The 2026/27 UEFA Europa League is about to begin, and this season’s competition has plenty of reasons to attract attention.
The league phase features 36 teams, including European heavyweights such as AC Milan, Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Benfica, Lyon and Marseille. While the Champions League remains Europe’s biggest club competition, the Europa League offers its own mix of established giants and emerging contenders. For a closer look at the teams and storylines in this season’s Champions League, read our guide to Champions League 2026/27: What to Watch This Season.
There are also several clubs looking to make their mark on the competition, including Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Sunderland from England.
The league phase begins on September 16, with the final scheduled for May 26, 2027, at Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park.
Here are some of the biggest storylines to watch as the season unfolds.
Can Milan Return to European Glory?
AC Milan is one of the biggest names in this season’s Europa League and will be expected to go deep into the competition.
The Italian club has been drawn into a league phase that includes matches against Benfica, Salzburg, Bournemouth, Ferencváros, Olympiacos, Sunderland, Levski Sofia and Ararat-Armenia.
Milan’s opening match is particularly attractive, with Benfica travelling to San Siro on September 16.
It could provide an early indication of whether Milan is ready to compete for the trophy or whether the club will face a tougher route than expected.
Juventus Have Another European Challenge
Juventus are another major Italian club to watch.
The Turin side will face NEC, Celta, Rennes, AZ Alkmaar, Omonia, Lyon, Real Sociedad and Arsenal during the league phase.
The trip to Real Sociedad and the meeting with Lyon will be among the more difficult tests, while the clash with AZ Alkmaar could also become important in the race for a strong league-phase position.
Juventus will be expected to qualify for the knockout stages, but the new league-phase format means there is little room for complacency.
Bayer Leverkusen Want Another Deep Run
Bayer Leverkusen have already experienced the pressure of going deep in this competition, having reached the 2024 Europa League final.
They begin this campaign at home against Slovenian side Celje on September 16.
Leverkusen will also face Lech Poznań, OFI Crete, Marseille, Dinamo Zagreb, Beşiktaş, Salzburg and Lyon during the league phase.
The matches against Marseille and Lyon could be particularly important because both French clubs are among the stronger teams in the competition.
Crystal Palace Have a Title to Defend
Crystal Palace bring an interesting storyline to the tournament after winning the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League.
That success earned Palace a place in the Europa League league phase and gives the club its first opportunity to compete in this particular stage of the competition.
Palace will face Lech Poznań, Lyon, Beşiktaş, Hoffenheim, Real Sociedad, Jagiellonia, Sparta Praha and Salzburg.
The fixture against Lyon could be particularly significant, while the later meeting with Salzburg will provide another major test.
Sunderland Are Back on the European Stage
Sunderland are one of the most interesting English stories in the competition.
The club returns to European football and will begin its league-phase campaign against AZ Alkmaar on September 16.
Sunderland’s remaining opponents include Torreense, Lech Poznań, Dinamo Zagreb, Jagiellonia, Milan, Anderlecht and Levski Sofia.
The trip to Milan on December 10 stands out as one of the biggest fixtures on their schedule.
For Sunderland supporters, that match could become one of the defining moments of the campaign.
Bournemouth Also Have Something to Prove
Bournemouth will also represent England in this season’s competition.
Their first match is away against Real Sociedad on September 17, immediately giving the club a difficult European test.
Bournemouth will then face Sturm Graz, Milan, Sparta Praha, Celta, Viktoria Plzeň, Lillestrøm and Hapoel Beer-Sheva.
The home match against Milan on October 22 could be one of the biggest nights in Bournemouth’s European campaign.
Milan vs Benfica Could Be the First Big Match
The opening round already contains one fixture that immediately stands out.
Milan vs Benfica will bring two historic European clubs together at San Siro on September 16.
Both teams have substantial European pedigree, making this one of the most attractive games of Matchday 1. UEFA itself highlighted the fixture among the key matches to watch when previewing the opening round.
A strong result could also give either side early momentum in the league phase.
Marseille, Lyon and the French Challenge
France has two major representatives in Lyon and Marseille, alongside Rennes.
Marseille’s league-phase schedule includes Beşiktaş, Olympiacos, Sturm Graz, Leverkusen, Levski Sofia, Celta, Celtic and Anderlecht.
Lyon, meanwhile, will face Anderlecht, Crystal Palace, Hoffenheim, Real Sociedad, Lillestrøm, Union SG, Jagiellonia and Leverkusen.
The French clubs could become particularly important in the battle for the top positions.
The New League Phase Changes the Competition
This will be the third Europa League season played under UEFA’s new 36-team league-phase format.
Each team plays eight matches against eight different opponents rather than competing in a traditional four-team group.
The league-phase schedule runs from September through January, with matches taking place on eight matchdays.
The format makes consistency extremely important.
The best-performing teams will have a clearer route into the knockout stages, while clubs that struggle during the league phase could face additional matches just to reach the round of 16.
Newcomers Could Become the Surprise Package
One of the best things about the Europa League is that it regularly gives less-fancied clubs an opportunity to challenge more established European names.
This season includes teams such as Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Torreense, Lillestrøm, OFI Crete and Ararat-Armenia.
Some may struggle against the competition’s biggest clubs, but the league-phase format also creates opportunities for surprise results.
A few unexpected wins could completely change the race for qualification.
What Happens After the League Phase?
The league phase concludes on January 28, 2027.
The knockout phase play-offs will then take place on February 18 and 25, followed by the round of 16 in March, the quarter-finals in April and the semi-finals in May.
The Europa League final will be played on May 26, 2027, at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany.
That gives teams more than eight months to navigate their way from the opening fixtures to the final.