The Uefa Europa League 2025/26 League Phase has come and gone and eight (8) teams have clinched automatic qualifications to the Round of 16 following the last preliminaries played on Thursday 29 January, 2026.
There are sixteen (16) others teams that will feature in the Play-offs, and only eight (8) will have to scale through to face the already qualified eight (8) teams in the last 16 stage.
The top eight (8) teams through to the next phase of the tournament are:
- Lyon
- Aston Villa
- Midtjylland
- Real Betis
- FC Porto
- Braga
- Freiburg
- AS Roma
These teams have qualified for the round of 16, but, who are they going to face in the knockouts?
The ties are now ready after the knockout phase play-off was made at the Uefa Headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday 30 January, 2026.
All you need to know about the Uefa Europa League knockout phase play-off draw below:
Teams in the Play-offs?
These teams will play in a two-legged Play-off games to determine who progresses as unseeded teams for the last 16.
There are sixteen (16) teams that will fight for spots in the knockout phase play-offs. They are:
- Genk (9th)
- Bologna (10th)
- VfB Stuttgart (11th)
- Ferencvaros (12th)
- Nottingham Forest (13th)
- Viktoria Plzen (14th)
- Crvena Zvezda (15th)
- Celta Vigo (16th)
- PAOK (17th)
- Lille (18th)
- Fenerbahçe (19th)
- Panathinaikos (20th)
- Celtic (21st)
- Ludogorets Razgrad (22nd)
- Dinamo Zagreb (23rd)
- Brann Bergen (24th)
Knockout Phase Play-off draw?
These teams will do battle to reach the final 16 of the Uefa Europa League 2025/26.
The Play-off ties:
- Ludogorets Razgrad V Ferencvaros
- Panathinaikos V Viktoria Plzen
- Dinamo Zagreb V Genk
- PAOK V Celta Vigo
- Celtic V VfB Stuttgart
- Fenerbahçe V Nottingham Forest
- Brann V Bologna
- Lille V Crvena Zvezda
When are the knockout phase play-off matches?
The first legs will take place on Thursday 19 February, 2026 with the second legs to be played one week later on Thursday 26 February, 2026.
The Uefa administration however makes the decision on match dates and reversal of fixtures on a case-by-case basis, as well as, in accordance with the applicable principles set by the Club Competitions Committee.
What happens after the Europa League knockout phase play-offs?
Those teams that emerge victorious in each tie will progress to the round of 16 to slug it out with the top eight (8) teams from the League Phase who secured automatic tickets.
The round of 16, quarter final, semi finals and final draws are scheduled to take place on Friday 27 February, 2026.
