The new European football season is underway.
The 2026/27 Europa League starts on September 16, 2026. This year’s competition has 36 teams in the league phase.
The opening round has several big games. AC Milan will face Benfica at San Siro. Sunderland will host AZ Alkmaar, while Bayer Leverkusen will play Celje.
Juventus, Celtic, Crystal Palace, Marseille and Lyon are also part of the competition.
The league phase will run until January 28, 2027. After that, the knockout rounds will decide the teams that reach the final.
The final is scheduled for May 26, 2027, in Frankfurt, Germany.
How the New Europa League Format Works
The competition now uses a league phase instead of the old group-stage system.
There are 36 clubs in one table.
Each team will play eight league-phase matches. Four games will be at home, and four will be away.
The opponents are different for each club.
After all eight matches, the league table will decide who moves on.
The top eight teams will go directly to the round of 16.
Teams finishing from ninth to 24th will play in the knockout phase play-offs. The winners will join the top eight in the round of 16.
Teams finishing from 25th to 36th will be eliminated.
This format makes every league-phase game important.
A strong start can put a team in a good position early. A poor run can make the knockout stage much harder to reach.
The league phase has eight matchdays. They are scheduled for September 16–17, October 15, October 22, November 5, November 26, December 10, January 21 and January 28.
Ben Saunders Dies at 43: The Voice of Holland Winner Remembered After Sudden Death
Biggest Games on Matchday 1
The opening matchday has several games worth watching.
AC Milan vs Benfica is one of the biggest fixtures.
The match will be played at San Siro on September 16. Both clubs have long European histories, which adds extra interest to the opening night.
Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar is another important game.
Sunderland is returning to European competition after more than five decades. The English club last played in Europe during the 1973/74 season.
Now, the club begins its new campaign at the Stadium of Light.
Bayer Leverkusen will also start at home.
The German side will face Slovenian club Celje.
Lyon travels to Belgium to play Anderlecht. Olympiacos hosts Jagiellonia, while Sturm Graz welcomes Rennes.
There are also several matches on September 17.
Juventus will host NEC Nijmegen.
Celtic will face Ferencváros at Celtic Park.
Crystal Palace will play Lech Poznań in London.
Real Sociedad will host Bournemouth.
Marseille will travel to Istanbul to face Beşiktaş.
English Clubs Have Plenty to Prove
England has three clubs in the league phase this season.
They are Sunderland, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace.
Each club has a different story.
Sunderland’s return to European football is the most notable. The club has not played a European match for more than 50 years.
Its first challenge is AZ Alkmaar.
Bournemouth is also entering European competition for the first time in the club’s history.
The team will begin against Real Sociedad in Spain. That will be a difficult opening test.
Crystal Palace already has European experience from its recent campaign.
The London club starts against Lech Poznań at Selhurst Park.
The European schedule will add more games to the English clubs’ domestic campaigns.
That can create problems later in the season.
Players will have to travel across Europe while also playing Premier League matches and domestic cup games.
Squad depth will become important.
Managers will need to decide when to rotate players and when to use their strongest lineup.
Milan, Juventus and Other Big Clubs
Several famous European clubs are competing this season.
AC Milan is one of the biggest names in the field.
The Italian club has a long history in European football. Its opening match against Benfica gives the tournament an immediate headline fixture.
Juventus is another major name.
The Italian club starts against NEC Nijmegen on September 17.
It will also face teams such as AZ Alkmaar and Celta during the league phase.
Bayer Leverkusen is another team with strong European experience.
The German club begins against Celje at home.
Lyon and Marseille also bring plenty of European experience.
Celtic will represent Scotland and begins against Ferencváros.
The competition also includes clubs that may not have the same European profile but can still cause problems.
That is one of the interesting parts of the league phase.
Every team has eight games.
A club does not need to win every match to stay in contention. But dropping too many points can make the final matchdays stressful.
The Road to the 2027 Final
The league phase ends on January 28, 2027.
The knockout play-offs will then take place in February.
The first legs are scheduled for February 18. The second legs will be played on February 25.
The round of 16 follows in March.
The first legs are scheduled for March 11. The return games will take place on March 18.
The quarter-finals will be played in April.
The first legs are scheduled for April 8, followed by the second legs on April 15.
The semi-finals will take place on April 29 and May 6.
Then comes the final.
The 2027 final is scheduled for May 26 at Frankfurt’s stadium in Germany.
That means the winner will have a long road ahead.
Teams must survive the league phase first.
Then they must navigate several knockout rounds.
One bad night in the knockout stage can end the entire campaign.
Players and Teams to Watch
There are plenty of players who could attract attention during the tournament.
Milan, Juventus and Leverkusen have squads filled with international experience.
The English teams also have interesting storylines.
Sunderland’s players will experience European football at a club that has waited decades for another opportunity.
Bournemouth’s campaign is also worth following.
The club will play its first European matches after qualifying with a sixth-place Premier League finish last season. UEFA lists Bournemouth among the clubs making their league-phase debut.
Crystal Palace enters the tournament with its own expectations.
The club will need to balance European games with its Premier League schedule.
There are also several clubs from smaller leagues that could surprise bigger opponents.
The new format gives those teams more chances to compete against well-known clubs.
That could create some unexpected results.
What Makes This Season Interesting?
The biggest change is the league format.
Fans will see more different matchups than under the old group system.
There are also several clubs returning to European competition after long breaks.
Sunderland is the clearest example.
Bournemouth is another.
At the same time, established European clubs such as Milan, Juventus and Benfica bring a lot of history to the tournament.
That creates a good mix.
There are famous teams looking for another trophy.
There are also smaller clubs hoping to make a name for themselves.
The schedule will be another challenge.
The league phase runs from September through January. The knockout rounds then continue until May.
Teams will have to manage injuries, travel and player fatigue.
The clubs that handle those problems well can stay competitive deep into the season.
Full 2026/27 Schedule
The league-phase schedule is spread across eight matchdays.
Here are the dates:
- Matchday 1: September 16–17, 2026
- Matchday 2: October 15, 2026
- Matchday 3: October 22, 2026
- Matchday 4: November 5, 2026
- Matchday 5: November 26, 2026
- Matchday 6: December 10, 2026
- Matchday 7: January 21, 2027
- Matchday 8: January 28, 2027
The knockout play-offs follow in February.
The round of 16 is scheduled for March.
The quarter-finals will be played in April.
The semi-finals will take place in late April and early May.
The final is set for May 26 in Frankfurt.
Fans should still check official UEFA information for any schedule changes.
Kickoff times can also vary by match.
What Fans Can Expect
This season should bring plenty of competitive games.
The opening round alone includes several major matchups.
Milan vs Benfica stands out because of the history behind both clubs.
Sunderland vs AZ is interesting because of Sunderland’s long absence from European football.
Juventus, Celtic and Crystal Palace also begin their campaigns with important fixtures.
As the league table develops, the pressure will increase.
Teams near the top will want direct qualification to the round of 16.
Clubs in the middle of the table will fight for a place in the knockout play-offs.
Teams near the bottom will need points quickly.
That should make the final matchdays especially interesting.
The new format also means fans will see more clubs competing for the same places.
There is less room for a slow start.
A few dropped points can change a team’s position.
That makes every match worth watching.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 2026/27 Europa League start?
The league phase begins on September 16, 2026. Matchday 1 continues on September 17.
How many teams are in the league phase?
There are 36 teams.
How many matches does each team play?
Each club plays eight league-phase matches.
Which major clubs are competing?
AC Milan, Benfica, Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Lyon, Marseille and Celtic are among the well-known teams.
Which English clubs are involved?
Sunderland, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace are competing in the league phase.
When is the final?
The final is scheduled for May 26, 2027, in Frankfurt.
When does the league phase finish?
The final league-phase matches are scheduled for January 28, 2027.
What happens after the league phase?
The top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16. Teams finishing ninth through 24th enter the knockout play-offs. Teams finishing 25th or lower are eliminated.
