Jul 30, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers (27) is congratulated after scoring a goal against St. Louis City in the first half at Energizer Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

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Europa League Draw: Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest Discover Their Opponents

The stage is set for the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League as the 36 participating clubs discovered their league-phase opponents during Friday’s draw. The revamped format was introduced last season and replaces the traditional group stage with a single league table where each team plays eight matches against sides from different pots.

The 2025/26 Europa League campaign kicks off on September 24, with Istanbul’s Besiktas Park scheduled to host the final on May 20, 2026. Premier League sides Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are gearing up for challenging fixtures.

Aston Villa’s Europa League Opponents

Villa, back in the competition after their strong domestic showing in the Premier League, have been drawn against Coppa Italia winners Bologna ad Dutch side Feyenoord. Unai Emery’s side will also play German side RB Salzburg and Fenerbahçe.

Home fixtures:

Pot 1: RB Salzburg
Pot 2: Maccabi Tel Aviv
Pot 3: BSC Young Boys
Pot 4: Bologna

Away fixtures:

Pot 1: Feyenoord
Pot 2: Fenerbahçe
Pot 3: Basel
Pot 4: Go Ahead Eagles

Our #UEL opponents 💫 pic.twitter.com/yzU9hC5S5i
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) August 29, 2025

Also Read: Barcelona Champions League Opponents for 2025-26 Season: Who Are They Playing, Where and When?

Nottingham Forest’s Europa League Opponents

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest return to European competition for the first time in nearly 30 years. Their Europa League campaign features heavyweight encounters against Portuguese giants Porto and Swedish side Malmö. Palace also face tough away trips to Real Betis and Braga.

Forest’s participation came at the expense of Crystal Palace, who were demoted to the Conference League after UEFA ruled against them on multi-club ownership grounds.

Home fixtures:

Pot 1: Porto
Pot 2: Ferencváros
Pot 3: Midtjylland
Pot 4: Malmö

Also Read: Chelsea Champions League Opponents for 2025-26 Season: Who Are They Playing, Where and When?

Away fixtures:

Pot 1: Real Betis
Pot 2: Braga
Pot 3: Sturm Graz
Pot 4: Utrecht

Our #UEL league phase opponents! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/J0SCKvzOtf
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) August 29, 2025

With Villa boasting European pedigree under Emery and Forest looking to revive memories of their golden era, both clubs will aim to make deep runs in the competition.

Europa League Fixture Dates

League phase

Matchday 1: 24 & 25 September 2025
Matchday 2: 2 October 2025
Matchday 3: 23 October 2025
Matchday 4: 6 November 2025
Matchday 5: 27 November 2025
Matchday 6: 11 December 2025
Matchday 7: 22 January 2026
Matchday 8: 29 January 2026

Also Read: Tottenham Agree €60M Deal With RB Leipzig for Xavi Simons

Knockout stage

Knockout-phase play-offs: 19 & 26 February 2026
Round of 16: 12 & 19 March 2026
Quarter-finals: 9 & 16 April 2026
Semi-finals: 30 April & 7 May 2026
Final: 20 May 2026 (Istanbul)

Aston Villa

Europa League

nottingham forest

UEFA Europa League

Abhinav Goel

soccer

I am a soccer writer at The PlayOffs, covering everything from match analysis to transfer buzz and tactical deep dives. Ever since I was a kid, soccer has been more than just a sport to me—it’s been an obsession. Playing and watching the game from a young age fueled my passion, eventually leading me into the world of sports media and betting. Now, I get to analyze the sport I love and bring the latest updates to fans worldwide.