About the UEFA Europa League
The UEFA Europa League (UEL, the UEFA Cup) is an international annual football competition. It is considered the second most important competition for football clubs belonging to UEFA after the Champions League. The UEFA Europa League matches are played on Thursdays in the Champions League game weeks and on Wednesdays and Thursdays in the weeks when the Champions League matches are not scheduled. Depending on the venue, the matches start at 19:00 or 21:05 European time.
UEFA Europa League 2026/27: Schedule and Match Dates
The 2026/27 UEFA Europa League season started on July 9, 2026, with the qualifying stage and will conclude with the final on May 26, 2027. A total of 36 teams will compete in the league phase, with each team playing eight matches.
2026/27 Europa League League Phase Schedule
| Matchday | Date |
|---|---|
| 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 Europa League league phase will conclude on January 28, 2027. All matches on Matchday 8 will be played on the same day.
2026/27 Europa League Knockout Stage
After the league phase, teams will continue their fight for a place in the final stages of the competition.
- Knockout phase play-offs — February 18 and 25, 2027.
- Round of 16 — March 11 and 18, 2027.
- Quarter-finals — April 8 and 15, 2027.
- Semi-finals — April 29 and May 6, 2027.
- Final — May 26, 2027.
Where Will the 2027 Europa League Final Be Held?
The 2026/27 Europa League final will take place on May 26, 2027, at Stadion Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany. The stadium is the home ground of Eintracht Frankfurt.
History of the Tournament
The UEFA Europa League was founded in 1971 as the UEFA Cup. The tournament retained this name until the 2008/09 season, after which it was renamed the UEFA Europa League as part of the reorganization of European club competitions.
The first winner of the tournament was English club Tottenham Hotspur. Throughout the history of the competition, clubs from various European countries have won the trophy, but the most successful team remains Spanish side Sevilla, who have won the title six times.
Until 1998, the UEFA Cup final was played over two legs, with each team hosting one match. Since 1998, the final has been played as a single match at a neutral venue.
Previous UEFA Europa League Winners
| Season | Final Venue | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | Istanbul, Türkiye | Winner to be determined at the end of the season |
| 2024/25 | San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao, Spain | Tottenham Hotspur |
| 2023/24 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland | Atalanta |
2027/28 Season
The next UEFA Europa League 2027/28 season will take place after the conclusion of the 2026/27 campaign. The exact dates for the qualifying rounds, league phase, knockout stages and final, as well as the venues for the matches, will be announced by UEFA at a later date.
Keep an eye on the dates of football tournaments and other events in our Sports Events Calendar.
