Europa League Play-offs: Fenerbahçe Faces Nottingham, Celtic Takes on Stuttgart
The knockout phase play-off draw for the UEFA Europa League took place recently at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. This draw has set the stage for several exciting matches featuring top European clubs.
Europa League Play-offs: Fenerbahçe Faces Nottingham, Celtic Takes on Stuttgart
Match Schedule
The first legs of the knockout phase play-offs will commence on February 19, followed by the second legs on February 26. All matches are scheduled to kick off at 21:00 CET, with some exceptions. Notably, Fenerbahçe will take on Nottingham Forest at 18:45 CET.
First Leg Fixtures – February 19
- Fenerbahçe vs Nottingham Forest (18:45 CET)
- GNK Dinamo vs Genk (18:45 CET)
- PAOK vs Celta (18:45 CET)
- Brann vs Bologna (18:45 CET)
- Celtic vs Stuttgart
- Lille vs Crvena Zvezda
- Panathinaikos vs Viktoria Plzeň
- Ludogorets vs Ferencváros
Second Leg Fixtures – February 26
- Viktoria Plzeň vs Panathinaikos (18:45 CET)
- Ferencváros vs Ludogorets (18:45 CET)
- Crvena Zvezda vs Lille (18:45 CET)
- Stuttgart vs Celtic (18:45 CET)
- Bologna vs Brann
- Genk vs GNK Dinamo
- Nottingham Forest vs Fenerbahçe
- Celta vs PAOK
Advancing Teams
The winners of these matchups will progress to the round of 16, joining eight teams that have already secured their spots from the league phase. These teams are:
- Aston Villa
- Braga
- Freiburg
- Lyon
- Midtjylland
- Porto
- Real Betis
- Roma
Implications of the Draw
The pairing of teams for this knockout phase was based on their league positions at the conclusion of the group stage. The seeding aimed to create a balanced competition by grouping teams into seeded and unseeded pairs.
Upcoming Dates in the Europa League
The following are key dates to keep in mind for the tournament:
- Knockout Phase Play-offs: February 19 & 26, 2026
- Round of 16: March 12 & 19, 2026
- Quarter-finals: April 9 & 16, 2026
- Semi-finals: April 30 & May 7, 2026
- Final: May 20, 2026, in Istanbul
As clubs prepare for these crucial matches, fans can anticipate thrilling encounters and notable performances in this year’s Europa League knockout phase.
