| # | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benfica | 3 | +8 | 9 |
| 2 | Bayer Leverkusen | 3 | +8 | 9 |
| 3 | Bournemouth | 3 | +7 | 9 |
| 4 | Ferencváros | 3 | +6 | 9 |
| 5 | Olympiacos | 3 | +3 | 9 |
| 6 | Union Saint-Gilloise | 3 | +7 | 7 |
| 7 | Juventus | 3 | +6 | 7 |
| 8 | Beşiktaş | 3 | +4 | 7 |
| 9 | Sunderland | 3 | +2 | 7 |
| 10 | AZ | 3 | +4 | 6 |
| 11 | Nicosia | 3 | +1 | 6 |
| 12 | Lyon | 3 | -1 | 6 |
| 13 | Rennes | 3 | +1 | 5 |
| 14 | Real Sociedad | 3 | +5 | 4 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 3 | +3 | 4 |
| 16 | Sparta Prague | 3 | +2 | 4 |
| 17 | Levski Sofia | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 18 | Dinamo Zagreb | 3 | -1 | 4 |
| 19 | Sturm Graz | 3 | -2 | 4 |
| 20 | NEC Nijmegen | 3 | -3 | 4 |
| 21 | Salzburg | 3 | -3 | 4 |
| 22 | Anderlecht | 3 | +1 | 3 |
| 23 | TSG Hoffenheim | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 24 | Milan | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| 25 | Celta Vigo | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| 26 | OFI | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| 27 | Jagiellonia Białystok | 3 | -2 | 3 |
| 28 | Torreense | 3 | -3 | 3 |
| 29 | Celje | 3 | -5 | 1 |
| 30 | Hapoel | 3 | -5 | 1 |
| 31 | Lillestrøm | 3 | -7 | 1 |
| 32 | Lech Poznań | 3 | -8 | 1 |
| 33 | Viktoria Plzeň | 3 | -5 | 0 |
| 34 | Marseille | 3 | -5 | 0 |
| 35 | Celtic | 3 | -6 | 0 |
| 36 | Ararat-Armenia | 3 | -9 | 0 |
- Qualification
Europa League Standings: How the League Phase Table Works
The Europa League standings on this page show the current 2026/27 UEFA Europa League league phase, updated automatically after every match. The table below ranks all 36 clubs on points in one combined league; this guide explains how that table works – how clubs earn points, what each finishing position wins or loses, how clubs level on points are separated, and the key dates that decide who goes through to the knockouts.
How the 2026/27 Europa League league phase works
Since 2024/25 the Europa League has used a single league table of 36 clubs instead of the old eight-group stage – a format often called the “Swiss model”. Every club plays eight matches, four at home and four away, against eight different opponents (two drawn from each of four seeding pots). Clubs are never drawn against a team from their own country in this phase. Points work exactly as in a domestic league: three for a win, one for a draw and none for a defeat. All 36 clubs sit in the same table, so a club’s rank depends on how it does against its own eight opponents, not against a small group.
Key Facts
| Competition | UEFA Europa League 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Format | Single league phase of 36 clubs (Swiss model) |
| Matches per club | 8 (4 home, 4 away) against 8 different opponents |
| Points | 3 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss |
| League phase | 16 September 2026 – 28 January 2027 |
| Who advances | Top 24 of 36 (top 8 go straight to the Round of 16) |
| Final | 26 May 2027, Stadion Frankfurt, Germany |
| Winner earns | 2027/28 Champions League place and a UEFA Super Cup match |
| Holders | Aston Villa (2025/26) |
What each position in the standings means
A club’s finishing position in the league phase decides its route into the knockouts – there is no title, promotion or relegation here, only qualification. The single table splits into three bands. The top eight go straight through; the next sixteen take a longer route; the bottom twelve go out.
- 1st-8th: qualify directly for the Round of 16 and are seeded for the knockout draw.
- 9th-24th: enter the two-legged knockout phase play-offs, with 9th-16th seeded and 17th-24th unseeded.
- 25th-36th: eliminated from Europe for the season – unlike the old format, there is no transfer down to the UEFA Conference League.
Clubs reach the Europa League in the first place through their domestic competitions the season before, such as a high finish in the Premier League standings in England or a national cup win, plus a handful transferring across from Champions League qualifying.
What Each Position Means
| Position | What it means |
|---|---|
| 1st–8th | Qualify directly for the Round of 16 (seeded in the draw) |
| 9th–16th | Enter the knockout phase play-offs as seeded clubs |
| 17th–24th | Enter the knockout phase play-offs as unseeded clubs |
| 25th–36th | Eliminated from Europe (no drop to the Conference League) |
How clubs level on points are separated
When two or more clubs finish the league phase on the same number of points, UEFA ranks them by a fixed list of tiebreakers applied in order until the tie is broken. For the 2026/27 season the order is:
- Higher goal difference across all eight matches
- More goals scored
- More away goals scored
- More wins
- More away wins
- Higher combined points of the clubs a team played
- Higher combined goal difference of those opponents
- More combined goals scored by those opponents
- Fewer disciplinary points (yellow and red cards)
- Higher UEFA club coefficient
Note that the Europa League does not use head-to-head results as its first split, which is where it differs from many domestic leagues. If you want the general principles behind these rules, our guide to how sports standings are ranked walks through points and tiebreakers step by step.
Key dates for the 2026/27 season
The league phase runs across eight matchdays from September to late January, then the knockout rounds decide the trophy. UEFA’s confirmed dates are below (subject to change):
- Matchday 1: 16-17 September 2026
- Matchday 2: 15 October 2026
- Matchday 3: 22 October 2026
- Matchday 4: 5 November 2026
- Matchday 5: 26 November 2026
- Matchday 6: 10 December 2026
- Matchday 7: 21 January 2027
- Matchday 8: 28 January 2027 (all 18 games kick off together)
- Knockout play-offs: 18 and 25 February 2027
- Round of 16: 11 and 18 March 2027
- Quarter-finals: 8 and 15 April 2027
- Semi-finals: 29 April and 6 May 2027
- Final: 26 May 2027
How the season ends
The Europa League is decided by a knockout bracket, not by the table alone. Once the league phase ends on 28 January 2027, the top eight wait in the Round of 16 while clubs ranked 9th-24th contest two-legged play-offs in February to join them. The Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals are then played over two legs, before a single-match final at Stadion Frankfurt (Deutsche Bank Park) in Germany on 26 May 2027. The winners earn a place in the 2027/28 Champions League league phase and a UEFA Super Cup match against the Champions League holders. Aston Villa go in as defending champions after beating Freiburg 3-0 in the 2025/26 final in Istanbul.
How to follow the Europa League from New Zealand
In New Zealand the Europa League is shown on DAZN, which holds the streaming rights to UEFA’s club competitions (Champions League, Europa League and Conference League). A paid subscription is required; check DAZN’s New Zealand site for current plans, as pricing changes between seasons. League-phase matches are played on Thursday evenings in Europe, which is early Friday morning in New Zealand – kick-offs generally fall between about 6:45am and 9:00am NZDT (New Zealand Daylight Time). Knockout ties from March onward shift into New Zealand’s standard time (NZST) but still screen in the early morning. The live table on this page updates automatically, so you can check the latest standings without staying up for every result.
Reading the table columns
The standings table below uses the usual football abbreviations: P or MP for matches played, W for wins, D for draws, L for losses, GF and GA for goals for and against, GD for goal difference and Pts for points. If any of those are unfamiliar, our glossary of standings table abbreviations explains every column, and our wider guide on how to read a sports standings table shows how the rows and columns fit together and why the order shifts after each round.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
How many teams are in the Europa League standings?
Thirty-six clubs share a single Europa League table. Each plays eight league-phase matches – four home and four away – against eight different opponents, rather than being split into small groups as in the old format.
How do you qualify for the knockouts from the Europa League table?
The top eight clubs go straight to the Round of 16. Clubs finishing 9th to 24th enter the two-legged knockout play-offs in February, while the clubs ranked 25th to 36th are eliminated and do not drop into the Conference League.
What happens if two clubs finish level on points?
They are separated by goal difference first, then goals scored, away goals, total wins and away wins. If still level, the strength of each club’s opponents, disciplinary record and UEFA coefficient are used. Head-to-head is not the first tiebreaker.
When does the 2026/27 Europa League season finish?
The league phase ends on 28 January 2027 and the knockout rounds run from February. The final is a single match at Stadion Frankfurt in Germany on 26 May 2027.
How can I watch the Europa League in New Zealand?
DAZN streams the Europa League in New Zealand on a paid subscription. League-phase matches are played Thursday evening in Europe, which is early Friday morning NZDT, roughly between 6:45am and 9:00am.