# 2026–27 UEFA Women's Europa Cup qualifying rounds
The 2026–27 [UEFA Women's Europa Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-womens-europa-cup) qualifying rounds are the two opening knockout stages of the second edition of UEFA's second-tier club competition for women's football, through which 44 clubs compete for places in the round of 16. The tournament as a whole is played entirely over two legs (home and away), including the final, and runs in parallel to the [UEFA Women's Champions League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-womens-champions-league).[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Edition | Second edition of the UEFA Women's Europa Cup, following the format of the inaugural 2025/26 event[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/) |
| Entry routes | 13 teams enter directly; 31 others transfer from Women's Champions League qualifying[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/) |
| First qualifying round | Draw 11 August 2026 in Nyon; 12 two-legged ties played 26 August and 2 September[2](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a7-213a56aec5a8-6e94b1c8b090-1000--women-s-europa-cup-first-qualifying-round-draw/) |
| Second qualifying round | Draw 4 September 2026; first legs 23 September, second legs 30 September[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/) |
| Feeding from the Champions League | 11 second qualifying round mini-tournament runners-up and 9 third qualifying round losers join in the second qualifying round[2](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a7-213a56aec5a8-6e94b1c8b090-1000--women-s-europa-cup-first-qualifying-round-draw/) |
| Prize for winners | Automatic entry to the third qualifying round of the champions path of the 2027/28 Women's Champions League[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/) |
| Reigning champions | Häcken of Sweden won the inaugural 2025/26 edition and entered the 2026/27 Champions League league phase[3](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/uwcl-everything-you-need-to-know-as-the-womens-champions-league-kicks-off) |
## Who enters and when
The provisional access list has 13 teams gaining direct entry to the Women's Europa Cup, while a further 31 arrive after moving over from Women's Champions League qualifying.[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/) The direct entrants are the third-placed teams in the domestic leagues of the associations ranked 8 to 13 (Norway, Netherlands, Austria, Czechia, Ukraine, and Denmark) and the runners-up of the associations ranked 18 to 24 (Iceland, Serbia, Belarus, Belgium, Slovenia, Croatia, and Romania).[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/)
**A feeding system from the Champions League** gives eliminated clubs a second European chance. The nine clubs defeated in the Women's Champions League third qualifying round, together with the runners-up and third-placed teams from the 11 second qualifying round mini-tournaments, drop into the Europa Cup.[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/) In the Champions League's second qualifying round, played as knockout mini-tournaments on 5 and 8 August 2026, group winners advanced to the third qualifying round, group runners-up entered the Europa Cup second qualifying round, and group third-place teams entered the Europa Cup first qualifying round.[4](https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/news/02a6-20d6044fbbb7-39fcd8e06d8b-1000--women-s-champions-league-first-and-second-qualifying-round-/)
## First qualifying round
The draw took place in Nyon on Tuesday 11 August 2026 at 11:00 local time and set 12 two-legged ties, played in principle on 26 August and 2 September.[2](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a7-213a56aec5a8-6e94b1c8b090-1000--women-s-europa-cup-first-qualifying-round-draw/) • [5](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/draws/2027/2002285/) The 13 teams entering directly were joined by the 11 clubs that finished third in the Women's Champions League second qualifying round mini-tournaments.[2](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a7-213a56aec5a8-6e94b1c8b090-1000--women-s-europa-cup-first-qualifying-round-draw/)
The 12 ties drawn were:[2](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a7-213a56aec5a8-6e94b1c8b090-1000--women-s-europa-cup-first-qualifying-round-draw/)
- FC Minsk (BLR) vs ŽNK Agram (CRO)
- ŽNK Hajduk Split (CRO) vs Fortuna Hjørring (DEN)
- Radomlje (SVN) vs [Vålerenga Fotball](https://www.edgepedia.org/valerenga-fotball) (NOR)
- Apollon Ladies FC (CYP) vs FH (ISL)
- KFF Mitrovica (KOS) vs FC Metalist 1925 Kharkiv (UKR)
- [SK Sturm Graz](https://www.edgepedia.org/sk-sturm-graz) (AUT) vs FC Gintra (LTU)
- Sport Clube União Torreense (POR) vs FC Kolos Kovalivka (UKR)
- SFK 2000 Sarajevo (BIH) vs Slovan Liberec (CZE)
- Breidablik (ISL) vs FK Csíkszereda (ROU)
- SeaSters Odesa (UKR) vs Rosenborg BK Kvinner (NOR)
- RSC Anderlecht (BEL) vs [Feyenoord](https://www.edgepedia.org/feyenoord) (NED)
- ŽFK Spartak Subotica (SRB) vs Brøndby IF (DEN)
## Second qualifying round
The 12 first-round tie winners moved on to the second qualifying round, where the field also included the 11 clubs that finished second in the Women's Champions League second qualifying round mini-tournaments, plus the nine sides knocked out in the Women's Champions League third qualifying round.[2](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a7-213a56aec5a8-6e94b1c8b090-1000--women-s-europa-cup-first-qualifying-round-draw/) The draw was scheduled for 4 September 2026 in Nyon (a date subject to change), with first legs on 23 September and second legs on 30 September.[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/)
## What follows qualifying
The second qualifying round winners reach the round of 16. A draw on 2 October 2026 in Nyon (date subject to change) decides the ties for the entire knockout bracket from that point on, with round of 16 legs on 28/29 October and 10/11 November 2026.[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/) The competition then continues through quarter-finals (3/4 and 10/11 February 2027), semi-finals (23/24 and 31 March/1 April 2027) and a two-legged final (1 or 2 May and 8 or 9 May 2027).[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/)
**The reward for surviving qualifying** is substantial: the eventual winners automatically qualify for the third qualifying round of the champions path of the 2027/28 Women's Champions League, with one round left to negotiate for a place in the league phase.[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/) That route was used by Häcken, who won the inaugural 2025/26 Europa Cup and entered the 2026/27 Champions League league phase after Barcelona's additional place was reallocated.[3](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/uwcl-everything-you-need-to-know-as-the-womens-champions-league-kicks-off)
## Context
The Women's Europa Cup was introduced in 2025/26 as UEFA's second European club competition for women, played in a straight knockout format, as part of the strategy document *Unstoppable* covering 2024–30.[6](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/02a1-1fcc625cf2dc-e30fb3beeaa3-1000/20260113_enclosure_06_budget_2026-2027_en.pdf) UEFA describes it as offering broader access to European competition and a second pathway for teams eliminated in the early stages of Women's Champions League qualifying.[7](https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/news/02a6-20d5754e28b9-c23cf37e8c28-1000--a-new-era-peaks-in-oslo-uefa-women/) The 2026/27 edition is its second season.[1](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/)
## References
1. [2026/27 UEFA Women's Europa Cup: Dates, provisional access list, full guide, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a0-1f71c8182e2f-861a3721a8fc-1000--2026-27-uefa-women-s-europa-cup-dates-provisional-access-/)
2. [UEFA Women's Europa Cup first qualifying round draw, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/news/02a7-213a56aec5a8-6e94b1c8b090-1000--women-s-europa-cup-first-qualifying-round-draw/)
3. [UWCL: Everything you need to know as the Women's Champions League kicks off, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/uwcl-everything-you-need-to-know-as-the-womens-champions-league-kicks-off)
4. [Women's Champions League first and second qualifying round draws, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/news/02a6-20d6044fbbb7-39fcd8e06d8b-1000--women-s-champions-league-first-and-second-qualifying-round-/)
5. [First qualifying round draw, Nyon, 11 August 2026, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropacup/draws/2027/2002285/)
6. [Women's club competitions, UEFA budget 2026/27 enclosure](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/02a1-1fcc625cf2dc-e30fb3beeaa3-1000/20260113_enclosure_06_budget_2026-2027_en.pdf)
7. [A new era peaks in Oslo: UEFA Women's Champions League and UEFA Women's Europa Cup reshape the landscape, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/news/02a6-20d5754e28b9-c23cf37e8c28-1000--a-new-era-peaks-in-oslo-uefa-women/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Seasons and editions › Women's football seasons*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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