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The 2026-27 Europa League league phase draw is scheduled for Friday, August 28 at 12:00 BST in Monaco. A total of 36 teams will participate in the competition’s new league phase format, though only 24 have been officially confirmed to date. The remaining 12 teams will be determined following the conclusion of final qualifying round matches.
Under the revamped competition structure, each participating team will play eight matches during the league phase—four at home and four away. Teams will face opponents from all four competitive pots, with one opponent drawn from each pot. Clubs cannot be matched against teams from their own country. The four pots are determined by UEFA club coefficient rankings calculated over the five-season period ending in 2026.
Elite European clubs including Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, AC Milan, Lyon, AZ Alkmaar, Olympiakos, Real Sociedad, and Marseille occupy eight of the nine spots in pot one. Portuguese side Benfica will secure the final pot one position if they defeat Danish opponents AGF. Celtic, Dinamo Zagreb, Sparta Prague, and Rennes are guaranteed places in pot two, while teams like Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, and Sunderland are likely to land in pots two or three.
The competition’s finishing order will determine advancement opportunities. Teams placing first through eighth will automatically advance to the round of 16. Those finishing ninth through 24th will enter a playoff knockout round, while teams ranked 25th through 36th will exit the competition following the league phase conclusion.
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Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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