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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
UEFA Europa League 2025/26: Key dates, match schedule & final
Following a successful launch in 2024/25, the UEFA Europa League gears up for its second season under the revamped format. In 2025/26, Europe's second-best competition returns for its 55th edition and its 17th since being rebranded from the UEFA Cup to the Europa League, with the final scheduled for May 20, 2026. UEFA has released the complete fixture schedule for the 2025/26 Europa League season, from the opening qualifying round to the title showpiece. Here's a look at all the key dates for the upcoming season of Europe's second-most prestigious club competition, along with details on how to watch the matches live. How to watch the 2025/26 Europa League season? All games in Europe's second-tier competition in the 2025/26 season will be available to watch online via Europa League live streams. When do Europa League qualifying fixtures start? A total of 53 teams will participate in Europa League qualifying, which consists of several rounds and a final play-off stage. Twelve teams will advance from the play-off round to the league phase, joining 13 clubs that enter directly into the main draw. Seven teams dropping out of the UEFA Champions League play-offs will also enter the competition – five from the Champions Path and two from the League Path. Four more teams will arrive from the Champions League third qualifying round, all from the League Path. When is the Europa League group stage draw? The 2025/26 UEFA Europa League group stage draw will take place on August 29, the day after the conclusion of the play-offs. When does the Europa League's league phase start? The 2025/26 Europa League group/league stage begins in late September, with the opening-day matches set for September 24 & 25. Pot 1 currently features five teams, including Roma, Porto, Dinamo Zagreb, Lille and Real Betis, with debutants Aston Villa seeded in Pot 2. Led by four-time Europa League winner Unai Emery, Villa are among the hottest candidates to lift the trophy despite lacking experience in the tournament. Bologna, Nottingham Forest and Go Ahead Eagles are the three remaining sides that will make their maiden Europa League appearances and will all be part of Pot 4. Last season's winners, Tottenham Hotspur, earned automatic Champions League qualification while beaten finalists, Manchester United, failed to qualify for European competitions. When does the knockout stage of the Europa League start? Similar to last season, the newly formatted knockout phase begins with a play-off round, which takes place in late February. It runs from February 19-26 before the 32 remaining teams trade tackles in the round of 16 on March 12 and 19. Teams will play the quarter-final first legs on April 9, followed by the return fixtures on April 16. The semi-finals kick off on April 30, with the second-leg clashes scheduled for May 7, 2026. When and where is the Europa League final in 2026? The 2025/26 Europa League showpiece, scheduled to take place at Besiktas Park in Istanbul on May 20, will be the first final held at the home of one of the best Turkish Super Lig clubs. Despite never hosting a major European final, the venue staged the 2019 UEFA Super Cup showdown between Liverpool and Chelsea, with the Reds winning the tie on penalties. Hoisting the trophy warrants a place in next season's Champions League if the winners have not qualified via their domestic competition. 2025/26 Europa League Schedule – In Summary Europa League Qualifying Fixtures First qualifying round: July 10 & 17, 2025 Second qualifying round: July 24 & 31, 2025 Third qualifying round: August 7 & 14, 2025 Play-offs: August 21 & 28, 2025 Europa League Opening Phase 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 Knockout Stage 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 (Istanbul) Europa League Draws First qualifying round: June 17, 2025 Second qualifying round: June 18, 2025 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 Europa League Final Venue: Besiktas Park in Istanbul, Turkey.
The National
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
When is Rangers Champions League draw and who could they face?
After Athletic Bilbao lost in the Europa League semi-final to Manchester United, it has been confirmed that Rangers will start in the second qualifying round. The Ibrox side will be in the League Path section of the qualifiers. Rangers will be seeded for the draw. Here's everything you need to know about Rangers in the Champions League next season... What round do Rangers enter the Champions League? Rangers enter the Champions League in the second qualifying round. The Ibrox side are in the League Path of the draw. When is the draw for the second qualifying round? The draw for the Champions League second qualifying round will take place on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. The matches will be played on 22/23 & 29/30 July 2025. Read more: Who could Rangers face in the Champions League second qualifying round? So far, only Rangers and two other teams are guaranteed for the Champions League second qualifying round. Norwegian side SK Brann are unseeded for the draw. They beat St Mirren in Conference League qualifying last season. Panathinaikos are to be confirmed in regards of whether they'll be seeded or unseeded in the draw but are guaranteed to be in that round. The other spots will be made up from the teams finishing: second in the Czech First League, seconds in the Swiss top flight and second in the Austrian Bundesliga. As it stands, that would mean Viktoria Plzen, Servette and Austria Wien. What happens if Rangers lose in Champions League qualifying? Champions League second qualifying round: Win = progress to third qualifying round, Loss = drop into Europa League third qualifying round Champions League third qualifying round: Win = progress to play-off round, Loss = drop into Europa League league phase Champions League play-off round: Win = Champions League league phase, Loss = drop into Europa League league phase Europa League third qualifying round: Win = progress to play-off round, Loss = drop into Conference League play-off round Europa League play-off round: Win = Europa League league phase, Loss = Conference League league phase Conference League play-off round: Win = Conference League league phase, Loss = Out of Europe
The Herald Scotland
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
When is Rangers Champions League draw and who could they face?
The Ibrox side will be in the League Path section of the qualifiers. Rangers will be seeded for the draw. Here's everything you need to know about Rangers in the Champions League next season... What round do Rangers enter the Champions League? Rangers enter the Champions League in the second qualifying round. The Ibrox side are in the League Path of the draw. When is the draw for the second qualifying round? The draw for the Champions League second qualifying round will take place on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. The matches will be played on 22/23 & 29/30 July 2025. Read more: Who could Rangers face in the Champions League second qualifying round? So far, only Rangers and two other teams are guaranteed for the Champions League second qualifying round. Norwegian side SK Brann are unseeded for the draw. They beat St Mirren in Conference League qualifying last season. Panathinaikos are to be confirmed in regards of whether they'll be seeded or unseeded in the draw but are guaranteed to be in that round. The other spots will be made up from the teams finishing: second in the Czech First League, seconds in the Swiss top flight and second in the Austrian Bundesliga. As it stands, that would mean Viktoria Plzen, Servette and Austria Wien. What happens if Rangers lose in Champions League qualifying? Champions League second qualifying round: Win = progress to third qualifying round, Loss = drop into Europa League third qualifying round Champions League third qualifying round: Win = progress to play-off round, Loss = drop into Europa League league phase Champions League play-off round: Win = Champions League league phase, Loss = drop into Europa League league phase Europa League third qualifying round: Win = progress to play-off round, Loss = drop into Conference League play-off round Europa League play-off round: Win = Europa League league phase, Loss = Conference League league phase Conference League play-off round: Win = Conference League league phase, Loss = Out of Europe
The National
01-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
How Man Utd win could affect Rangers' 2025/26 European hopes
Indeed, should Athletic be knocked out of this season's Europa League, which, barring a miraculous comeback at Old Trafford next week, looks likely, it means the Ibrox club will enter next season's Champions League via the League Path, and start at the second round of qualifiers, where they could play the likes of Servette, Brann or Austria Vienna. If Athletic won the competition and finished in a Champions League place in La Liga, though, due to Rangers' coefficient ranking, they would be bumped up to the Champions Path of UCL qualification and enter at the third round. Read more: That seems almost entirely out of the picture now, though, given this evening's first leg result. It would take something special for Athletic to recover in Manchester next Thursday and overturn a three-goal deficit. Rangers welcome Celtic to Govan this weekend in their third-last home game of the season. Barry Ferguson has yet to win at Ibrox in 90 minutes, although he will look to put that right on Sunday. He led his team to an emphatic victory the last time they faced Celtic, as goals from Nicolas Raskin, Mohamed Diomande, and Hamza Igamane secured a memorable 3-2 win at Parkhead. Brendan Rodgers' men haven't beaten Rangers in their last two attempts as they prepare to make the trip across the city.
The National
21-04-2025
- Sport
- The National
The Rangers Champions League hope pinned on Athletic Bilbao
The La Liga side knocked Barry Ferguson's men out of this season's Europa League just last week with a 2-0 victory in the Basque Country. However, while their own team may no longer be involved, Rangers fans should take a vested interest in Athletic Club's progress in the competition. That's because if the Spanish outfit goes on to win the tournament - with the final taking place in Bilbao on Wednesday, May 21 - then Rangers will receive a much-welcomed bump up in Champions League qualifying this summer. At the moment, the Ibrox side will enter the qualifiers via the League Path. They will enter in the second round, where they could play the likes of Servette, Brann or Austria Vienna. Here's where the big Bilbao bonus could come in, though. If the team that wins the Europa League ALSO qualifies for next season's Champions League directly through their domestic league placing, then due to Rangers' coefficient ranking, they would be bumped up to the Champions Path of UCL qualification. This would see them enter a round later and would also act as a cast-iron guarantee of group stage football next season, which, as things stand, is not a given in the League Pathway. Read more: Should Rangers fail in the Champions League, they would drop into the Europa League play-off, and then would either progress to the league phase of that competition or drop further into the Conference League if defeated at that stage. Athletic Bilbao are the only team left in the Europa League that could offer such a benefit to Rangers. They sit fourth in La Liga, and are five points clear of fifth-place Villarreal, while they are nine points ahead of Real Betis in sixth. Manchester United and Tottenham both shockingly look likely to finish just above the relegation zone in the Premier League, while Bodo/Glimt are already confirmed as being in the Champions League play-off round.
