Europa League 2025/26 knockout play-off draw: How it works, fixture dates, seeded and unseeded teams, who could Premier League clubs and Celtic face?

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The 2025/26 UEFA Europa League play-off draw takes place at 12:00 GMT on Friday, January 30, live on TNT Sports and discovery+. With the league phase drawing to an end, the top eight have progressed automatically to the last 16, where they will be joined by the eight winners of the play-offs, which take place next month. Celtic booked their place in the play-offs with a 4-2 win over Utrecht.

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The league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League has come to an end with the full details of the knockout phase play-off draw now set in stone as the road to this year's final in Istanbul intensifies.

Clubs that finished 25th to 36th have been eliminated, with the 16 clubs positioned between 9th and 24th set to lock horns for the right to join the top eight in the last 16.

Aston Villa had already guaranteed their place in that round prior to the final set of league fixtures, but they now know the four possible opponents they could face.

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Villa and already-qualified Lyon could afford to rotate on matchday eight, but they have now been joined by Midtjylland, Real Betis, Porto, Braga, Freiburg and Roma in avoiding the additional two-legged play-off next month.

Like last season, clubs are also able to make three changes to their official Europa League squad, meaning Villa can register Douglas Luiz and Leon Bailey from the knockout stages onwards, despite the pair playing earlier in the competition for Nottingham Forest and Roma respectively.

Celtic booked their spot in the play-offs with a hard-fought 4-2 win against Utrecht at Parkhead, which retained their status in the competition in 21st place.

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Bologna briefly occupied a place in the last 16, but despite a 3-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv, they were ultimately edged out by Roma.

Freiburg suffered defeat in France, where Olivier Giroud's stoppage-time penalty sealed a 1–0 win for Lille, although the result had no bearing on either side's final standing.

A 1-0 win for Ludogorets over Nice lifted them into the play-off places to keep their European campaign alive, but Basel are out after a 1-0 loss to Viktoria Plzen, who secured a place in the play-offs. Genk narrowly missed out on a top-eight finish on goal difference despite a 2-1 win over Malmo.

Ahead of the draw in Switzerland - which is live on Friday on TNT Sports and discovery+ - we run you through all the details you need and, crucially, who your team could face as the first knockout round takes shape.

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Who could Nottingham Forest face?

Nottingham Forest recorded a fine 4-0 win over Ferencvaros at the City Ground in their final league phase game which ensured they finished in 13th position, earning a home tie in the second leg of their play-off.

They will now face one of Fenerbahce or Panathinaikos for a place in the last 16. If they get through the play-off, their last-16 opponent will be one of FC Midtjylland or Real Betis.

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Who could Aston Villa face?

Following Thursday's dramatic 3-2 win at home to Salzburg, Aston Villa sealed a place in the top two of the league phase, and with it the extra reward of being at home throughout the knockout stages in the second leg, as long as they continue to progress.

They must now wait for the last-16 draw at the end of February, but they could face one of Celta Vigo, Lille, PAOK or Red Star Belgrade.

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Who could Celtic face?

There was tension for a short period after Utrecht reduced the deficit to 3-2 on Thursday, but Martin O'Neill's Celtic side held their nerve to ensure their European adventure continues.

They will now eagerly await Friday's draw, where they will face either Ferencvaros or Stuttgart in the knockout play-offs.

Celtic started Thursday night just above the elimination places, but they could now face Robbie Keane's Ferencvaros - depending on which of the seeded pairings they draw on Friday.

The first leg is at Celtic Park on February 19, with the second leg a week later.

Should O'Neill mastermind another victory in that round, Celtic will face either Braga or FC Porto in the last 16.

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UEL knockout phase play-off and round of 16

Red Star Belgrade/Celta Vigo vs PAOK/Lille

Winners of play-off ties to face Lyon or Aston Villa in last 16

Nottingham Forest/Viktoria Plzen vs Fenerbahce/Panathinaikos

Winners of play-off ties to face Midtjylland or Real Betis in last 16

Stuttgart/Ferencvaros vs Celtic/Ludogorets

Winners of play-off ties to face Porto or Braga in last 16

Genk/Bologna vs Dinamo Zagreb/Brann

Winners of play-off ties to face Freiburg or Roma in last 16

When is the Europa League play-off draw?

The Europa League play-off draw takes place at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland, this Friday, January 30 at 12:00 GMT, live on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+.

When will the games take place?

The play-off ties will begin with first-leg fixtures on February 19, before concluding with the return legs a week later on February 26.

The seeded team will play at home in the second leg, with the unseeded team hosting the first leg.

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How does the draw work?

As we saw in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night, every goal counts. The ramifications of one scoreline shift could be huge on the fortunes of another side, hundreds of miles away on the continent.

The incentive to finish higher up the 36-team ladder is due to it opening the possibility of an easier route through to the last 16, and beyond for those who have qualified already via finishing in the top eight.

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Clubs are paired according to their final standings in the league phase, creating four seeded pairings -those finishing 9th and 10th, 11th and 12th, 13th and 14th, and 15th and 16th - and four unseeded pairings comprising teams placed 17th and 18th, 19th and 20th, 21st and 22nd, and 23rd and 24th.

Each seeded pair is drawn against an unseeded pair - for example, those ninth and 10th will face off against the teams who finished 23rd and 24th. Those that land in 11th and 12th will be drawn against the teams who finished 21st and 22nd and so on.

The seeded team have the advantage of playing the second leg at home.

Which teams are seeded?

Genk (9th)
Bologna (10th)
Stuttgart (11th)
Ferencvaros (12th)
Nottingham Forest (13th)
Viktoria Plzen (14th)
Red Star Belgrade (15th)
Celta Vigo (16th)

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Which teams are unseeded?

PAOK (17th)
Lille (18th)
Fenerbahce (19th)
Panathinaikos (20th)
Celtic (21st)
Ludogorets (22nd)
Dinamo Zagreb (23rd)
Brann (24th)

Can sides from the same nation face each other?

Yes. Unlike in the league phase when clubs from the same association could not be drawn against each other, there is no such protection at this stage.

Provided you are in the same pairing, there is a 50/50 chance of a tie involving two teams from the same domestic competition.

What is more, clubs may also be drawn against an opponent they have already met during the league phase.

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Once the play-offs are over, what happens next?

The eight play-off winners advance to the last 16 to face the league's top eight, with all ties except the final played over two legs. The round of 16 draw takes place on Friday, February 27.

Those that finished inside the top eight of the league phase will be seeded in the draw, meaning they will play the second leg of their last-16 tie at home.

For the first time, this system also applies to the quarter-finals and semi-finals.

Teams finishing first to fourth are seeded for the quarter-finals, while the league's top two earn semi-final seeding - both gaining the second-leg home advantage.

There is an even bigger reward for the unseeded side that progresses as they stand to inherit the seeding status of the team they conquer.

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Europa League 2025/26 key dates

Knockout phase playoffs

First legs: February 19
Second legs: February 26

Round of 16

First legs: March 12
Second legs: March 19

Quarter-finals

First legs: April 9
Second legs: April 16

Semi-finals

First legs: April 30
Second legs: May 7

Final

May 20 (Besiktas Stadium)

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