Europa League Round of 16: Playoff draw, format, and schedule
What's the story
The league phase of the UEFA Europa League concluded, with eight teams—Lyon, Aston Villa, FC Midtjylland, Real Betis, FC Porto, Braga, SC Freiburg and AS Roma—securing their spots in the knockout phase. Lyon and Villa finished first and 2nd respectively in the overall league phase standings. However, the remaining 16 teams ranked from ninth to 24th will now compete in a two-legged playoff for a place in the last-16. Here's more.
Playoff details
Understanding the playoff format
The teams ranked ninth to 24th in the league phase will face off in two-legged playoff matches. The winners of these encounters will proceed as unseeded sides into the last-16, where they will be drawn against one of the top-eight teams. Notably, teams from the same national association can meet at this stage, including those who have already faced each other in previous league phases.
Competitors
Teams competing in the playoff round
The teams vying for a spot in the last-16 are: 9. Genk (Belgium), 10. Bologna (Italy), 11. VfB Stuttgart (Germany), 12. Ferencváros (Hungary), 13. Nottingham Forest (England), 14. Viktoria Plzeň (Czechia), 15. Red Star Belgrade (Serbia), 16. Celta Vigo (Spain), 17. PAOK (Greece), 18. Lille (France), 19. Fenerbahçe (Turkey), 20. Panathinaikos (Greece), 21. Celtic (Scotland), 22. Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria), 23. Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia), 24. Brann (Norway). The playoff matches will be held on February 19 and 26.
Missed opportunities
Teams eliminated from the tournament
Rangers were among six teams that failed to qualify for the play-offs before Thursday's matches. Other teams included Sturm Graz, Nice, Utrecht, Malmo, and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Young Boys also missed out on a play-off spot after suffering a last-minute defeat against Stuttgart in Germany. RB Salzburg also missed out despite leading at Villa Park on the final night of action. The other 4 teams eliminated on Thursday were Feyenoord, FCSB, Go Ahead Eagles, and FC Basel.
Information
Upcoming draws and match schedules
After the playoff round, the draw for the last-16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals will be held on February 27. The Europa League final will be played on May 20, 2026 at the Beşiktaş Stadium in Istanbul.
Twitter Post
League phase!
The 2025/26 league phase is complete ✅#UEL pic.twitter.com/LqA9U8z4K3
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) January 29, 2026