Updated Feb. 26, 2026, 5:43 p.m. ET
The Europa League’s final 16 teams were set on Thursday, Feb. 26 with the conclusion of the eight knockout playoffs that have the winners moving on to the tournament’s Round of 16.
Half of the Round of 16 field was already locked in with the eight teams that finished atop the league phase that ran from September to January. UEFA’s second-tier club tournament rewards the winner with a spot in the next season’s Champions League as well as a berth in the 2026 UEFA Super Cup against the team that wins this year’s Champions League.
UEFA’s draw for the Round of 16 and remainder of the knockout stage will be held on Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 a.m. ET. The tournament’s final will be held in Istanbul on May 20.
How to watch UEFA Europa League
Every Europa League is live on Paramount+
Who’s in Europa League Round of 16?
The top eight clubs from 36-team league phase qualified directly to Round of 16, while the 9th-24th finishers advanced to the knockout playoffs.
- Lyon
- Aston Villa
- Midtjylland
- Real Betis
- Porto
- Braga
- SC Freiburg
- Roma
- Stuttgart (won playoff vs. Celtic)
- Lille (won playoff vs. Red Star)
- Ferencváros (won playoff vs. Ludogorets)
- Panathinaikos (won playoff vs. Viktoria Plzeň)
- Genk (won playoff vs. Zagreb)
- Celta Vigo (won playoff vs. PAOK)
- Bologna (won playoff vs. Brann)
- Nottingham Forest (won playoff vs. Fenerbahçe)
Europa League schedule today, 2026 bracket
Knockout playoffs
- Nottingham Forest 1–2 Fenerbahçe (Agg: 4–3 | Forest advance)
- Red Star 0–2 Lille (Agg: 1–2 | Lille advance)
- Viktoria Plzeň 1–1 Panathinaikos (Agg: 3–3 | Panathinaikos advance on pens)
- Stuttgart 0–1 Celtic (Agg: 4–2 | Stuttgart advance)
- Genk 2–2 Dinamo Zagreb (Agg: 5–3 | Genk advance)
- Celta Vigo 1–1 PAOK (Agg: 3–2 | Celta advance)
- Bologna 2–0 Brann (Agg: 3–0 | Bologna advance)
- Ferencváros 2–0 Ludogorets (Agg: 3–2 | Ferencváros advance)
Round of 16 matchups
First legs will be played on March 12, second leg on March 19
- Ferencvaros vs. Porto or Braga
- Panathinaikos vs. Midtjylland or Real Betis
- Genk vs. SC Freiburg or Roma
- Celta Vigo vs. Lyon or Aston Villa
- VfB Stuttgart vs. Braha or Porto
- Nottingham Forest vs. Real Betis or Midtjylland
- Bologna vs. Roma or SC Freiburg
- Lille vs. Aston Villa or Lyon
When is UEFA Europa League draw?
The draw determining the Round of 16 matchups and remainder and path to the final will be held in Switzerland on Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 a.m. ET.
When is Europa League final?
The 2026 UEFA Europa League final is scheduled for May 20 at the Beşiktaş Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Europa League winner will qualify directly for the 2026-27 Champions League and will face the winner of this year’s Champions League in the 2026 UEFA Super Cup.