# 2026–27 UEFA Europa League league phase
The 2026–27 [UEFA Europa League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-europa-league) league phase is the opening stage of the 56th season of Europe's secondary club football competition, in which 36 teams play eight matches each in a single table rather than groups. It is the third season under this format, which UEFA introduced in 2024/25, and it runs from 16 September 2026 to 28 January 2027, feeding into knockout rounds that end with the final in [Frankfurt](https://www.edgepedia.org/frankfurt) on 26 May 2027.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20d57d095740-e1e0b3de85df-1000--2026-27-europa-league-teams-dates-draws-format-final/) • [2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a8-2174cafa5bb6-82bbc20c9b92-1000--2026-27-europa-league-all-the-league-phase-fixtures/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Teams | 36 clubs, each playing eight matches (four home, four away) against eight different opponents[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a8-2174cafa5bb6-82bbc20c9b92-1000--2026-27-europa-league-all-the-league-phase-fixtures/) • [3](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/watch-europa-league-2026-27) |
| Draw | Held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco from 13:00 CET on Friday 28 August 2026[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a8-2158218f1f65-17c3b264ec94-1000--uefa-europa-league-league-phase-draw/) |
| Matchdays | 16/17 September, 15 October, 22 October, 5 November, 26 November, 10 December 2026, 21 and 28 January 2027[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20d57d095740-e1e0b3de85df-1000--2026-27-europa-league-teams-dates-draws-format-final/) |
| Qualification routes | 12 direct entrants, 1 place for Conference League holders (Crystal Palace), 12 via qualifying, 11 transferred from Champions League qualifying[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20d57d095740-e1e0b3de85df-1000--2026-27-europa-league-teams-dates-draws-format-final/) |
| Advancement | Clubs ranked 1 to 8 go straight to the round of 16; clubs ranked 9 to 24 enter knockout phase play-offs on 18 and 25 February 2027[5](https://www.taras706ac.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/20250911_Regulations_UEL_2026_EN.pdf) • [1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20d57d095740-e1e0b3de85df-1000--2026-27-europa-league-teams-dates-draws-format-final/) |
| Final | Stadion Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany, 26 May 2027[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20d57d095740-e1e0b3de85df-1000--2026-27-europa-league-teams-dates-draws-format-final/) |
| Winner's reward | A place in the league phase of the 2027/28 Champions League if not already qualified, and a 2027 UEFA Super Cup meeting with the Champions League winners[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20d57d095740-e1e0b3de85df-1000--2026-27-europa-league-teams-dates-draws-format-final/) |
## Format
The league phase replaced the traditional group stage from 2024/25 onwards. Instead of eight groups of four, all 36 clubs share one table in an incomplete round robin: each team plays eight of the other 35, two opponents drawn from each of four seeding pots, with one match at home and one away per pot.[3](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/watch-europa-league-2026-27) • [6](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/champions-league-2026-27-draw-every-league-phase-fixture) The 2026/27 season is the third under this system, and the competition's 18th since the UEFA Cup was renamed the UEFA Europa League.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20d57d095740-e1e0b3de85df-1000--2026-27-europa-league-teams-dates-draws-format-final/)
How the table converts to knockout places is fixed by the competition regulations: the clubs ranked 1 to 8 at the end of the league phase qualify directly for the round of 16, while clubs ranked 9 to 24 contest two-legged knockout phase play-offs for the remaining round-of-16 places.[5](https://www.taras706ac.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/20250911_Regulations_UEL_2026_EN.pdf) The play-offs are scheduled for 18 and 25 February 2027, followed by the round of 16 on 11 and 18 March, quarter-finals on 8 and 15 April, and semi-finals on 29 April and 6 May.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20d57d095740-e1e0b3de85df-1000--2026-27-europa-league-teams-dates-draws-format-final/)
## Qualification and teams
Twelve teams qualified directly for the league phase, with one slot reserved for the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League title holders, Crystal Palace. A further 12 sides came through qualifying, which involved 52 clubs and ran from 9 July to 27 August 2026 and culminated in the play-off round. The 36-team line-up was completed by 11 losing teams transferring from the [UEFA Champions League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-champions-league) third qualifying round and play-offs.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20d57d095740-e1e0b3de85df-1000--2026-27-europa-league-teams-dates-draws-format-final/) • [7](https://es.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20e5e12a3527-27e4d60ddacb-1000--fase-de-clasificacion-de-la-europa-league-resultados-com/)
The 36 clubs span 25 national associations, from Ararat-Armenia and Levski Sofia to Milan, Juventus, Benfica, Lyon, Marseille, and English entrants Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and [Sunderland](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunderland). Spain is represented by [Real Sociedad](https://www.edgepedia.org/real-sociedad) and Celta, Germany by Hoffenheim and [Leverkusen](https://www.edgepedia.org/leverkusen), and Türkiye by Beşiktaş.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20d57d095740-e1e0b3de85df-1000--2026-27-europa-league-teams-dates-draws-format-final/) Across the three men's club competitions in 2026/27, 108 clubs representing 39 national associations are taking part, and each new season of the league phase has seen a 50 percent turnover of teams, with 18 of 36 clubs different from the previous season in both 2025/26 and 2026/27.[8](https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/02a9-217e6dbfa1d4-5ee1dd0e37cd-1000--expanding-the-european-dream-the-numbers-behind-the-league-/)
## Draw and fixtures
The league phase draw took place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco from 13:00 CET on Friday 28 August 2026, the day after the Champions League draw.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a8-2158218f1f65-17c3b264ec94-1000--uefa-europa-league-league-phase-draw/) • [9](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/02a8-216eb10b789e-0768c05cf31b-1000--champions-league-europa-league-and-conference-league-leag/) The draw produced demanding paths for the two Spanish clubs: Real Sociedad, despite being a pot 1 team, drew Olympique de Lyon, Juventus, Viktoria Plzeň, Union SG, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Torreense, and [Lillestrøm](https://www.edgepedia.org/lillestr-m), while Celta drew Juventus, Olympique de [Marseille](https://www.edgepedia.org/marseille), Union SC, Celtic, Bournemouth, Omonia Nicosia, Lillestrøm, and Hapoel Beer-Sheva.[10](https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2026/08/28/caminos-exigentes-para-real-sociedad-y-celta-de-vigo-en-la-fase-liga-consulta-todos-los-emparejamientos-del-sorteo-de-europa-league-cadena-ser/)
**Match schedule.** The eight matchdays run from 16/17 September 2026 to 28 January 2027, with the final matchday consisting of 18 simultaneous games so that no club knows its final position before kicking off.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20d57d095740-e1e0b3de85df-1000--2026-27-europa-league-teams-dates-draws-format-final/) • [2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a8-2174cafa5bb6-82bbc20c9b92-1000--2026-27-europa-league-all-the-league-phase-fixtures/) Kick-offs are 21:00 CET unless stated, with a 18:45 CET early slot for half of each matchday's fixtures.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a8-2174cafa5bb6-82bbc20c9b92-1000--2026-27-europa-league-all-the-league-phase-fixtures/)
## Early results
The league phase opened on Wednesday 16 September 2026. Matchday 1 produced several one-sided scores: Benfica won 2-0 at Milan, Juventus beat N.E.C. Nijmegen 5-0, Crystal Palace beat [Lech Poznań](https://www.edgepedia.org/lech-poznan) 4-0, Beşiktaş won 4-1 at home to Marseille, and Leverkusen beat Celje 2-0. Bournemouth won 2-1 away at Real Sociedad, and Sunderland beat [AZ Alkmaar](https://www.edgepedia.org/az-alkmaar) 1-0 in their first Europa League league phase game.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a8-2174cafa5bb6-82bbc20c9b92-1000--2026-27-europa-league-all-the-league-phase-fixtures/)
Matchday 2, played on Thursday 15 October 2026, continued the pattern of away wins and heavy scores, with Milan winning 4-0 at Salzburg, Leverkusen winning 4-0 at Lech Poznań, Omonia winning 3-0 at Celje, and Benfica beating Celtic 4-1.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a8-2174cafa5bb6-82bbc20c9b92-1000--2026-27-europa-league-all-the-league-phase-fixtures/)
## Broadcasting
In the United Kingdom, TNT Sports and its streaming partner [HBO Max](https://www.edgepedia.org/hbo-max) carry every Europa League game live across the 2026/27 season, either on linear TV or via the HBO Max app. In the United States, Paramount+ shows every game on its Essential plan at $8.99 per month, and Australian viewers can watch on Stan Sport.[3](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/watch-europa-league-2026-27) • [11](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/football-fixtures-calendar-2627)
## References
1. [2026/27 Europa League: Teams, dates, draws, format, final, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20d57d095740-e1e0b3de85df-1000--2026-27-europa-league-teams-dates-draws-format-final/)
2. [2026/27 Europa League: All the league phase fixtures and results, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a8-2174cafa5bb6-82bbc20c9b92-1000--2026-27-europa-league-all-the-league-phase-fixtures/)
3. [How to watch Europa League 2026/27: TV Guide, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/watch-europa-league-2026-27)
4. [UEFA Europa League league phase draw, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a8-2158218f1f65-17c3b264ec94-1000--uefa-europa-league-league-phase-draw/)
5. [Regulations of the UEFA Europa League 2026/27](https://www.taras706ac.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/20250911_Regulations_UEL_2026_EN.pdf)
6. [Champions League 2026/27 draw: Every league phase fixture, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/champions-league-2026-27-draw-every-league-phase-fixture)
7. [Fase de clasificación de la Europa League: resultados, cómo funcionó, UEFA.com](https://es.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a6-20e5e12a3527-27e4d60ddacb-1000--fase-de-clasificacion-de-la-europa-league-resultados-com/)
8. [Expanding the European dream: The numbers behind the league phase, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/02a9-217e6dbfa1d4-5ee1dd0e37cd-1000--expanding-the-european-dream-the-numbers-behind-the-league-/)
9. [Champions League, Europa League and Conference League league phase draws: All you need to know, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/02a8-216eb10b789e-0768c05cf31b-1000--champions-league-europa-league-and-conference-league-leag/)
10. [Caminos exigentes para Real Sociedad y Celta de Vigo en la fase liga, Cadena SER](https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2026/08/28/caminos-exigentes-para-real-sociedad-y-celta-de-vigo-en-la-fase-liga-consulta-todos-los-emparejamientos-del-sorteo-de-europa-league-cadena-ser/)
11. [FourFourTwo's interactive football calendar for all 2026/27 competitions](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/football-fixtures-calendar-2627)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Seasons and editions › Domestic league season editions*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license