The europa league draw 25/26 is basically the heartbeat of the season. If you missed it, you missed the moment the path to Istanbul was carved out. It’s not just about pulling balls out of a glass bowl anymore; it’s a high-stakes digital shuffle that decides who survives the winter and who goes home.
Honestly, the new format still trips people up.
UEFA ditched the old four-team groups for a massive 36-team league phase. That means the "draw" is now a mix of manual tradition and computer algorithms. Because let’s be real, a human couldn't calculate 144 different match combinations in real-time without the ceremony lasting three days.
When and Where: The Timeline You Need
The big one—the League Phase draw—went down on August 29, 2025, in Monaco. It set the stage for the entire autumn. But the calendar doesn't stop there. We've got two more critical draws coming up that will literally decide the trophy winner.
First up is the knockout phase play-off draw on January 30, 2026. This is for the teams that finished 9th to 24th in the big table. If you finish in the top eight, you’re safe for a bit. You get to skip this round and wait for the dust to settle.
📖 Related: How to watch vikings game online free without the usual headache
Then, the final big event is the "all-in" draw on February 27, 2026. This one maps out the Round of 16 all the way to the final at Beşiktaş Park. No more separate draws for quarter-finals. One path. One bracket.
The Teams Everyone is Watching
The 25/26 season is stacked. We’ve got Premier League representation with Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. It’s a bit of a weird story with Forest, actually. They essentially took Crystal Palace's spot because of UEFA's rules on multi-club ownership involving Lyon. Palace fans are understandably gutted, but Forest is making the most of it.
Then you have the heavy hitters. AS Roma is back, naturally. Porto and Lille are in the mix too.
Keep an eye on Fenerbahçe, led by Jose Mourinho. The "Special One" in the Europa League is always a circus, and honestly, the tournament is better for it. You’ve also got traditional powers like Rangers, Celtic, and Feyenoord trying to prove that the old guard still has some bite.
👉 See also: Liechtenstein National Football Team: Why Their Struggles are Different Than You Think
Who entered the League Phase?
- Direct Qualifiers (13 teams)
- Play-off winners (12 teams)
- Champions League "drop-outs" from the play-offs (11 teams)
Wait, "drop-outs" isn't exactly the right word. Under the new rules, once the League Phase starts, nobody drops down from the Champions League. It’s a closed shop from September onwards. If you’re out of the Champions League in December, you’re out of Europe entirely. No second chances in the Europa League like the old days.
How the League Phase Draw Actually Works
Imagine four pots of nine teams.
Pot 1 has the giants (Roma, Porto, etc.).
Pot 4 has the supposed underdogs (Bologna, Stuttgart).
In the europa league draw 25/26, every single team is drawn against two opponents from every pot. Yes, even their own pot. If you're Roma in Pot 1, you still have to play two other Pot 1 teams. One at home, one away.
It’s called the Swiss System. It ensures that the "big" teams can't just coast through a group of minnows. Everyone plays eight matches against eight different opponents. No repeats. No "return leg" in the league phase.
✨ Don't miss: Cómo entender la tabla de Copa Oro y por qué los puntos no siempre cuentan la historia completa
The Road to Istanbul: Key Dates
The final is set for May 20, 2026, at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul. Turkish fans are legendary for their intensity, so expect that stadium to be vibrating.
- Matchday 7: January 22, 2026
- Matchday 8 (The Finale): January 29, 2026
- Knockout Play-off Draw: January 30, 2026
- Knockout Play-offs: February 19 & 26, 2026
- Round of 16 Draw: February 27, 2026
- Final: May 20, 2026
Why This Draw Matters More Than Before
In the old days, you could lose a game or two in a group and still be fine. Now? Every goal matters for the goal difference in that giant 36-team table. Finishing 8th versus 9th is the difference between a month of rest and two grueling extra matches in February.
The europa league draw 25/26 basically decided which teams got a "lucky" schedule and which got the "group of death" treatment across the whole continent. Some teams might face a brutal run of four away games in hostile environments, while others get a smoother ride.
What You Should Do Now
If you're following a specific team, check their standing in the live league table immediately after Matchday 7 on January 22. The final matchday on January 29 is usually chaos because all 18 games kick off at the same time.
Keep your Friday clear on January 30. That’s when the knockout pairings are revealed. If your team finished 17th, they’ll be unseeded and likely face a tough 9th or 10th placed side. It’s high-stakes, it’s complicated, but it’s arguably the most exciting version of the Europa League we’ve ever seen.
Check the official UEFA site for the live stream of the upcoming January draw. It usually starts at 13:00 CET. If you're a betting person or just a hardcore fan, look at the "Path to the Final" bracket that gets released in late February—it’s the only way to see who your team might face in the semis before the games even start.