Tickets for the UEFA Europa League Playoffs on Esasport

Posted on 11 Feb 2026

The 2025/26 UEFA Europa League has entered the decisive stage of the season. Following the introduction of the new format featuring a single league table with 36 teams, the top eight teams have secured direct qualification for the Round of 16, while the teams placed from 9th to 24th position will compete in the qualification playoffs for the Round of 16.

The remaining teams have been eliminated from the competition.

The first-leg playoff matches are scheduled for Thursday, 19 February 2026, while the second-leg matches will take place on Thursday, 26 February 2026. Only at the end of these two-legged ties will the eight teams completing the Round of 16 lineup be determined.

The matchups are:

Viktoria Plzeň – Panathinaikos
Ferencváros – Ludogorets
Red Star Belgrade – Lille
Stuttgart – Celtic
Bologna – Brann
Genk – Dinamo Zagreb
Nottingham Forest – Fenerbahçe
Celta Vigo – PAOK

The return legs will be played at the opposite venues one week later.

In accordance with UEFA regulations, qualification for the next round will be decided by the aggregate score over the two matches.

The competition will then continue with the Round of 16 in March, followed by the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The final is scheduled for 20 May 2026 at the Beşiktaş Stadium in Istanbul.

The knockout stage now represents the most intense phase of the tournament: every match can prove decisive, and clashes between clubs with strong European traditions make these playoffs one of the most highly anticipated moments of the continental season.