The draw for the 2025/26 edition of the Europa League will schedule the initial eight matches as teams from across Europe bid to succeed Tottenham as champions.
Spurs beat Manchester United 1-0 in the 2024/25 final to win the competition for a second time, with Sevilla’s seven triumphs making the Spanish side by far the most successful team in Europa League history.
Spanish clubs lead the way with 14 title wins, with England and Italy next on 10 apiece as Aston Villa and Crystal Palace aim to add another from the Premier League this season.
Here’s what you need to know about the Europa League draw, including when it takes place, when future draws are and the fixture schedule for 2024/25.
When is the Europa League draw?
The draw will take place on Thursday, August 29 – a day after the play-off ties come to a close to decide the last teams to qualify.
Timings for the draw were yet to be confirmed at the start of July.
How to watch the Europa League draw: TV channel, live stream
The draw will be shown live and for free on UEFA.com, as well as on UEFA’s YouTube channel and BBC Sport’s website and iPlayer.
TNT Sports will also broadcast the draw via Discovery+ and YouTube.
Europa League format
In a change from the previous group stage held until 2023/24, each team now plays eight matches in the league phase, all against different opponents.
Four of those matches will be at home and four away, with the opponents determined according to four seeding pots split by rankings.
Teams will play two opponents from each of those pots – one against a team from each pot at home and one away. The results decide the overall standings in one league.
The top eight sides in the table qualify automatically for the round of 16. The teams finishing in ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout phase play-off to reach the last 16.
Teams finishing 25th or lower are out of Europe for the season.
Europa League schedule, fixtures 2025/26
The new league phase runs until the end of January, with the play-offs in February and the rest of the knockout stage before the final taking place between March and early May.
Matchday 1: September 24 & 25 2025
Matchday 2: October 2 2025
Matchday 3: October 23 2025
Matchday 4: November 6 2025
Matchday 5: November 27 2025
Matchday 6: December 11 2025
Matchday 7: January 22 2026
Matchday 8: January 29 2026
When is the Europa League knockout phase?
Play-offs: February 19 & 26 2026
Round of 16: March 12 & 19 2026
Quarter-finals: April 9 & 16 2026
Semi-finals: April 30 & May 7 2026
Final: May 20 2026
When are the Europa League draws?
Third qualifying round: July 21 2025
Play-offs: August 4 2025
League phase: August 29 2025
Knockout phase play-offs: January 30 2026
Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and final: February 27 2026
Which English clubs are in the Europa League 2025/26?
Aston Villa qualified by finishing sixth in 2024/25, although the Villans would have been in the Champions League had they not lost at Manchester United on the final day.
Palace’s participation comes courtesy of their first FA Cup triumph, surprising Manchester City in the final at Wembley Stadium.
When is the Europa League final?
The final will take place on May 20 2025 at the Besiktas Stadium home of 16-time Turkish champions Besiktas.
The stadium hosted a dramatic 2019 Super Cup final, Chelsea and Liverpool each scoring once during regular and extra time before the Reds won on penalties following the 2-2 draw.
