UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League last-16 draw explained: How do they work? Can Premier League teams meet? What is the seeding?
Published 27/02/2026 at 00:06 GMT
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Teams in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League will learn their opponents on Friday as the draws take place in Nyon, Switzerland. Aston Villa are in the Europa League last-16 draw and could be joined by Nottingham Forest and Celtic, while Crystal Palace are aiming to make the last 16 of the Conference League. How do the draws work and who could face who? We explain all.
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The draws for the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League are held on Friday, February 27, with Aston Villa among the Premier League teams set to be in the hat.
Villa are already assured of a place in the last 16 of the Europa League after finishing in the top eight of the league phase, and they will be joined by Nottingham Forest after they knocked out Fenerbahce.
Crystal Palace are the only British side in the Conference League after seeing off Zrinjski Mostar in the second leg of their play-off tie on Thursday following a 1-1 draw away.
Friday’s draws in Nyon, Switzerland will confirm the last-16 ties and the potential paths for every side as they try to reach the final.
How do the draws work, when could Premier League sides meet each other, what do the seedings mean, and how can you watch and follow the draws? We explain all…
When is the UEFA Europa League last-16 draw?
The draw for the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League is on Friday, February 27 at midday UK time.
When is the UEFA Conference League last-16 draw?
The UEFA Conference League last-16 draw will be held at 13:00 UK time on Friday, February 27.
Which teams are in the UEFA Europa League last-16 draw?
Eight teams were already confirmed in the last 16 of the Europa League following the league phase: Aston Villa, Braga, Freiburg, Lyon, Midtjylland, Porto, Real Betis and Roma.
They will be joined in the last 16 by the eight winners from the play-off round: Bologna, Celta Vigo, Ferencvaros, Genk, Lille, Nottingham Forest, Panathinaikos and Stuttgart.
Which teams are in the UEFA Conference League last-16 draw?
The eight teams who progressed from the Conference League league phase are AEK Athens, AEK Larnaca, Mainz, Rakow, Rayo Vallecano, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sparta Praha, Strasbourg.
They will be joined in Friday morning's draw by AZ Alkmaar, Celje, Crystal Palace, Fiorentina, Lech, Rijeka, Samsunspor and Sigma Olomouc.
How do the last-16 draws work?
In both the last 16 of the Europa League and Conference League, the eight play-off winners face the sides who finished in the top eight in the league phase.
The top-eight finishers in the league phase of both competitions have been paired into seeded couplets and each knows four teams (which will be reduced to two following the play-off round) they could face in the last-16 draw.
- Aston Villa will be drawn against the winners of Celta Vigo v PAOK or Lille v Crvena Zvevda
- Nottingham Forest will be drawn against either Real Betis or Midtjylland
- Crystal Palace will be drawn against Mainz or AEK Larnaca
The draw on Friday will confirm the last-16 ties and also allocate a side of the bracket for every team so they know who they could potentially meet in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
There is also seeding in both draws. The teams that finished in the top eight of the league phase will be seeded and will play the second legs of the last-16 ties at home.
In the quarter-finals, the teams that finished first to fourth will be seeded and receive a home tie in the second leg, and in the semis, the top two teams in the league phase will be seeded.
If a seeded team is eliminated, then the team that beats them takes their seeding position.
The top two seeds, Lyon and Aston Villa in the Europa League and Strasbourg and Rakow in the Conference League, can only meet in the final.
Can Premier League teams face each other in the draw?
There are no restrictions on teams being drawn against each other from the last 16 onwards.
That means Premier League teams can meet from here, although as the draw has already been partially plotted out it won’t happen in the last 16.
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How to watch the Europa League and Conference League last-16 draws
TNT Sports and discovery+ is your home to watch the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League draws.
The draws will also be streamed live on TNT Sports' YouTube channel, and you can follow on www.tntsports.co.uk.
The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports and entertainment in one destination.
You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.
When are the Europa League and Conference League last-16 ties?
The last-16 ties will be played on March 12 and 19.
The Europa League final will be held on May 20 in Istanbul and the Conference League final is in Leipzig on May 27.
Round of 16: March 12 & 19 2026
Quarter-finals: April 9 & 16 2026
Semi-finals: April 30 & May 7 2026
Final: May 20 (Europa League) & May 27 (Conference League)
Quarter-finals: April 9 & 16 2026
Semi-finals: April 30 & May 7 2026
Final: May 20 (Europa League) & May 27 (Conference League)
Stream the Premier League, Men’s and Women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more on TNT Sports and discovery+
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