Europa League Draw to Decide Last-16 Paths for Villa, Forest and Palace
The europa league draw on Friday will determine the round-of-16 fixtures after the midweek play-offs finished, leaving each remaining side with two possible opponents. The timing and seeding rules mean some clubs will know where their decisive second legs will be played, and match schedules for later rounds have already been dated.
Europa League Draw set for Friday at 12pm
The Europa League portion of Friday’s knockout draws is scheduled to start at 12pm ET, followed by the Conference League draw at 1pm ET. Every team’s potential opponents have been narrowed to two possibilities ahead of the ball being drawn, and live coverage will be available online and on an app for those following the event in real time.
Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace last-16 options
Three Premier League clubs remain in the two competitions. In the Europa League, Aston Villa will face either Celta Vigo or Lille, while Nottingham Forest will draw one of Real Betis or Midtjylland. In the Conference League, Crystal Palace will be matched with either Mainz or AEK Larnaca. Because the midweek play-offs have concluded, each English club knows its two potential opponents but not the exact bracket path until the draw.
Seeded status and home advantage for second legs
Sides that did not require a play-off are designated as seeded; seeded teams are those that finished in the top eight in the league phase. Being seeded carries a concrete advantage: those teams will play the second leg of their last-16 tie at home. Teams are also permitted to be drawn against clubs from their own country and against sides they have already faced earlier in the competition.
Play-off results that finalised the last-16 lists
Recent play-off outcomes established many of the potential match-ups. Celta Vigo beat PAOK 3-1 on aggregate, winning the second leg 1-0. Lille recovered from a first-leg deficit to beat Red Star Belgrade 2-0 in the return fixture. Robbie Keane’s Ferencvaros overturned a one-goal first-leg deficit to win 2-0 at home and eliminate Ludogorets Razgrad. Stuttgart progressed 4-2 on aggregate despite a 1-0 home loss to Celtic.
Scheduling: match dates for last-16, quarters and semis
The round-of-16 match schedule will be published on Friday evening. Quarter-final match dates will be confirmed on March 19, and the semi-final schedule will be communicated on April 16. The phased release of these schedules ensures teams and supporters learn specific fixtures and venues in stages after the draw resolves pairings.
Potential English clash and Conference League note
The earliest stage in which two English sides could meet in the Europa League is the quarter-finals, with Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest on courses that could converge at that point depending on the draw. Crystal Palace, competing in the Conference League, does not have any potential English opponents among its two possible opponents.
What makes this notable is the combination of narrowed opponent lists and seeding rules: because seeded sides are granted the decisive second-leg home advantage, the draw's outcome will immediately affect not only who each club plays but also who gets the scheduling edge. The midweek play-offs therefore had a direct effect on both pairings and competitive balance going into the knockout phase.
