The draw for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League took place on 17 June 2025. The matches are scheduled to occur between July 10 and July 17. Additionally, the draw for the second qualifying round was held on 18 June 2025, and the ties for this round will take place between July 24 and July 31.
The draw for the third qualifying round of the Europa League is set for 21 July 2025, with matches scheduled to take place between August 7 and August 14. Following this, a playoff draw will take place on 4 August 2025, and the playoff ties are expected to be held from August 21 to August 28. Successful teams from these rounds will then join the others in the league phase of the new Europa League format.
Find out everything you need to know about both draws, including times, locations, formats, and TV streaming options below.
When is the UEL draw? Playoff draw date, location and time
With the first and the second qualifying rounds already conducted, the third qualifying and playoff round draws will take place on 21 July 2025 and 4 August 2025 respectively. Both draws, as was with the first ones, will take place at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
How does the Europa League draw work?
The Europa League draw follows a seeding system, in which teams are split into seeded and unseeded pots based on the UEFA Club coefficients. Drawing seeded teams against unseeded ones is designed to achieve balance in the competition.
Once the ties are released, the new format requires teams to compete against each other both at home and away before the playoff round. This results in a total of 24 teams joining 12 teams that qualified directly from their respective domestic leagues or cup competitions. That makes up a 36-team table in the new Europa League format that was implemented during the 2024/25 season.
The 2025/26 first qualifying round draw took place this afternoon…
Tap below for the results 👇 #UEL
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) June 17, 2025
Can teams from the same country play each other in the Europa League playoff round?
No, that teams from the same country cannot face each other in qualifying and playoff rounds. It also applies to politically sensitive match-ups that are avoided.
Which teams have already qualified?
The following teams have qualified for the first qualifying rounds:
Round One
- Sabah FK
- Celje
- AEK
- Partizan
- Parks
- CFR Cluj
- Sheriff
- Prishtina
- Levski Sofia
- H. Beer Sheva
- Shaktar
- Ilves
- FC Spartak Trnava
- Hacken
- Legia
- Aktobe
Round two
The following teams have been confirmed for the second qualifying round.
- Mitdjylland
- Hibernian
Moreover, at the time of writing, UEFA have confirmed the following teams for the league phase:
- Crystal Palace
- Aston Villa
- Bologna
- Roma
- Real Betis
- Celta Vigo
- Stuttgart
- Freiburg
- Lille
- Lyon
- Go Ahead Eagles
- Porto
How can I watch the Europa League draw?
The Europa League playoff draw is always streamed live on UEFA's official website and app. UK-based fans will also be able to watch the draw unfold live on TNT Sports with the broadcaster showing it immediately after the Champions League draw is concluded.
When are the UEL playoff round matches?
The 2025/26 Europa League playoff will take place between 21 August and 28 August 2025. Kick-off times for both legs will be confirmed by UEFA shortly after the draw is finalised.
Where is the Europa League final being played this year?
The 2025/26 Europa League Final will be held on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, at Tupras Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, the home ground of Besiktas.