Europa League and Conference League 2026-27: Format and Dates
How the 2026-27 Europa League and Conference League work — 36 clubs each, eight and six league-phase games, who goes through — with every matchday date and the two finals, in Frankfurt on 26 May and Istanbul on 2 June 2027.
Updated October 2026
The short answer
Both competitions use the same model as the Champions League: one league table of 36 clubs, each playing a set number of different opponents, then knockout rounds. In the Europa League every club plays eight league-phase games; in the Conference League, six. In both, the top eight go straight into the round of 16, the clubs from ninth to 24th play a two-legged knockout play-off for the other eight places, and the bottom twelve are out of Europe.
The Europa League final is on Wednesday 26 May 2027 at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt. The Conference League final is on Wednesday 2 June 2027 in Istanbul, at Beşiktaş's stadium. The Europa League winner earns a place in the next season's Champions League league phase, and the Conference League winner a place in the Europa League league phase.
Every matchday
Europa League league phase: 16–17 September, 15 October, 22 October, 5 November, 26 November and 10 December 2026, then 21 and 28 January 2027. Conference League league phase: 15 October, 22 October, 5 November, 26 November, 10 December and 17 December 2026. Apart from the opening Europa League round, every league-phase night is a Thursday.
The knockout rounds share their dates in both competitions: play-offs on 18 and 25 February 2027, the round of 16 on 11 and 18 March, the quarter-finals on 8 and 15 April, and the semi-finals on 29 April and 6 May.
Turkish clubs this season
Beşiktaş play the Europa League and won their first two league-phase games, 4–1 at home to Marseille and 3–2 at Hoffenheim. Trabzonspor play the Conference League and opened with a 4–2 win at KuPS in Finland. Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe are in the Champions League.
For Turkish supporters the Conference League has an extra draw this season: the final is in Istanbul, so a Turkish club reaching it would play the final at home soil.
What time the games start
Thursday games kick off at 18:45 and 21:00 Central European time, with the occasional earlier kick-off. In Türkiye that is 19:45 and 22:00 while Europe is on summer time, until 25 October 2026 and again from 28 March 2027, and 20:45 and 23:00 in the winter; in the UK it is 17:45 and 20:00 all season.
Every Europa League and Conference League fixture on MatchCountdown shows its kick-off in your own time zone, and each matchday has its own page listing the whole night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the 2027 Conference League final?
In Istanbul, at Beşiktaş's stadium, on Wednesday 2 June 2027.
Where is the 2027 Europa League final?
At the Waldstadion in Frankfurt, on Wednesday 26 May 2027.
How many games do clubs play in the league phase?
Eight in the Europa League and six in the Conference League. Both league phases have 36 clubs in one table.
Who goes through from the league phase?
The top eight go straight to the round of 16; ninth to 24th play a knockout play-off in February; the bottom twelve are eliminated.
What does the winner get?
The Europa League winner goes into the next Champions League league phase; the Conference League winner into the next Europa League league phase.
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