Europa League Tips, Predictions & Match Previews
The UEFA Europa League returns for the 2026/27 season, bringing together 36 clubs from across Europe in one of the continent’s most competitive tournaments.
The league phase sees each team play eight matches against eight different opponents, with the top eight progressing directly to the Round of 16 and teams ranked ninth to 24th battling through the knockout play-offs.
With European heavyweights including AC Milan, Juventus, Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon joined by Premier League clubs Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Sunderland, the race for the trophy promises plenty of drama before the final in Frankfurt on May 26, 2027.
There will be some Australian flavour in this season's Europa League, with Socceroos captain Ale Circati featuring for Benfica, while former Adelaide winger Yaya Dukuly is set to represent Slovenian champions Celje. Daniel Arzani will also line up for Hungarian side Ferencvaros.
Sevilla are the record seven-time champions, while Aston Villa are the reigning winners after beating Freiburg in last season's final.
Europa League Best Bookmakers
All of the leading bookmakers in Australia offer betting odds and markets on the Europa League.
You can view our top five recommended bookmakers to bet on the Europa League below, or alternatively visit our bookmaker review page, so you can pick out the bookie that best suits your needs.
Europa League Betting Odds
Italian giants Juventus and AC Milan are among the early favourites to win this season's Europa League, along with Bayer Leverkusen.
Bournemouth are the best backed out of all Premier League teams at $10.
You can view the full odds in the table below.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Juventus Turin | $7.00 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | $9.00 |
| AFC Bournemouth | $10.00 |
| AC Milan | $10.00 |
| SL Benfica | $11.00 |
| Crystal Palace | $13.00 |
| Sunderland AFC | $15.00 |
| RC Celta de Vigo | $15.00 |
| Real Sociedad | $17.00 |
| Olympique Marseille | $21.00 |
| Besiktas | $21.00 |
| Olympique Lyon | $21.00 |
| TSG Hoffenheim | $21.00 |
| Stade Rennais | $26.00 |
| AZ Alkmaar | $34.00 |
| RSC Anderlecht | $51.00 |
| SK Sturm Graz | $51.00 |
| Olympiacos | $51.00 |
| Sparta Prague | $67.00 |
| SCU Torreense | $67.00 |
| NEC Nijmegen | $67.00 |
| FC Salzburg | $67.00 |
| Union Saint-Gilloise | $67.00 |
| Celtic | $67.00 |
| NK Celje | $81.00 |
| Omonia Nicosia | $101.00 |
| Dinamo Zagreb | $101.00 |
| Ferencvaros | $101.00 |
| Viktoria Plzen | $101.00 |
| Lech Poznan | $151.00 |
| Levski Sofia | $151.00 |
| Jagiellonia Bialystok | $151.00 |
| Lillestrom SK | $151.00 |
| OFI Crete | $201.00 |
| Hapoel Be'er Sheva | $301.00 |
| FC Ararat-Armenia | $401.00 |
Odds from Picklebet. Correct from 12/10/26.
Europa League Schedule
Matchday 2 of the Europa League takes place on Friday October 16 (AEDT). The final will take place on May 27 in Frankfurt.
You can view the full schedule for Matchday 2 below.
| Date | Game | Venue | Time AEDT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 16 October 2026 | AZ Alkmaar v Hapoel Be'er | AFAS Stadion, Alkmaar | 3:45 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | Lech Poznan v Bayer Leverkusen | Municipal Stadium-Poznan, Poznan | 3:45 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | Lyon v Crystal Palace | Groupama Stadium, Lyon | 3:45 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | NK Celje v Omonia Nicosia | Stadion Z'dezele, Celje | 3:45 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | RB Salzburg v AC Milan | Red Bull Arena Salzburg, Salzburg | 3:45 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | Sparta Prague v Lillestrom | Generali Arena, Prague | 3:45 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | Torreense v Sunderland | Estádio Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa, Leiria | 3:45 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | Union St.-Gilloise v Real Sociedad | King Power at Den Dreef Stadion, Leuven | 3:45 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | AFC Bournemouth v SK Sturm Graz | Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth | 6:00 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | Benfica v Celtic | Estádio da Luz, Lisbon | 6:00 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | Celta Vigo v Juventus | Balaidos, Vigo | 6:00 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | Dinamo Zagreb v Anderlecht | Maksimir Stadium, Zagreb | 6:00 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | Ferencvaros v Viktoria Plzen | Groupama Arena, Budapest | 6:00 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | Jagiellonia Bialystok v Ararat-Armenia | Stadion Miejski Bialystok, Bialystok | 6:00 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | Marseille v Olympiacos | Stade Vélodrome, Marseille | 6:00 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | NEC Nijmegen v Levski Sofia | Goffertstadion, Nijmegen | 6:00 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | Stade Rennais v OFI Crete | Roazhon Park, Rennes | 6:00 AM |
| Fri 16 October 2026 | TSG Hoffenheim v Besiktas | PreZero Arena, Sinsheim | 6:00 AM |
Europa League 2026/27 Teams
Among the headline contenders, Juventus are three-time UEFA Cup winners, while Bayer Leverkusen won the competition in 1987/88. Benfica have reached three finals without winning, Marseille have also been runners-up three times, while Celtic reached the 2003 final. AC Milan, despite their enormous Champions League pedigree, have never won the UEFA Cup or Europa League.
There is also a significant group of newcomers and less familiar names. Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Torreense have never previously played in the UEFA Cup/Europa League proper, while Ararat-Armenia, Jagiellonia Bialystok and Lillestrom are appearing at this stage of the competition for the first time. Crystal Palace arrive with particularly strong credentials after winning the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League.
Each club plays eight different opponents - four at home and four away - before all 36 teams are ranked in one league table. The league phase runs from September 2026 through to January 2027, with the campaign ultimately concluding with the final at Stadion Frankfurt on May 26, 2027.
Check out the full 36 teams competing in this season's Europa League in the table below.
| Team | Country | How They Qualified |
|---|---|---|
| Anderlecht | Belgium | 4th in Belgium; Europa League qualifying |
| Ararat-Armenia | Armenia | Armenian champions; Europa League qualifying |
| AZ Alkmaar | Netherlands | Dutch Cup winners |
| Benfica | Portugal | 3rd in Portugal; Europa League qualifying |
| Besiktas | Türkiye | 4th in Türkiye; Europa League qualifying |
| AFC Bournemouth | England | 6th in Premier League |
| NK Celje | Slovenia | Slovenian champions; transferred from Champions League qualifying |
| Celta Vigo | Spain | 6th in La Liga |
| Celtic | Scotland | Scottish champions; transferred from Champions League qualifying |
| Crystal Palace | England | UEFA Conference League winners |
| Ferencvaros | Hungary | 2nd in Hungary; Europa League qualifying |
| Dinamo Zagreb | Croatia | Croatian champions; transferred from Champions League qualifying |
| Hapoel Be'er Sheva | Israel | Israeli champions; transferred from Champions League qualifying |
| Hoffenheim | Germany | 5th in Bundesliga |
| Jagiellonia Bialystok | Poland | 3rd in Poland; Europa League qualifying |
| Juventus | Italy | 6th in Serie A |
| Lech Poznan | Poland | Polish champions; Europa League qualifying |
| Bayer Leverkusen | Germany | 6th in Bundesliga |
| Levski Sofia | Bulgaria | Bulgarian champions; transferred from Champions League qualifying |
| Lillestrom | Norway | Norwegian Cup winners; Europa League qualifying |
| Lyon | France | 4th in Ligue 1; transferred from Champions League qualifying |
| Marseille | France | 5th in Ligue 1 |
| AC Milan | Italy | 5th in Serie A |
| NEC Nijmegen | Netherlands | 3rd in Eredivisie; transferred from Champions League qualifying |
| OFI Crete | Greece | Greek Cup winners; Europa League qualifying |
| Olympiacos | Greece | 2nd in Greece; transferred from Champions League qualifying |
| Omonia | Cyprus | Cypriot champions; Europa League qualifying |
| Real Sociedad | Spain | Spanish Cup winners |
| Rennes | France | 6th in Ligue 1 |
| Salzburg | Austria | 3rd in Austria; Europa League qualifying |
| Sparta Prague | Czechia | 2nd in Czechia; transferred from Champions League qualifying |
| Sturm Graz | Austria | 2nd in Austria; transferred from Champions League qualifying |
| Sunderland | England | 7th in Premier League |
| Torreense | Portugal | Portuguese Cup winners |
| Union Saint-Gilloise | Belgium | 2nd in Belgium; transferred from Champions League qualifying |
| Viktoria Plzen | Czechia | 3rd in Czechia; Europa League qualifying |
Europa League 2026/27 Table
We will update the table at the end of each Matchday.
| Pos. | Club | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juventus | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 3 |
| 2 | Palace | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 3 |
| 3 | Sparta Praha | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
| 4 | Beşiktaş | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
| 5 | Union | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| 6 | Ferencváros | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| 7 | Benfica | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 8 | OFI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 8 | Leverkusen | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 10 | Torreense | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| 10 | OL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| 10 | Bournemouth | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| 13 | Olympiacos | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| 14 | RB Salzburg | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 15 | Omonoia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 15 | Sunderland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 17 | Rennes | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | H. Beer-Sheva | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Dinamo Zagreb | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Sturm Graz | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 21 | Jagiellonia Białystok | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| 22 | Lillestrøm | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| 22 | Real Sociedad | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| 22 | Anderlecht | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| 25 | Levski Sofia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 25 | AZ Alkmaar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 25 | Celta | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 28 | Celtic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| 29 | Hoffenheim | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| 29 | Milan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| 29 | Celje | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| 32 | Marseille | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
| 33 | Ararat-Armenia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
| 34 | Viktoria Plzeň | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
| 35 | Lech Poznań | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 |
| 36 | NEC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | -5 | 0 |
Europa League 2026/27 Live Stream
Stan Sport holds the rights for the Europa League in Australia - the streaming service will broadcast every single game of the competition, along with highlights, special features and commentary from the experts.
Previous Europa League Winners
| Year | Winners | Score | Runners-Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | Aston Villa | 3–0 | SC Freiburg |
| 2024–25 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–0 | Manchester United |
| 2023–24 | Atalanta | 3–0 | Bayer Leverkusen |
| 2022–23 | Sevilla | 1–1* | Roma |
| 2021–22 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 1–1* | Rangers |
| 2020–21 | Villarreal | 1–1* | Manchester United |
| 2019–20 | Sevilla | 3–2 | Inter Milan |
| 2018–19 | Chelsea | 4–1 | Arsenal |
| 2017–18 | Atlético Madrid | 3–0 | Marseille |
| 2016–17 | Manchester United | 2–0 | Ajax |
| 2015–16 | Sevilla | 3–1 | Liverpool |
| 2014–15 | Sevilla | 3–2 | Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk |
| 2013–14 | Sevilla | 0–0* | Benfica |
| 2012–13 | Chelsea | 2–1 | Benfica |
| 2011–12 | Atlético Madrid | 3–0 | Athletic Bilbao |
| 2010–11 | Porto | 1–0 | Braga |
| 2009–10 | Atlético Madrid | 2–1 | Fulham |
| 2008–09 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 2–1 | Werder Bremen |
| 2007–08 | Zenit Saint Petersburg | 2–0 | Rangers |
| 2006–07 | Sevilla | 2–2* | Espanyol |
| 2005–06 | Sevilla | 4–0 | Middlesbrough |
| 2004–05 | CSKA Moscow | 3–1 | Sporting CP |
| 2003–04 | Valencia | 2–0 | Marseille |
| 2002–03 | Porto | 3–2 | Celtic |
| 2001–02 | Feyenoord | 3–2 | Borussia Dortmund |
| 2000–01 | Liverpool | 5–4 | Alavés |
| 1999–2000 | Galatasaray | 0–0* | Arsenal |
| 1998–99 | Parma | 3–0 | Marseille |
| 1997–98 | Inter Milan | 3–0 | Lazio |
| 1996–97 | Schalke 04 | 1–1 (4–1 pens) | Inter Milan |
| 1995–96 | Bayern Munich | 5–1 agg. | Bordeaux |
| 1994–95 | Parma | 2–1 agg. | Juventus |
| 1993–94 | Inter Milan | 2–0 agg. | Austria Salzburg |
| 1992–93 | Juventus | 6–1 agg. | Borussia Dortmund |
| 1991–92 | Ajax | 2–2 agg. (away goals) | Torino |
| 1990–91 | Inter Milan | 2–1 agg. | Roma |
| 1989–90 | Juventus | 3–1 agg. | Fiorentina |
| 1988–89 | Napoli | 5–4 agg. | Stuttgart |
| 1987–88 | Bayer Leverkusen | 3–3 agg. (3–2 pens) | Espanyol |
| 1986–87 | IFK Göteborg | 2–1 agg. | Dundee United |
| 1985–86 | Real Madrid | 5–3 agg. | Köln |
| 1984–85 | Real Madrid | 3–1 agg. | Videoton |
| 1983–84 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–2 agg. (4–3 pens) | Anderlecht |
| 1982–83 | Anderlecht | 2–1 agg. | Benfica |
| 1981–82 | IFK Göteborg | 4–0 agg. | Hamburger SV |
| 1980–81 | Ipswich Town | 5–4 agg. | AZ Alkmaar |
| 1979–80 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 3–3 agg. (away goals) | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
| 1978–79 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 2–1 agg. | Red Star Belgrade |
| 1977–78 | PSV Eindhoven | 3–0 agg. | Bastia |
| 1976–77 | Juventus | 2–2 agg. (away goals) | Athletic Bilbao |
| 1975–76 | Liverpool | 4–3 agg. | Club Brugge |
| 1974–75 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 5–1 agg. | Twente |
| 1973–74 | Feyenoord | 4–2 agg. | Tottenham Hotspur |
| 1972–73 | Liverpool | 3–2 agg. | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
| 1971–72 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3–2 agg. | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
Latest Europa League News
You can visit the official Europa League website for all of the latest news, schedule information, player features, team news and more.
Europa League FAQs
- When does the 2026/27 Europa League start?
The Europa League league phase begins on September 16, 2026, with Matchday 1 played across September 16 and 17. The league phase concludes on January 28, 2027.
- How many teams are in the 2026/27 Europa League?
There are 36 teams competing in the league phase, including Juventus, AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, Benfica, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Sunderland.
- How does the Europa League format work?
All 36 teams compete in one league table. Each club plays eight matches against eight different opponents, with four games at home and four away.
- How do teams qualify for the Europa League knockout stages?
The teams finishing first to eighth advance directly to the Round of 16. Teams finishing ninth to 24th enter the knockout phase play-offs, while those finishing 25th to 36th are eliminated.
- How many games does each team play in the Europa League league phase?
Each team plays eight league-phase matches against eight different opponents. Clubs face two teams from each of the four seeding pots, playing one at home and one away from each pot.
- When do the Europa League knockout stages begin?
The knockout phase play-offs are scheduled for February 18 and 25, 2027. The Round of 16 follows on March 11 and 18, with the quarter-finals in April and semi-finals in late April and early May.
- When is the 2026/27 Europa League final?
The Europa League final will be played on Wednesday, May 26, 2027.
- Where is the 2026/27 Europa League final being played?
Stadion Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany, will host the 2027 Europa League final. The stadium is the home ground of Eintracht Frankfurt.
- What happens if the Europa League final finishes level?
If the scores are level after 90 minutes, two 15-minute periods of extra time are played. If the teams still cannot be separated, the winner is decided by a penalty shootout.
- What does the Europa League winner qualify for?
The Europa League champion earns a place in the league phase of the 2027/28 UEFA Champions League if they have not already qualified through their domestic competition. The winner also earns the opportunity to face the Champions League winner in the UEFA Super Cup.
- Who are the defending Europa League champions?
Aston Villa are the defending champions after winning the 2025/26 Europa League.
- Who are the favourites to win the 2026/27 Europa League?
Juventus, AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and Bournemouth are among the leading teams in the outright betting market heading into the competition.
