With both the Europa League and Conference League past the halfway point of the league phase, the picture of who will reach the knockout rounds is becoming clearer. This update reviews the qualification format, how British clubs are faring, Opta projections and the remaining fixtures and key dates.
How qualification works
– The top eight teams in each league phase qualify automatically for the last 16.
– Clubs finishing 9th–24th enter two-legged knockout play-offs to reach the round of 16.
– Teams placed 25th–36th are eliminated after the league phase. Clubs eliminated from the Europa League do not drop into the Conference League after the league phase.
Europa League overview: Villa strong, Celtic and Rangers under pressure
– Aston Villa: Currently well placed with nine points from four games (6th). Villa’s remaining fixtures: RB Salzburg (H), Fenerbahce (A), Young Boys (H), Basel (A). They look primed to secure at least a play-off place.
– Nottingham Forest: Sitting 23rd — two places above the automatic elimination zone — with one win, two draws and one defeat. Remaining games: Ferencvaros (H), Braga (A), Malmo (H), Utrecht (A).
– Celtic and Rangers: Both are at risk. Rangers have no points from four matches and lie bottom of the overall table; Celtic have four points, one behind Bologna in 24th (five points).
– Opta predictions: Opta project Villa to finish top of their league-phase table and forecast Forest to secure a play-off spot (14th). Both Celtic and Rangers are predicted to miss out, with Rangers projected near the bottom (34th).
Points guidance from last season
– In the first season under this format, 14 points were needed to finish inside the top eight and 10 points to reach the top 24 (final positions depended on goal difference in some cases).
Remaining Europa League fixtures for British clubs
– 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 calendar (remaining matchdays)
– Matchday 5: 27 November 2025
– Matchday 6: 11 December 2025
– Matchday 7: 22 January 2026
– Matchday 8: 29 January 2026
Europa League knockout schedule
– 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 snapshot: Palace in contention
– Crystal Palace: Six points from three games, level with Fiorentina who occupy the final automatic-qualification spot (8th). Palace’s remaining fixtures: Strasbourg (A), Shelbourne (A), KuPS (H). They remain in the mix for automatic qualification.
– Group landscape: Samsunspor top their group with a perfect record; Celje and Mainz 05 are also near the top. Other teams occupying the top eight positions across groups include AEK Larnaca, Lausanne, Rayo Vallecano and Strasbourg.
– Opta prediction: Opta project Palace to secure automatic qualification, forecasting them to finish fourth on 14 points.
Points guidance from last season (Conference League)
– Last season required more points in some groups: the eighth-placed team (Cercle Brugge) finished on 11 points, while the 24th-ranked side overall (TSC Backa Topola) had seven points.
Remaining Conference League fixtures for Crystal Palace
– Crystal Palace: Strasbourg (A), Shelbourne (A), KuPS (H)
Conference League calendar (remaining matchdays)
– Matchday 4: 27 November 2025
– Matchday 5: 11 December 2025
– Matchday 6: 18 December 2025
Conference League knockout schedule
– 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 note
– Sky Sports will be the exclusive UK broadcaster of both the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League starting from the 2027/28 season, showing all 342 matches across both competitions for four seasons from summer 2027.
Bottom line
– Aston Villa look well placed to progress from the Europa League; Nottingham Forest are fighting to avoid elimination. Celtic and Rangers currently face a real risk of missing the knockout stages. In the Conference League, Crystal Palace remain in contention for an automatic top-eight finish. With several matchdays still to play, these positions can change quickly — remaining fixtures and form will determine who makes the last 16 and who must battle through the play-offs.