibernian, Motherwell, and Larne.

Europa League Structure and Qualified Teams

A total of 36 clubs will enter the Europa League single-league stage. Twelve teams secured direct qualification, accompanied by Conference League title holders Crystal Palace. The remaining spots are completed by 12 play-off winners and 11 transferring sides eliminated from UEFA Champions League qualifiers.

Among the confirmed sides in the draw are:

• Premier League & British Clubs: Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Sunderland
• Continental Qualifiers: AC Milan, AZ Alkmaar, Bayer Leverkusen, Celta Vigo, Hoffenheim, Juventus, Marseille, Olympiacos, Real Sociedad, Rennes, Sparta Prague, Sturm Graz, Torreense, Union Saint-Gilloise

Additional spots will be determined by concluding play-off fixtures involving sides such as Celtic, Lyon, Fenerbahce, Benfica, and Besiktas.

Conference League Format and Contenders

Unlike the Europa League, no team qualified directly for the Conference League league phase; all 36 places are contested through qualifiers and Europa League play-off transfers. Contenders in the play-off pathway include Brighton, Rangers, Ajax, Atalanta, Fiorentina, Freiburg, and Monaco.

How the League Phase Works

The revised tournament structure replaces traditional four-team groups with a single 36-team table:

• Europa League: Each club plays eight matches against eight distinct opponents (four home, four away).
• Conference League: Each club plays six matches against six different opponents (three home, three away).
• Progression: The top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16. Clubs finishing 9th to 24th enter a two-legged knockout play-off round. Teams finishing 25th to 36th are eliminated from Europe entirely.
• Country Protection: Teams cannot play opponents from their own domestic association and can face a maximum of two teams from any single nation.

Key Match Dates and Finals

Europa League matchdays run from September 16/17 through January 28, 2027, with the final scheduled for May 26, 2027, at Stadion Frankfurt in Germany. The Conference League league phase concludes on December 17, with the final taking place on June 2, 2027, at Besiktas Park in Istanbul.