As both the Europa League and Conference League pass the halfway point of the league phase, Sky Sports looks at how the race for the knockout stages is shaping up.
Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest are primed to reach the next stage of their respective competitions, while others such as Rangers and Celtic face elimination risk.
Who qualifies for the knockouts?
– The top eight sides at the end of each league phase qualify automatically for the last 16.
– Teams ranked ninth to 24th go into two-legged play-offs to reach the knockout rounds.
– Teams 25th to 36th are eliminated. Teams eliminated from the Europa League do not drop into the Conference League following the league phase.
Europa League – Villa primed but Celtic and Rangers struggling
– Aston Villa have nine points from four games and sit sixth, well placed to secure a spot. Villa’s remaining fixtures: RB Salzburg (H), Fenerbahce (A), Young Boys (H), Basel (A).
– Nottingham Forest sit 23rd, two places above the elimination zone, with one win, two draws and one defeat. Their remaining games: Ferencvaros (H), Braga (A), Malmo (H), Utrecht (A).
– Celtic and Rangers are currently outside the top 24 and at risk of elimination. Rangers have zero points from four games and sit bottom; Celtic have four points, one behind Bologna in 24th (five points).
– Opta’s predicted table has Villa finishing top and Forest securing a play-off spot in 14th. Both Celtic and Rangers are predicted to miss out, with Rangers forecast to finish 34th.
How many points do you need to make the EL top eight or top 24?
– In the first edition of this format last season, 14 points were needed to make the top eight and 10 points to reach the top 24 (depending on goal difference).
Remaining fixtures for British teams (Europa League)
– Aston Villa: RB Salzburg (H), Fenerbahce (A), Young Boys (H), Basel (A)
– Nottingham Forest: Ferencvaros (H), Braga (A), Malmo (H), Utrecht (A)
– Rangers: Porto (A), Braga (H), Ferencvaros (A), Ludogorets (H)
– Celtic: Roma (H), Feyenoord (A), Utrecht (H), Bologna (A)
Europa League fixture dates
– Matchday 5: 27 November 2025
– Matchday 6: 11 December 2025
– Matchday 7: 22 January 2026
– Matchday 8: 29 January 2026
Europa League knockout stage
– Knockout-phase play-offs: 19 & 26 February 2026
– Round of 16: 12 & 19 March 2026
– Quarter-finals: 9 & 16 April 2026
– Semi-finals: 30 April & 7 May 2026
– Final: 20 May 2026 (Istanbul)
Conference League – Palace in contention
– Crystal Palace have six points from three games, level with Fiorentina who occupy the final automatic qualification spot in eighth. Palace’s remaining fixtures: Strasbourg (A), Shelbourne (A), KuPS (H).
– Samsunspor top the group with an unblemished record, joined by Celje and Mainz 05 near the top. AEK Larnaca, Lausanne, Rayo Vallecano and Strasbourg also occupy the top eight places.
– Opta predict Palace will secure automatic qualification, finishing fourth on 14 points.
How many points do you need to make the Conference League top eight or top 24?
– More points were needed in the Conference League last season: eighth place (Cercle Brugge) finished on 11 points, while 24th (TSC Backa Topola) finished on seven points.
Remaining fixtures for Crystal Palace
– Crystal Palace: Strasbourg (A), Shelbourne (A), KuPS (H)
Conference League fixture dates
– Matchday 4: 27 November 2025
– Matchday 5: 11 December 2025
– Matchday 6: 18 December 2025
Conference League knockout stage
– Knockout-phase play-offs: 19 & 26 February 2026
– Round of 16: 12 & 19 March 2026
– Quarter-finals: 9 & 16 April 2026
– Semi-finals: 30 April & 7 May 2026
– Final: 27 May 2026 (Leipzig)
Broadcasting
– Sky Sports will be the exclusive UK broadcaster of the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League from the 2027/28 season, showing all 342 matches across both competitions for four years from summer 2027.