The UEFA Europa League explained
For just the second time in our history, Crystal Palace are taking part in a major European competition. But what is the Europa League? Here's everything you need to know.
What's the Europa League format?
The format of all three UEFA competitions was tweaked ahead of the 2024/25 season and will be maintained this year – known as the 'Swiss model.'
Following the qualification and play-off rounds – with every team having to qualify – 36 teams are kicking off the tournament proper.
First up is the league phase round. Each team in the Europa League plays eight league fixtures between 16/17th September and 28th January.
A draw on Friday, 28th August took place to determine plays who in the league phase.
No two teams play each other more than once and teams from the same association are kept apart for the league phase. Matchday one is split across Wednesday and Thursday, but the other seven league phase Matchdays primarily take place on Thursdays.
The dates and kick-off times of Crystal Palace's eight league phase matches were subsequently confirmed (all times below UK time):
- Thursday, 17th September: Lech Poznan (H) - 20:00
- Thursday, 15th October: Lyon (A) - 17:45
- Thursday, 22nd October: Besiktas (A) - 20:00
- Thursday, 5th November: Hoffenheim (H) - 17:45
- Thursday, 26th November: Real Sociedad (H) - 20:00
- Thursday, 10th December: Jagiellonia (A) - 17:45
- Thursday, 21st January: Sparta Praha (H) - 20:00
- Thursday, 28th January: Salzburg (A) - 20:00
Once the eight matchdays have taken place, the final league table will determine who qualifies for the knockout stage – and at what round they will enter.
The top eight sides progress straight to the Round of 16.
Sides finishing 9th-24th will have to navigate a play-off round to reach the last 16. In the play off-round, the teams placing 9th-16th will be 'seeded' and drawn against a team who finished between 17th and 24th.
The sides ranking 25th or below are eliminated.
In the knockout phase, the eight winners of play-off round ties join the top eight of the league phase in the Round of 16.
Ties are contested over two legs (home and away), with extra-time played if the scores are level on aggregate after the two games. If still level at the end of extra-time, a penalty shootout determines which club progresses.
Away goals were abolished by UEFA in 2022 and are no longer used as a tiebreaker.
The Round of 16, quarter and semi-finals follow an identical structure, with the tournament tree drawn prior to the Round of 16, meaning every team will know their route to the Final.
The Final is a one-off game at a neutral venue. The 2026/27 Europa League Final will take place in Frankfurt's Waldstadion.
The competition dates for the knockout round are as follows:
- Knockout phase Play-off Round: 18 & 25 February 2027
- Round of 16: 11 & 18 March 2027
- Quarter-finals: 8 & 15 April 2027
- Semi-finals: 29 & 6 May 2027
- Final: 26 May 2027 at Waldstadion, Frankfurt
What rules should I be aware of?
- Before each match, each team must confirm, using the match sheet, the 23 players in the team and up to 15 team officials, one of whom must be a team doctor. The match sheet must indicate the number and, if applicable, the shirt name that each player will wear during the match.
- Up to five of the substitutes listed on each team’s match sheet may take part in the match.
- Additionally, a sixth substitute listed on the match sheet may take part in knockout matches exclusively during extra time.
- Each team may use a maximum of three stoppages in play to make substitutions (one additional stoppage in extra time can be used). Substitutions made before the start of the match, during half-time, between the end of normal playing time and extra time, and at half-time during extra time do not reduce the number of stoppages in play that can be used.
- Video assistant refereeing (VAR) will be used throughout the UEFA Europa League, having been introduced to the competition in the 2023/24 season.
- In the League Phase, teams will the same of points are first sorted on goal difference, or goals scored if the teams have identical goal differences. If still level, they are then sorted on away goals, wins and then away wins. Should the teams be level on all five criteria, head-to-head record will be used to determine who finishes higher.
Crystal Palace v Lech Poznan
- Thursday, 17th September
- 20:00 BST
- UEFA Europa League: League phase matchday one
- Selhurst Park
- Tickets available here.
- Live audio commentary on Palace TV+.