The Europa Conference League once again delivered a draw that had fans refreshing their screens at odd hours. The 2025/26 Round of 16 draw took place on 27 February 2026, setting the stage for eight knockout ties that will run from March through May. Whether you’re tracking your club’s path to Leipzig or just keeping score, here’s what happened — and what comes next.
Next Draw: Round of 16, 27 May 2026 ·
Location: Nyon ·
Start Time: 05:00 local time ·
Season: 2025/26 ·
Final Date: 27 May 2026, Leipzig
Quick snapshot
- Exact bracket outcomes until draw was performed
- Whether scheduling conflicts will force midweek moves
- Draw at House of European Football, Nyon, 14:00 CET (UEFA.com)
- Round of 16 first legs on 12 May 2026
- Quarter-finals on 9 and 16 May 2026
The table below consolidates the essential details surrounding the draw ceremony and the season ahead.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tournament Name | UEFA Europa Conference League |
| Current Season | 2025–26 |
| Next Major Draw | Round of 16, 27 May 2026 |
| Draw Location | Nyon |
| Final Venue | Leipzig, 27 May 2026 |
Europa conference league draw today
As of 27 May 2026, the draw has already taken place. If you’re checking for today’s draw status, the Round of 16, quarter-final, and semi-final draw concluded at 14:00 CET at the House of European Football in Nyon (UEFA.com). No additional draw is scheduled for today.
Current schedule
The draw produced eight Round of 16 ties that will unfold over two matchweeks. The schedule reflects UEFA’s standard two-legged format: first legs on 12 March 2026, second legs on 19 March 2026.
Live updates
UEFA.com offers real-time coverage of the draw ceremony. A replay is also available on YouTube (YouTube), allowing fans who missed the 05:00 local time start to catch up on all matchups as they were drawn.
Conference League knockout draw
The knockout draw determines who faces whom once the league phase concludes. Eight winners from the knockout phase play-offs joined the top eight teams from the league phase in the draw, producing the Round of 16 bracket.
Round of 16 details
The Round of 16 featured eight seeded teams drawn against eight play-off winners. The matchups included Lech Poznań vs Shakhtar Donetsk, AZ Alkmaar vs Sparta Praha, and Crystal Palace vs AEK Larnaca (UEFA.com). Additional ties saw Fiorentina vs Raków, Samsunspor vs Rayo Vallecano, Celje vs AEK Athens, Sigma Olomouc vs Mainz, and Rijeka vs Strasbourg.
Play-off draw recap
The play-off draw was held on 16 January 2026, preceding the league phase conclusion. Eight teams advanced through the knockout phase play-offs, which concluded on 26 February 2026 (UEFA.com), finalizing the participant list for the Round of 16 draw.
UEFA Conference League draw Live
Watching the draw live requires knowing when and where UEFA streams the event. The ceremony began at 14:00 CET on 27 February 2026, though local time in Nyon was 05:00.
Watch options
UEFA.com provides the primary live stream for all official draws. The broadcast typically includes the draw procedure, explanations of seeding rules, and reaction from officials. For those unable to watch live, replays are available shortly after the ceremony concludes.
Stream links
The Round of 16 draw video is archived on YouTube (YouTube), offering a convenient replay option. UEFA’s official website also maintains a fixtures and results page with bracket view for ongoing coverage.
UEFA accommodates broadcast audiences across multiple time zones by streaming early-morning draw ceremonies, though fans in Asia and Oceania still need to set alarms.
Conference League 2025/26 draw
This season marks the second under UEFA’s revised 36-team league phase format. The structure reshaped how teams qualify for the knockout stage and how the draw operates.
Full format
Under the current format, 36 teams enter the league phase, with the top eight automatically advancing to the Round of 16. Teams ranked 9–24 contest the knockout phase play-offs to determine the remaining eight Round of 16 spots. There is no longer any transfer of teams from the Europa League to the Conference League (Wikipedia). Teams compete primarily on Thursdays, with the exception of the final, which is played on a Wednesday.
Key dates
The full season timeline runs from the first qualifying round draw on 17 May 2026 through to the final on 27 May 2026 at Red Bull Arena in Leipzig. Key milestones include the league phase draw on 29 January 2026, knockout play-offs draw on 16 January 2026, and the Round of 16 draw on 27 January 2026 (UEFA.com).
The revised format rewards league phase performance more directly: finishing in the top eight means avoiding the play-off round entirely and entering the knockout stage already seeded.
Conference League draw results
The draw results set a full bracket from Round of 16 through the semi-finals. Here’s how the matchups shaped up after the ceremony in Nyon.
Recent outcomes
The Round of 16 matchups paired the eight seeded teams against play-off winners. Seeding favored sides that finished in the league phase top eight: Strasbourg, Raków, AEK Athens, Sparta Praha, Rayo Vallecano, Shakhtar Donetsk, Mainz, and AEK Larnaca (UEFA.com). The draw procedure paired seeded teams based on their league phase positions, creating balanced brackets for the quarter-finals and beyond.
Bracket view
The semi-final bracket reveals potential matchups for the later rounds. Based on current draw pairings, Shakhtar Donetsk could face Crystal Palace in one semi-final path, while Rayo Vallecano versus Strasbourg forms the other half of the draw (NBC Sports). First semi-final legs are scheduled for 30 May 2026, with return legs on 7 May 2026.
The draw gives seeded clubs structural advantages throughout the knockout path, with quarter-final and semi-final trajectories now visible for teams that navigated the league phase successfully.
Timeline
Eight dates that define the 2025/26 Conference League season, from qualifying through the final in Leipzig.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| First qualifying round draw | |
| League phase draw | |
| Knockout play-offs draw | |
| Round of 16 draw in Nyon | |
| Round of 16 first legs | |
| Final in Leipzig |
What we know — and what we don’t
After the draw, some details are locked in while others remain uncertain.
Confirmed
- Round of 16 draw on 27 May 2026 at House of European Football, Nyon (UEFA official draw announcement)
- Final on 27 May 2026 at Red Bull Arena, Leipzig (UEFA official format and dates page)
- Seeded teams: Strasbourg, Raków, AEK Athens, Sparta Praha, Rayo Vallecano, Shakhtar Donetsk, Mainz, AEK Larnaca (UEFA official draw announcement)
- Round of 16 first legs on 12 May 2026, second legs on 19 May 2026
- Quarter-finals on 9 and 16 May 2026
- Semi-finals on 30 April and 7 May 2026
Unclear
- Exact outcomes of semi-final brackets until Round of 16 concludes
- Whether scheduling conflicts will force midweek adjustments for specific markets
- Regional broadcast availability for specific territories
What UEFA said
The 2025/26 UEFA Conference League round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final draw took place at 14:00 CET on Friday 27 May 2026.
— UEFA.com official announcement
Based on current draw pairings, Shakhtar Donetsk could face Crystal Palace in one semi-final path, while Rayo Vallecano versus Strasbourg forms the other half of the draw.
The draw set the bracket for a season that rewards consistency — teams finishing in the league phase top eight bypass the play-off round entirely and enter the knockout stage with seeding advantages. For clubs like Rijeka, Celje, and Sigma Olomouc, the path to Leipzig now runs through seeded opponents who will host the second leg. For fans, tracking their club’s league phase standing pays dividends because the draw reflects exactly where each team finished.
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onefootball.com, uefa.com, uefa.com, espn.com, en.wikipedia.org
The 2025/26 league phase standings have now paved the way for the eagerly awaited Round of 16 draw on 27 February 2026, featuring top performers like Strasbourg.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UEFA Europa Conference League?
The UEFA Europa Conference League is UEFA’s third-tier club competition, below the Champions League and Europa League. It features clubs from lower-ranked UEFA member associations alongside teams that do not qualify for the two higher competitions.
How does the Conference League draw work?
The draw pairs eight seeded teams (top eight from the league phase) against eight play-off winners. Seeding protects the highest-ranked teams by pairing them with opponents determined by league phase position. The draw also sets the quarter-final and semi-final brackets simultaneously.
Where can I find Conference League draw simulator?
UEFA does not offer an official draw simulator. Third-party tools exist online, though their accuracy varies. The official bracket view is available on UEFA.com, which updates automatically as results come in.
What are the differences between Europa League and Conference League draws?
Both competitions use seeded draws, but the Europa League involves more clubs and different seeding thresholds. The Conference League specifically serves lower-ranked associations, giving clubs from those markets a path to European knockout football without needing to qualify for the Champions or Europa Leagues.
When was the last Conference League play-off draw?
The knockout play-offs draw was held on 16 January 2026. It determined which eight teams would join the top eight league phase finishers in the Round of 16.
How to access bracket view for Conference League?
The official bracket view is available on UEFA.com under the fixtures and results section. It shows all matchups from Round of 16 through the semi-finals, with dates and venues updated as legs are completed.
What predictions exist for upcoming draws?
Predictions focus on seeded team performance and historical form. However, the draw itself introduces randomness, so any predictions are speculative until the draw concludes. The semi-final paths show Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano vs Strasbourg as potential final-four matchups.
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Oscar Friel covers culture, lifestyle, society and long-form features across the UK.