UEFA Europa League
EuropeEuropa League 2026/27: Juventus and Milan among the 36 clubs chasing the trophy
The UEFA Europa League is Europe's second club competition. Like the Champions League it now starts with a single league phase of 36 clubs, each playing eight matches against eight different opponents. The top eight reach the round of 16 directly, the sides from 9th to 24th play a two-legged knockout play-off, and the bottom twelve go out. The knockout rounds are played over two legs, up to a one-off final.
The field this season includes Juventus, AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, Benfica, Lyon, Marseille and three English clubs: Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Sunderland. The opening matchday brought 47 goals in 18 games. Juventus beat NEC Nijmegen 5-0, Crystal Palace beat Lech Poznań 4-0 and Beşiktaş beat Marseille 4-1, while Benfica won 2-0 at San Siro against Milan. Liga Portugal 2 side Torreense won 2-1 away at Lillestrøm.
Matchday two is on Thursday, 15 October, with Lyon against Crystal Palace, Red Bull Salzburg against Milan, Celta Vigo against Juventus and Lech Poznań against Bayer Leverkusen.
Thursday, 15 October
Lyon
Crystal Palace
AZ Alkmaar
Hapoel Beer Sheva
Lech Poznan
Bayer Leverkusen
Red Bull Salzburg
AC Milan
Sparta Praha
Lillestrom
Union St. Gilloise
Real Sociedad
Celje
Omonia Nicosia
Torreense
Sunderland
Bournemouth
Sturm Graz
Marseille
Olympiakos Piraeus
Rennes
OFI
1899 Hoffenheim
Beşiktaş
Benfica
Celtic
Jagiellonia
Ararat-Armenia
NEC Nijmegen
Levski Sofia
Celta Vigo
Juventus
Dinamo Zagreb
Anderlecht
Ferencvarosi TC
Plzen